Vilamoura (Algarve) Portugal

Vilamoura

Vilamoura is the name given to an area rather than to any actual town. It is outstanding in that it is one of the largest single tourist complex in Europe and covers some 2.000 hectares of land. The land is variable in its vegetation, some parts covered in pine forests whilst others open recovered marshland. Vilamoura is a special place, a unique leisure and recreation resort community where the pace of life is so easy it feels like summer all year round.

Information

Vilamoura Europes largest private tourist development is a blend of luxury hotels, apartments and villas, supported by extensive commercial services and leisure facilities. The existing infrastructure include all the community services required in a residential area: school multi-denominational church, post-office and medical centres.

Active visitors and residents have nearly every conceivable on their doorstep to choose from. The five 18-hole golf courses offer enough golf to test every aspect of a player's game, there is a golf ridding centre, an Olympic shooting club, a lawn bowling club a tennis centre and sport centre offering squash, badminton, weight training and acrobats. Joggers have across-country trails, and of there is always the beach. Three kilometres of golden sands lay directly before Vilamoura. To the west of the marina entrance, the much photographed Falesia beach with the stunning of beauty of its colourful sandstone cliffs stretches into the distance. To the east, in front of the main hotel group,the sands hum with activity. In july 2003, falesia rocha baixinha beach became the only Portuguese beach and one of the first beached worldwide to be granted environmental management and permanent improvement of the environmental quality its visitors are able to enjoy.

When not simply soaking up the sun, once can swim, windsurf, water-ski,scuba dive or snorkel,rent a pedalo,fish or simply enjoy leisure walks along the edge of the water.

Activities

Many activities may be enjoyed at the Marina.Boat charters, big game fishing and scuba diving are among the opportunities available jet-skis and bicycles may be hired

Events

The organisation of great events, such as the most important sailing events/trophies in Europe, complete the range of varieties and options that make Vilamoura Marina into a must go harbour that is worth a visit.

Traveling from Faro airport to VilaMoura

• Distance from Faro Airport to Vilamoura: 29 km
• Travel from Faro to Vilamoura by Train: no convenient train station
• Travel from Faro to Vilamoura by Bus: 3.75€
• Transfer from Faro to Vilamoura by Taxi: 27€ for a 4 seater Mon-Fri 6am-9pm (32€ outside this time and bank holidays); 34€ or 40€ for a 6 seater depending on time.

To get to Faro train or bus station (which are close to each other just before Faro marina) either get the bus from the airport (the stop is right outside the 'arrivals' doors) and will cost you around 1.75€, or get a taxi at a cost of around 10€. To check train timetables visit. (the site is available in English) and select 'Regional and Inter Regional services' to get the timetable for Lagos/Vila Real de Santo António/Lagos.
For bus timetables visit. Again most of it is available in English except the 'frequency' on the tables. (Days of the week: Monday is the 2nd day of the week - '2as'-and Friday is the 6th day. 'Sábado' and 'Domingo' - Saturday and Sunday; 'Feriados' is holidays; 'Diariamente' is daily,). Bus times from the 'aeroporto' to Faro are also listed .
For additional bus timetables visit which covers a limited area of the Algarve.