Vilamoura frequently asked questions
Which are the nearest golf courses?
Vilamoura has four golf courses – The Laguna, Pinhal, Millenium and Old Course. They differ in character and all have their own unique challenges, but all of them have the kind of facilities you would expect from championship golf courses. The Laguna is quite a flat, open course with water featuring prominently in the difficulties presented to the golfer. By contrast, the Pinhal Course is set amongst the pine trees that are characteristic of the area and the landscape is a little hillier. The celebrated Old Course has been enhanced by a program of extensive rebuilding and the Millennium Course has also undergone complete refurbishment.
What is there to do besides golf?
Vilamoura has plenty to offer for everyone, and if you prefer to spend your days quietly relaxing by the pool or on the beach, then you’ll no doubt have energy to enjoy the fantastic nightlife. From the restaurants cafés and bars at the Marina, to the night club and Black Jack of the Casino. There is also Browns Sports Club where you can enjoy tennis, squash, working out in the Gymnasium or simply taking a break by the pool.
Where can I explore Vilamoura’s Roman origins?
To catch a glimpse of Vilamoura’s ancient history, you can visit the Roman ruins, which include the baths so characteristic of sites that have survived from the days of the Roman Empire. A far cry from the luxurious villas with pools of today, the baths symbolise significant changes brought about by this advanced civilisation. There is also a museum called Cerro da Vila, which the historians, and the plain curious, amongst you will find interesting.
What is Quarteira like?
Quarteira was a small fishing village of Moorish origins until the 1960s, when the advent of tourism had a radical change on the townscape and the economy. It is different from Vilamoura in many ways, particularly in relation to the buildings; where Vilamoura is predominantly a low-rise villa resort, Quarteira has grown to incorporate high-rise apartments and hotel accommodation on the seafront and in the newer areas. Now it is a market town, housing both tourists and much of the workforce that serves the nearby Algarve resorts of Vilamoura, Vale do Lobo, Quinta do Lago and Carvoeiro. Like Almancil, Quarteira is a centre for service companies in the area and has all the general and tourist-related facilities that you would expect from a town dominated by holidaymaking.
What is there to do in Loulé?
Loulé is a town 18km north east of Faro and about 20 minutes’ drive from the
airport. Loulé is well known in the area for its Saturday market, where you can buy fresh local
produce. The town is also renowned for its tradition as a craft centre, giving you the opportunity to
purchase all kinds of practical and ornamental mementos of your stay - from embroidered linen to items
fashioned from leather, clay, brass or copper.
If you visit at Carnival time, you will be treated to a colourful representation of the town and its
culture. You can find out more about what to do in Loulé and the surrounding area by visiting
the Tourist Information Office, situated within the walls of the Moorish castle which characterises the
town.
What are the medical facilities?
The nearest doctors are:
Dr Kairis
Euro Saude
Avda Sa Carneiro
Quarteira
Tel. number: 289 380300
Out of hours number: 933 011010
Dr Moreira
1st Floor E, 74 Vasco Gamma
8125 – 256 Quarteira
Tel. number: 289 314119
Alternatively if you prefer a British doctor, Doctor Robin Thomson has his practices in nearby Vale do
Lobo and Quinta do Lago:
Vale do Lobo
Tel. number: 289 398009
Out of hours number: 917 214326
Quinta do Lago
Contact Tel. number: 289 398411
Out of hours number: 917 214326
If I need an emergency dentist, is there one at the resort?
There is a French dentist in Almancil who has been running his practice for 11 years; he is
Dr Claude Jean-Louis and he works with Dr Betty Pujol at:
Rua Casa do Povo
Almancil
Tel. number: 289 397229
There is also dentist in Quarteira:
Euro Saude
Avda Sa Carneiro
Quarteira
Tel. number: 289 380300
