Quarteira

With roots going back to Roman times, Quarteira was for many years a backwater fishing village, but today it is a buzzing seaside resort with the restaurant-lined promenade of Avenida Infante de Sagres backing the Atlantic Ocean. Primarily a family resort and very popular with Portuguese visitors, Quarteira has a long stretch of soft, sandy beach with shallow waves for children to swim in safely. Kids will also love the water rides at nearby theme parks Zoomarine Algarve and Krazy World Zoo.
A local fish market takes place every morning at the west end of the beach; the menus of the local restaurants and bars always offer grilled sardines, prawns or tasty caldeirada stew made with fish caught that day. Other local distractions from sunbathing include the international golf courses at Vilamoura – this neighboring resort is an easy walk westwards along the seafront – the charms of Faro’s old walled city and the rivers and lagoons of the nearby Parque Natural da Ria Formosa (Ria Formosa Natural Park). However, Quarteira is probably best known for its weekly Wednesday flea market, which attracts visitors from all over the Algarve.

Practical Info

The local tourist office is at Avenida 5 de Outubro 18, Faro. Faro airport is 24 km (15 miles) away; taxis and buses run regularly from there to Quarteira; local buses run on the hour between 8am and 7pm to neighboring Vilamoura.