As a place of settlement, the area of Quarteira dates back at least to Roman times. King D. Dinis granted Quarteira its charter on 15th November 1297 and it became a city in 1999. From a simple fishing village, Quarteira has become one of the major tourist centres in the Algarve, famous for its golden beaches, its high quality fish and for its woods of stone pine.
Quarteira has seen a lot of development in recent years, leaving it characteristically high-rise in and around the town. Quarteira has still, however, managed to retain its Portuguese character and is particularly popular with Portuguese holidaymakers. The best part is the lovely palm-lined promenade, Avenida Infante de Sagres, known as the "Marginal", where you can spend time relaxing with lovely walks along the seafront and on the outdoor terraces of cafés and bars all around.
Quarteira Beach is beautiful and rock-free and there are plenty of eating places with the Avenida Infante de Sagres running along behind it, which you can call on for refreshments. Quarteira still boasts a local fishing community and the fishermen can be seen at work at the western end of the beach. The catches are sold at the nearby fish market early in the morning and will end up on your plate for lunch or dinner the same day.
Quarteira offers a huge range of culinary delights, with the emphasis, of course, on the beautifully fresh fish and shellfish dishes such as grilled sardines, "cataplanas", "caldeirada" (a kind of fish stew) and prawns, to name but a few.
Quarteira really is an ideal resort for a family holiday - apartments and hotels line the sea front so have fabulous views and easy access to the gorgeous beach and all the restaurants and cafés that line the 'Marginal'. The long sandy beach is ideal for children and the water here is calmed by a series of breThere are plenty of things to do around Quarteira if you've had enough of the beach! It is in the centre of some of the best golf courses in the Algarve - you could play a different course every day without travelling very far. For the energetic members of the family there are water parks, water sports of all kinds, karting, bowling, tennis and horse riding all close to hand.
Every Wednesday Quarteira has a big gypsy market that attracts visitors from all over the Algarve, so if you like to spot a bargain then this is for you!
If you prefer quieter activities take a leisurely stroll to Vilamoura along the beach front (it isn't far at all) and take in the sights at the marina! Apart from the extremely large, and no doubt hugely expensive, yachts floating on the water, there are plenty of shops to browse in and luckily, an equal number of places to stop for a cool drink! It will probably take you longer to walk around the marina than to walk from Quarteira but if you are still feeling engergetic, the beach (Falésia) at the western side of Vilamoura marina carries on all the way to Olhos de Água next door to Albufeira