Last updated on October 28th, 2025 at 07:17 pm

Discover Vilamoura through the eyes of a solo traveler who knows the Algarve well. With 36 years of professional travel experience and multiple visits to Portugal’s stunning southern coast, I’ll show you what makes this marina town special.
Your guide to Vilamoura’s sun-soaked sophistication.
Wondering what to do in Vilamoura?
There are plenty of things to do, including lovely boat trips, water-based activities and tours.
There is also a lovely marina to enjoy, beautiful beaches and a Roman villa for a bit of history.
Read on to get some ideas for your trip or get some ideas right here 👇
Table of Contents
What to Do in Vilamoura
Vilamoura is blessed with beautiful beaches. They are located on either side of the marina area and have cafes, bars and restaurants dotted along them.
Praia De Vilamoura, the beach to the East of the marina, is smaller, but you can walk around to the adjoining beach at Quarteria if you want. The Tivola Marina Hotel sits right beside this beach.
Praia De Roxhina Nascente, to the West side of Vilamoura marina, is a longer beach, backed by rocky cliffs.
There is a watersports centre on this beach where you can hire jet skis, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, pedalos and more.
In the hills above the beach is a hiking area with waymarked walking trails.
The beautiful Domes Lake Resort sits just beside this hiking area, giving great access to the beach and watersports activities.
What To See in Vilamoura
Museo De Cerro Villa
If you want to explore a bit of Roman history while visiting Vilamoura, you won’t need to go far.
The Museo De Cerro Villa is located close to the marina area.
It dates back to around 27 BC. The walls have disappeared but the mosaics remain, along with the foundations. There is a small museum area with some interesting artefacts and displays too.
Depending on your intereest it takes around 30 minutes to 1 hour to visit the museum and it costs 4 Euros to enter.
The museum is open Monday to Friday, mornings and afternoons with a lunch break in the middle of the day.
(2024 note: The Museum is temporarily closed)
Things To Do in Vilamoura
Vilamoura Marina
The Marina is a lovely area to stroll and a great place to get something to eat or drink as there are plenty of places to choose from
There are also some shops.
It’s a great spot to enjoy a spot of people watching, while enjoying the view across the marina and out to the sea.
Check out this lovely cruise from Vilamoura 👇
Things to Do in Vilamoura
Vilamoura has plenty of water and boat-based activities to enjoy. Here are some of the most popular ones;

What To Do in Vilamoura
Benagil Cave With Entry By Boat Into the Cave
The Benagil cave is hugely popular in Vilamoura and rightly so. It’s stunning from the inside with the beach and sea inside the cave too.
Due to its popularity, there are now restrictions on how many people can enter the cave at once.
With this tour, you don’t need to worry because they take you right into the cave on the boat – making it a special experience.
This boat trip doesn’t just visit Benagil but gives you a close-up view of all the caves and rock formations on the way.
Check out details of the boat trip right here 👇
Things to Do in Vilamoura
Full Day Cruise With BBQ & Private Beach
This 7.5-hour day cruise heads along the coast from Vilamoura on a beautiful boat with a sailing mast.
It explores the coastline (although the mast means it can’t go into caves) and finishes up a secluded beach only accessible by sea.
Guests are transferred by dinghy where you can enjoy a beach barbecue. There is plenty of time to enjoy the beach and free stand-up paddleboards and beach equipment. You can hire snorkelling equipment if you fancy doing that too.
Starting at 51 euros including lunch and drinks, this is a great value full-day activity.
Check out the details right here 👇
What To Do in Vilamoura
Sunset Catamaran Cruise
If you fancy watching the sunset across the sea then this lovely 2.5-hour evening cruise is for you.
This lovely catamaran has a lounge and bar so you can relax and savour the view.
It will take you along the coastline so you can admire the rock formations and you can also take a dip in the sea if you fancy.
Check out the details right here 👇
What To Do In Vilamoura
3 Hour Bike Tour of Vilamoura
Starting at the marina area this bike tour will take you all around Vilamoura, pointing out points of interest along the way.
Not only will you learn about the history and culture of Vilamoura, you will get some local tips on where the locals eat too!
This bike tour is a great way to see the area from a different perspective.
Check out the details right here 👇

What To Do in Vilamoura
MiniGolf
Located close to the Marina is a mini golf resort. It is actually the largest mini golf park in Europe, with 36 holes, thankfully split into 2 18-hole courses.
There’s a bit of a Roman theme going on through the park.
Vilamoura Things to Do
Day Trips from Vilamoura
There are lots of great places to explore within easy reach of Vilamoura.
Loule is a great place to visit if you like local markets. The largest market is on a Saturday. You can reach Loule by local bus, and there are also tours to Loule market.
Lagos in the Western part of the Algarve is a pretty town to explore with an interesting museum and great places for lunch. Why not combine it with a visit to Sagres, the most southerly point in Portugal. It’s a great spot to watch the huge waves roll in, often accompanied by surfers.
If you want to head East then Tavira is a lovely spot. It also has a great fresh produce market set outside of the town. The town centre itself has pretty streets, lots of lovely cafes and makes for a pleasant place to people watch.
What To Do in Vilamoura – Conclusion
- Vilamoura has plenty of water and land based activities, with something for all ages.
- There are 6 golf courses in Vilamoura and also the largest mini golf park in Europe!
- Vilamoura is a great base for exploring the Algarve region.
👇 My Favourite Vilamoura Travel Resources 👇
- Trivago – I’m getting fab deals here! 🏨
- Booking.com 🛌 – great hotel deals
- Trip.com – great flights to Portugal 🛬
- Kayak Flights – great for research 🛬
- 10-30% Off Priority Pass Airport Lounges 🛫
- All My Favourite Travel Gear 🧳
- I’m also an Independent Travel Agent 👍
- Coverwise Insurance – great value cover 🌍
- Medical Insurance – compare quickly here 🏥
- Get Your Guide – great activities 🚴
- Viator – lots of activities here too
- Discover Hire Cars – car hire deals 🚗
- All My Travel Tools – everything I use 🌏
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