Vila Real de Santo António (VRSA) is considered the city of enlightenment and one of the most interesting in architectural terms. The (now) Algarve city was designed in the style of downtown Lisbon by the Marquis of Pombal in 1774.
This rectilinear, perpendicular shape is easily identifiable when you cross VRSA's streets or when you see an aerial image of the city centre. Other details emerge from this particular design of the city, with uniform single-storey or first-floor houses with mansards (the windows that protrude from the roof). Even the town hall itself is in this style.
The fact that the town was built from scratch in just over two years, with well-defined, simple and functional blocks, allowed Vila Real de Santo António to escape the urban disorder of other Algarve towns.
From the historic centre to the lighthouse, from the River Guadiana to the many long beaches, there is plenty to visit in Vila Real de Santo António.
What to see and visit in Vila Real de Santo António
Marquês de Pombal square
Praça Marquês de Pombal, or Republic Square, is the centrepiece of VRSA. This prime part of the city features white buildings, outdoor cafés and an obelisk. The black stones on the ground came from Madeira (and the white ones from Spain).
In the centre of the square is an obelisk commemorating King José I and the Marquis of Pombal, erected by order of the Marquis himself two years before he fell into disgrace after the king's death.
This is a good place to take a break, contemplate the movement of the locals and rest on one of the many wooden benches.
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António Aleixo Cultural Centre
António Aleixo, a poet born in VRSA in 1899, is one of the Algarve city's most popular figures. The old market has been converted into the António Aleixo Cultural Centre and hosts temporary exhibitions and films.
António Aleixo composed poetry in an ironic tone, sometimes singing at local fairs and festivals.
He who has nothing, eats nothing; and next to someone who has food, if he says he's hungry, he commits an offence without meaning to. Even in the quatrains I write. To the rottenness of the world, I feel that I'm a piece of the same rottenness too.
António Aleixo
Vila Real de Santo António Lighthouse
The Vila Real de Santo António Lighthouse is one of the symbols of the city, for those arriving by sea or land. It is a 40-metre tower that has been in operation since the beginning of 1923 and still serves as a reference point for boats sailing in Portuguese and Spanish waters.
From the top there are wide views of the city, the River Guadiana, parts of Andalusia or the Dunes of Vila Real de Santo António National Forest.
The Vila Real de Santo António lighthouse is open to visitors on Wednesdays between 2pm and 5pm in the summer and between 1.30pm and 4.30pm in the winter. Visits are free of charge and do not require an appointment.
Parish Church of Our Lady of the Incarnation
The Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação was built in the 18th century and underwent some improvements in the last century. The church stands out with its Pombaline religious architecture, side chapels, huge door and colourful stained glass windows.
Manuel Cabanas Museum
The Manuel Cabanas Museum is a small museum in Vila Real de Santo António, which has the largest collection of wood engravings in the country and features more than 200 stones used in lithographic printing. This technique was used in the past, for example, to make the inscriptions on tin cans.
Although it's a small space, the collection - now housed in the Municipal Archive on VRSA's waterfront - is fascinating, as is the whole process of obtaining the prints.
Historic Centre
VRSA's historic centre has the typical geometric layout of the Marquis of Pombal, with the streets - as if they were tributaries of a river - flowing into Marquês de Pombal Square, where the Town Hall and the obelisk are located. But you also have to appreciate the period buildings, with their roofs that look down on you - the mansards.
Manta Rota
Manta Rota is a small fishing village, but it's mainly known for its beaches. These are part of a vast sandy coastal area that stretches from the mouth of the Guadiana River to the Cacela Peninsula. There's not much else to explore apart from the beach and the main square.
One of Manta Rota's special traditions is the 29 August festival in honour of São João da Degola, today's evocation of an ancient tradition. 200 years ago, the residents of the mountains rode donkeys down to the beach and celebrated the "holy bath" to cure their ailments.
Beaches
Vila Real de Santo António is also synonymous with the beach. There are many and extensive beaches in this Algarve municipality. Firstly Praia de Santo António (St Anthony's Beach) which can be accessed via a wooden walkway between the Monte Gord Beachand the Guadiana River.
But there are many other beaches to explore in Vila Real de Santo António and Castro Marim, from Monte Gordo to Praia da Fábrica in Cacela Velha.
Guadiana River
Running for several hundred kilometres past Mértola (the Museum Village), it is in Vila Real de Santo António that the largest river in the south of the country - the Guadiana River - says goodbye and fades into the salty waters of the Atlantic Ocean. And it is the river that also gives another dimension to the city that proudly lives between the river and the sea.
Castro Marim
Castro Marim is only 4 kilometres from VRSA, but it's a town well worth exploring. From Castro Marim Castle to São Sebastião Fort and Praia Verde, there are more than enough reasons to get in the car and head to the neighbouring municipality.
Cacela Velha
The village of Cacela Velha is one of the most beautiful in the Algarve. The small village has started to gain popularity in recent years and although it is sometimes mistaken for being part of the municipality of Tavira, it actually belongs to VRSA.
Extra information
How long to see Vila Real de Santo António
This is not a big city and even the historic centre is very small. The above list of places and monuments to see in the city represents (almost in its entirety) what there is to visit in Vila Real de Santo António.
However, many people stay there (or in the surrounding area) for up to a week to enjoy the excellent beaches of VRSA and the great hotels in the Algarve. But one day is enough to explore the Algarve city.
When is the best time to visit Vila Real de Santo António?
Vila Real de Santo António can be visited at any time of year. The climate is never too cold or rainy, even in winter. However, as the beaches are the region's main attractions, then it's best to visit when the weather is warm - between May and September or October.
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How to get to Vila Real de Santo António
Bus
If you're travelling by bus, you can get to Vila Real de Santo António from various points in Portugal. There are regular connections, for example from Lisbon. You can check the timetable here. The journey takes about five hours.
Train
From Lisbon, you can easily reach VRSA in around four hours on the Alfa Pendular or five hours on the Intercidades - total time from the Portuguese capital.
The train leaves Lisbon several times a day for VRSA, but the connection is not direct. When you arrive in Faro, you have to take a regional train which takes around 60 minutes. You can buy train tickets on the CP.
Hire a car
If you have your own car, it's much easier. Choose to hire a car with Discovercars. This site allows you to compare prices and, in many cases, you can cancel the rental free of charge up to 48 hours before departure.
It's very flexible. Hire a car to get to the Algarve (or hire in the Algarve) if you don't have your own. If, for example, fly to Faro or arrive by train in the Algarve's capital, you can hire a car at the airport and head to Vila Real de Santo António from there. Having a car at your disposal is the best way to get to know the Algarve.
In this case, all you have to do is take the National Road 125 or the Via do Infante.
Hotel in Vila Real de Santo António
To sleep comfortably in VRSA, an excellent option is the Grand House - Relais & ChateauxThe level of comfort is high and the views are irresistible.
A more budget-friendly option is Villa Marquez, which offers a panoramic terrace with views of the Guadiana River.
Outside the city, an alternative is to stay near Cacela Velha. Just a few metres from Cacela Velha beach, you'll find the Fábrica Beach Apartments.
Just 2 kilometres away is the Pensão Agrícola, which, in addition to its modern décor, has a swimming pool and terrace. Still in Cacela Velha, opposite the beach, Casa Castor also has a pool and terrace for admiring the views.
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Hi Rita. Thank you for your kind words. I hope you enjoy Vila Real de Santo António 🙂