Discover Vila Real de Santo Antonio: Top Sights, Shopping, Hiking and Restaurants august 16, 2024 – Posted in: Portugal, Travel – Tags: Algarve, Archaeology, Attractions, Food, Hiking, History, Holiday, Portugal, Restaurants, Souvenirs, Vacation, Vila Real de Santo Antonio

Must-See Attractions in Vila Real de Santo Antonio

Many visitors to the Algarve coast make their way to the small port town of Vila Real de Santo Antonio. This charming town, located at the end of the train line from Faro in the far eastern part of Portugal, right on the border with Spain, offers a perfect mix of urban life, history, and excellent shopping opportunities.

A day trip or a longer stay in the town is a wonderful chance to explore part of Portugal and perhaps enjoy a hike in the unique landscape where you might spot flamingos and storks.

Here, you can read about what to experience in Vila Real de Santo Antonio and how to catch the small ferry that travels between Spain and Portugal.

History and Culture – A Part of Portugal

Although the coast here has always been inhabited, as evidenced by the Castro Marim Castle, Vila Real de Santo Antonio was only founded in 1774 by Marques de Pombal, a prominent statesman in Portugal at the time. After the devastating earthquake of 1755, which struck Lisbon and much of Portugal, residents from the nearby village of Cacela Velha were relocated here as part of the rebuilding effort.

Unlike the winding medieval streets you might see in a city that has grown organically, Vila Real de Santo Antonio was designed as a modern city with wide, straight streets. Many of the city’s architectural gems were built during this period. With its strategic location along the Guadiana River, which marks the border between Portugal and Spain, the town also became an important trade center, especially for goods from eastern Algarve and Andalusia in Spain.

Over the years, Santo Antonio has predominantly drawn its wealth from fishing. As the first fish canning company in the country, Conservas Ramirez, founded in 1853, was the cornerstone of Portugal’s large canning industry. It was also the Ramirez family that initiated the construction of the town’s major architectural gem: Hotel Guadiana.

Businessmen from across Europe, who engaged in commerce with the town’s burgeoning canning industry, flocked to Vila Real de Santo Antonio and stayed right here at the hotel, where you can also stay today and become part of the town’s history. As the fishing industry declined in the 1960s, tourism quickly became the primary economic source in the area.

Great Restaurants in Vila Real de Santo Antonio

It’s easy to find a great place to eat. Around the large square, Praca Marques de Pombal, there are plenty of excellent dining options. Here, you can sample Portuguese cuisine, with most places serving fresh fish and seafood, juicy grilled meats, and tasty tapas.

If you’re looking for a delightful cake for afternoon coffee, we recommend heading a little away from the square to the small ice cream and coffee bar Jardim do Pataco on R. Jacinto José de Andrade B. The selection isn’t as extensive as other places, but the staff is incredibly friendly and speaks very good English. Clicking the link will take you to the sister café in Monte Gordo, but the cakes are just as delicious!

For a special experience, have lunch about 2 km south of the city. Here you’ll find the lovely natural area Mata Nacional das Dunas Litorais and several good restaurants. We dined at Dom Petisco, where we tasted the local specialty: frango. This is grilled chicken marinated in a deliciously spicy piri-piri sauce. It’s not overly spicy, just well-seasoned. Pair it with another local specialty, Vinho Verde, which means green wine and is a fresh, lightly sparkling white wine. Without paying extra, you also get a stunning view over towards Ayamonte and the small coastal towns.

Beaches, Nature Reserves, and Chameleons

After lunch, it’s time for a trip to the unique natural area. Start at the long pier that extends all the way to the viewpoint at Foz do Guadiana. Here, you can take pictures of the beautiful sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. Near the end of the pier, we spotted storks in the shallow water. At the end of the pier, you step onto the long, undisturbed beaches that stretch along the coast.

You can either choose to walk all the way to the beach at Monte Gordo and take the train back. Alternatively, halfway there, you can turn inland and hike through the forest on the Caminho dos Três Pauzinhos e do Tosga trail, where chameleons live. They are naturally hard to spot but come down to the ground in September to lay their eggs in the sand.

Sights in Vila Real de Santo Antonio

If you continue past Monte Gordo and all the way to Manta Rota, you’ll reach Praia de Cacela Velha. Here, you’ll find the fortress Fortaleza dos Cavaleiros de Santiago de Cacela, which used to belong to Cacela Velha, the town where the inhabitants of Santo Antonio originally came from.

Although Santo Antonio is a new town, people have always lived in the area. This is especially evident north of the town, where the fortress Castro Marim overlooks the small town of the same name. During our extended vacation in Ayamonte, we visited the fortress and its defensive works three times. Castro Marim Fortress dates back to Roman times, but what you see today is from the construction of the medieval fortress in the 1200s. Forte de São Sebastião, the fortress on the other side of the ravine, is newer and dates from the war against Spain in the 1600s.

We have seen quite a few castles, but Castro Marim is something very special. In most other castles, you need to use your imagination to picture what life was like behind the thick walls of the castle complex. At Castro Marim, however, all the buildings are still standing, including stables, kitchens, and the inner keep.

There are only 4 kilometers between Santo Antonio and Castro Marim, and we highly recommend walking the route. The landscape along the way is beautiful, with lots of flamingos in the nature reserve. If you prefer not to walk, you can rent bikes at many places, and since the terrain is completely flat, it’s easy to get around!

Shopping in Vila Real de Santo Antonio

If castles and long hikes aren’t your thing, Santo Antonio has plenty of other attractions. After a leisurely stroll along the charming promenade by the Rio Guadiana, you can fill up your shopping bag at the many shops in town.

There are several chain stores offering clothes, underwear, and shoes, but the most fun is probably the many souvenir shops. Here, you’ll find EVERYTHING, including fish-themed items. In Portugal, fish is both a worldly symbol of wealth and abundance and an important element of the Catholic faith.

On the large central square, there is a market every day where local artisans sell beautiful pottery. You can also buy local honey and fresh fruit. At the small supermarket Corvo, located right by the square, they offer the most delicious freshly baked bread and tasty cheeses. If you need to do a big grocery shop, visit the market hall Mercado Municipal.

How to Get to Vila Real de Santo Antonio

If you have rented a car, it’s easy to reach Vila Real de Santo Antonio. However, if you’re traveling by bus, train, or ferry from Spain, read on!

Take the Train Between Faro and Vila Real de Santo Antonio

From Faro, a train runs approximately once an hour to Vila Real de Santo Antonio. You can view a timetable here! Tickets can be purchased both at the station and on the train, but you can only pay with cash on the train. The fare is 6 euros (2024) from Faro to Vila Real de Santo Antonio. The train station is located a bit north of the town, and there are both toilets and a small café.

If you’re coming from Lisbon, both buses and trains run all the way down past Faro directly to Vila Real de Santo Antonio. The bus station is right by the small ferry to Spain in the center of town.

Take the Ferry from Portugal to Spain

If you are traveling by car or taxi, crossing the border from Portugal to Spain is easy. The beautiful Punte Internacional is free to cross from both sides (2024).

If you are on foot, there is an easy way to get to Spain: the small ferry! It’s a lovely 15-minute boat ride where you can enjoy the view along the Guadiana River and across to both cities. Note that there is a one-hour time difference between the two countries, and the time zone changes halfway across the water. When checking your ferry departure time, be sure to note whether the departure time is listed in Spanish or Portuguese time.

On the Portuguese side, you can buy a ticket at the small ferry office right by the campervan park. Payment is only in cash. On the Spanish side, the ticket office is just across the road from the ferry dock, and you can pay with both cards and cash. The trip costs 2.50 euros. Tickets can be purchased on both sides about 15 minutes before departure.

If you’re planning a short visit to Ayamonte or continuing your holiday in Spain, there is plenty of information about Ayamonte here!

Where to Stay in Vila Real de Santo Antonio?

The beautiful historic Hotel Guadiana (pictured above) got new owners in 2019 who have invested significantly in restoring it to its former glory as a five-star hotel. Pousada Vila Real Santo Antonio, as it is now called, is centrally located right by the water. The hotel features three swimming pools, one of which is on the rooftop terrace where you can swim with a view of Spain. It has all the luxury you could wish for!

Pombal, who was the chief architect behind the construction of Vila Real de Santo Antonio in 1774, also designed the beautiful old customs house located right in the center of town, on the central square. Today, the customs chamber has been transformed into the beautiful hotel Pousada Vila Real Santo Antonio. The hotel features three swimming pools, its own restaurant, and a rooftop terrace bar.

Most tourists, however, choose to stay by the beautiful beaches, especially in Monte Gordo, which is within walking distance from Santo Antonio. There are many lovely beach hotels, and you can view them by clicking this link: Beach Hotels in Monte Gordo.

In 2024, we stayed for the first three months of the year just across the ferry from Santo Antonio. Here lies the small Spanish coastal town of Ayamonte, where we had a wonderful long-term holiday. We frequently visited the Portuguese side for delicious food and to see the unique nature. We stayed in the small blue and white townhouse, Flor de Sal, located right at the top of the town with a view over the Guadiana River and across to Portugal. Click the link to learn more about renting the house: Flor de Sal.

You can also perform your own search for hotels in Vila Real de Santo Antonio right here:

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