Vilamoura is one of the largest integrated resorts in Europe: some 2,000 hectares planned from scratch, where villas, golf courses, the marina and the beaches live side by side in a single territory, 25 km from Faro international airport.

The heart of the residential offer is the villa. On the fairways of Pinhal Velho and Pinhal, and in the quiet lanes behind the marina, you will find contemporary signature houses with private pools, mature gardens and open views over the golf - among the most sought-after homes in the central Algarve.

Alongside them, Vilamoura Marina, with 825 berths, is the largest in Portugal: restaurants, terraces, shops and nautical clubs, and the departure point for boat trips, sport fishing and dolphin watching.

Around it stretch five championship golf courses - Old Course, Pinhal, Laguna, Millennium and Victoria - the last of these a regular host of the Portugal Masters. It is the largest concentration of quality golf in the Algarve.

Unlike many summer destinations, Vilamoura lives all twelve months of the year, which makes it one of the favourite areas for those moving to the Algarve. Quarteira, in the municipality of Loule, has international schools, private clinics, supermarkets and the Vilamoura shopping centre a few minutes away.

Vilamoura is one of the largest integrated resorts in Europe: some 2,000 hectares planned from scratch, where villas, golf courses, the marina and the beaches live side by side in a single territory, 25 km from Faro international airport.

The heart of the residential offer is the villa. On the fairways of Pinhal Velho and Pinhal, and in the quiet lanes behind the marina, you will find contemporary signature houses with private pools, mature gardens and open views over the golf - among the most sought-after homes in the central Algarve.

Alongside them, Vilamoura Marina, with 825 berths, is the largest in Portugal: restaurants, terraces, shops and nautical clubs, and the departure point for boat trips, sport fishing and dolphin watching.

Around it stretch five championship golf courses - Old Course, Pinhal, Laguna, Millennium and Victoria - the last of these a regular host of the Portugal Masters. It is the largest concentration of quality golf in the Algarve.

Unlike many summer destinations, Vilamoura lives all twelve months of the year, which makes it one of the favourite areas for those moving to the Algarve. Quarteira, in the municipality of Loule, has international schools, private clinics, supermarkets and the Vilamoura shopping centre a few minutes away.

Vilamoura was planned from the outset as a place to live, not only to visit. Some 2,000 hectares were laid out around a single idea: that the marina, the golf courses, the beaches and the residential areas should all be reachable in a few minutes, on foot or by bicycle, twelve months of the year.

The marina is the social centre of the resort. Around its 825 berths you will find restaurants, cafés, bars, boutiques, a casino and a cinema, and it is the departure point for sailing, sport fishing, dolphin watching and boat trips along the coast. In summer it hosts concerts and regattas; in winter it stays open, quiet and lived-in.

For golfers, few places in Europe compare. Five championship courses - Old Course, Pinhal, Laguna, Millennium and Victoria - sit inside the resort, with a further two, Vila Sol and Vale do Lobo, a short drive away. Victoria has hosted the Portugal Masters, and the Old Course, with its umbrella pines, is one of the most respected layouts in the Algarve.

Beyond golf, the resort offers a tennis and padel centre, an equestrian centre, a sports club, cycling and running paths, and the Roman ruins of Cerro da Vila, with its own museum. The beaches - Praia da Marina, Praia da Falesia with its red cliffs, and Quarteira - are all within a few minutes.

Everyday life is easy. Quarteira and Vilamoura have international schools, private clinics and a hospital, supermarkets, pharmacies and the Vilamoura shopping centre. The Algarve enjoys around 300 days of sunshine a year and mild winters, which is why so many residents live here year-round.

Faro international airport is 25 km away via the A22 and the EN125, with direct flights to most European cities. Albufeira, Almancil, Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and Loule are all less than 20 minutes by car, and Lisbon is about two and a half hours by motorway.

District: Faro · Municipality: Loule · Parish: Quarteira

Area: Vilamoura · Marina: 825 berths · Golf: 5 championship courses

Faro international airport: 25 km · Beaches: Praia da Marina, Praia da Falesia, Quarteira

Marina photographs: Jose A. · Praia da Falesia photographs: PortoBay Hotels & Resorts · CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

District: Faro · Municipality: Loule · Parish: Quarteira

Area: Vilamoura · Marina: 825 berths · Golf: 5 championship courses

Faro international airport: 25 km · Beaches: Praia da Marina, Praia da Falesia, Quarteira

Marina photographs: Jose A. · Praia da Falesia photographs: PortoBay Hotels & Resorts · CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons