Almancil is the bustling regional town serving the coastal resort areas closest to Faro and is only a 20 minute drive from the airport. The town has a variety of shops, including well stocked, modern supermarkets where visitors can buy both familiar and local items.

There are also plentiful places to eat and drink in and around the town with cuisine to suit every palate from local to Indian, Chinese, Italian and Argentinian.

There are no places of visitor interest in Almancil itself; however, on the way from the airport, visitors will have passed a simple sign to S. Lourenco. This points to the hamlet of Sao Lourenco dos Matos and the church here has the most extraordinary display of azulejo, the Portuguese blue tiles you will ever see. The complete walls, ceiling and cupola are covered in these handpainted 18th century tiles – well worth a visit.

Almancil is the gateway to the ‘Golden Triangle’ of residential resorts popular with British & Irish and other North European ex-patriots and visitors. These include not only the well known Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo, but also areas such as Dunas Douradas, Quinta das Salinas, Quinta do Mar, Quinta Jacintina, Valverde, etc.