Vila Real de Santo Antonio - our Portuguese Neighbour

Vila Real de Santo António

A guide to the port and other information of assistance to the cruising sailor

A new marina has been completed and was opened at the beginning of 1998.

It has 340 berths with water and electricity available at the pontoons. Fuel is also available.

The original town was destroyed by a wave caused by the great Lisbon earthquake and rebuilt many years later in 1774 by the Marquês of Pombal who also rebuilt Lisbon.

As in Lisbon, the town was built on a grid system and the project is said to have only taken 5 months. The truth is probably that he was replaced after five months when he fell out of favour. He arranged for the stone to come from near Lisbon, only learning later that it was also available locally.

This new marina might encourage more vessels to explore the river Guadiana which is navigable for 20 miles to Pomaro.

There is a new road bridge (23 metre clearance) shortly after Vila Real de Santa António.

Although not buoyed the river is deep in mid channel and on the outside of bends. Shortly before the limit of navigation there are pontoons at Alcoutem (Portugal) and Sanlúcer (Spain). Local advice should be taken if proceeding above Alcoutim since the channel is not obvious and the sand banks shift.

The towns up the river are more attractive than the ports at its entrance. Travelling shops visit the villages with bread, fruit and vegetables. Free berthing and showers are sometimes available but not always water and electricity.

In 1998 many boats wintering upstream were carried away when the river rose rapidly 6 metres above its normal level. This also caused damage to the marina. This event took place after heavy rains upstream.

There are reports that the authorities at Vila Real de Santo Antonio are the most officious in Portugal and tolerance is required!

Press on the appropriate button to cruise along the Coast

Direction	Cruising Itinerary	In Marina Overnight	Next Anchorage
Going West	Vilamoura 49 m	Vilamoura 49 m	Tavira 11 m
Going East	Isla Cristina (S) 5 m	Isla Cristina (S) 5 m	Ayamonte (S) 2 m

Vila Real de Santo António - History
The origin of the town was as a small fishing port and probably dates back to Phoenician times. Due to the topographical flatness of the area the neighbouring hill of Castro Marim lent itself to a stronger fortified location. This frontier town with Spain was especially designed and rebuilt after the earthquake of 1755 by the Marquês de Pombal, an important minister in the 18th Century who redesigned the centre of the City of Lisbon.

Vila Real de Santo António - Description
Today, these townhouses around the main square are showing serious degradation with the passing of time. With the construction to the north of a new bridge in 1991 across the River Guadiana connecting Seville in Spain with the Algarve, the obvious diminishing of the popularity of this town will have further effect. Between this town and the Ocean is the popular beach resort area named Monte Gordo that offers the tourist kilometres of sea washed beach lined with a pine forest. The population of approximately 14,000 inhabitants tend to gain their living either in the tourist industry, fishing, or trading across the river with their Spanish neighbours. Attached to the Town Hall is a small but interesting museum which is mainly focused on the designs for tins for the fishing industry. It is a very pleasant and relaxing experience to cross the river by ferryboat to visit the Spanish town of Ayamonte, or, take a tourist boat trip upriver to the charming small Portuguese town of Alcoutim.

Vila Real de Santo António - Nearby Locations
North of Vila Real de Santo António is Castro Marim that due to its location has played a considerable part in the history of Portugal. This later town was originally chosen as the founding headquarters in 1319 of the 14th Century movement of the Order of Christ. Although the buildings are now in ruins from the effects of the 1755 earthquake it still has the unusual feature of having a castle within a castle. In the 17th Century a stronger and more defensive stronghold was built on a hilltop to the north that also still remains. The castle acted as a well-known haven to escapees in the early days of the Spanish Inquisition. From the walls the view is to the south across the flat lands that are now a nature reserve for birds and plants and is known as the Reserva Natural do Sapal. Near to Vila Real de Santo António are the purely holiday destinations of Manta Rota, Monte Gordo and Praia Verde, all providing long sandy beaches. Inland, and up river is the interior small administrative town of Alcoutim with its ruins of a 14th Century castle and its local museum. This small town looks across the River Guadiana at the Spanish town of Sanlúcar. It was at this town that Dom Fernando I signed in 1371 a peace treaty with King Enrique II de Castile. Even further up river is the town of Mértola with its 13th Century castle ruins. The Phoenicians founded this historic town as an inland port, later successfully used by both the Romans and Moors. Perched on a high spur overlooking the River Guadiana this town has many vestiges of the past and a museum housing one of Portugal's best collections of Islamic art. Back on the coast the small beachside village of Cacela-a-Velha dates back to Phoenician times and has an 18th Century Fort that enjoys a natural lagoon between itself and the protecting sandbar.