Portugal is finally starting to take some of its unique heritage seriously and IPPAR is the body tasked with conserving, protecting and displaying some of the many long neglected sites. There are megalithic monuments at Alcalar near Penina golf course and a ruined Roman Villa with superb mosaics near to Estoi. They are both open 9.30 - 18.00 (closed for lunch 12.30 - 14.30), have English guide leaflets and are well worth a visit. The entry fee is about 2€ with children under 14 free. In Vilamoura the remains of a Roman settlement near the Marina have been preserved and are now open to the public but we have not yet had a chance to visit.

There is an 18th Century Baroque Palace in Estoi - it has been neglected for many years but now Faro Council which owns it has handed its restoration over to the Pousada group who hope to open it as a historic hotel in 2005. When it is open it will definitely be worth going for lunch, dinner or a drink as the standard of the Pousadas refurbishments is excellent and the interior should be spectacular. The gardens surrounding it are full of wonderful tiles, statues, fountains and lakes and is open to the public.

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