Hilton Vilamoura Vacation Club

Hilton Vilamoura Vacation Club is in Portugal. This trip will be my first ever trip to the region and I am excited.

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Traveling to Portugal, all starts with a flight and often several flights. My first local flight took me to Newark, then on to Lisbon, and Humberto Delgado Airport to my final airport, Faro Airport (FAO). From Faro Airport it is only 26 minutes by car to the resort itself.

Day One Arrival at Hilton Vilamoura Vacation Club

I arrived after about 20 hours of flights and layovers. That was not fun, but at least it was over. The trip from the airport to the resort was fast and scenic. I did not get a rental car because I thought driving in a foreign Nation, after 20 hours of traveling was a bad idea.

It was worth a little extra just to not have to worry about the drive after all of that travel time, without any sleep. I was tired and that kind of tired that you get where you are a little goofy.

My first impressions of Hilton Vilamoura Vacation Club after nightfall were not much, mostly because of the lack of sleep. I would get checked in and sleep. I packed a sandwich that I had not eaten yet, so I would likely eat that before I fall asleep. I was too tired to go to a restaurant.

They were ready for the few of us arriving from our flight to the resort with about 2 couples and me on the same flight. I was taking this trip along, which is a little sad, but getting several weeks off for most people to travel is hard to do. For myself, this trip was going to have several stops and a few resorts over the next few weeks. I am lucky to do this for part of my occupation and that I my other work web design, and SEO I can do from almost anywhere in the world with an Internet connection.

My accommodations were great and the size of the 1 bedroom suite was 420 square feet, which is large for overseas.

Villa Amenities

Resort Amenities

After about 3 hours, I woke and just wanted to walk around the resort to get the lay of the land. I found that one of the on-site restaurants was still open. I was close to closing time, but it was far enough away from closing time that I did not feel guilty ordering some food.

Even though I had eaten my sandwich, I was still starving. I had really not eaten more than a snack in about 24 hours.

Day Two Seeing the Area

I woke early even though I had walked around the resort and had a bite to eat later last night. It was still before midnight when I went to sleep. This meant that I was up just a little after sunrise.

For breakfast, I wanted something lite because I planned to try food around the area. So I went to a local donut shop called Krunchy Kream.

After breakfast, I ventured out around the area. Vilamoura is a modern city, while Quarteira has a distinct Portuguese atmosphere. A day trip combines both cities, Vilamoura Marina is visited first, followed by the beach promenade connecting Vilamoura and the beach in Quarteira.

Vilamoura is an important tourist destination, with many bars, restaurants, shopping malls, and nightclubs. There are also water parks, casinos, marinas, beaches, ruins of ancient villas, golf courses, etc.

The Cerro da Vila – The ruins of a Roman Villa that include a bathhouse and residence. Within the site is an informative museum. The Parke Ambiental de Vilama – The reed beds and marshlands along the Ribeira do Quarteira river. The waterways are a refuge for bird life and the footpaths provide a peaceful escape from the hecticness of Vilma.

The footpaths along the Ribeira do Quarteira river are a haven for bird life. The footpaths along Praia da Falésias beach are the most beautiful part of the beach. The footpaths around the cliffs of the Praia da Falesia are very dangerous. Always wear good shoes when you are getting ready to hike around and see all that you can see in a day. As a big guy, I like Rockport shoes. This is not a paid ad, just my two cents on some good walking shoes.

When traveling overseas, make sure that you also carry traveler’s insurance. Make sure to obtain comprehensive travel insurance which covers all overseas medical costs, including medical transportation, repatriation of remains, and legal costs. You must check any exclusions and ensure that your policy covers you if you engage in the activities you wish to undertake.

Short story, I have a friend who is a successful guy and now travels a great deal. He takes his family on several vacations each year. Recently he took his family to Italy and his Mother in Law became very ill on the trip. She needed surgery and then time at a local hospital to recover. If he had not purchased travel insurance, her Medicare coverage would not have helped at all. The insurance for her for the entire trip was less than $100, but it paid for over $26,000 in medical expenses. While he could afford the expense, she could not, so it was very helpful. The insurance also paid for accommodations and helped his family find local long-term accommodations for a great price since they had to stay 4 weeks.

I have never had to use travel insurance myself, but I can provide other examples of people who have used travel insurance. It is a worthwhile investment. Just consider it if you plan to travel overseas.

Some of the top-tier credit cards offer limited travel insurance for free with the card. Just make sure to read the complete terms and conditions to know what is covered and what is not. Sometimes these are well-written and provide great coverage. In other cases, you will need additional coverage.

Close to the donut shop was the Marina. Now I grew up on the water and using small boats. So, this was not a new experience, but the local marina was very attractive and fun to visit. It also leads right to the sea. Just beyond the marina is a great beach with several local restaurants right on the sand.

Local Beaches

Praia Rocha Baixinha Nascente

Some recent reviews of this beach. Good large sandy beach, always clean beach, and excellent access to the beach, it has a bar that gives good support to the needs of those who frequent it, and the walkways always have the proper markings at the time of the guest. At the end of the beach, there is water to wash your feet, which is good for even the smallest children. It is a pity that there are no more car parks, as in high season it is very expensive to leave your car in the park.

Clean beach, and good access to parking. Café/Bar, foot wash, ashtrays to take to the beach, thus avoiding polluting the beach with cigarette butts. The beach is extensive, which makes it easy to maintain a safe distance.

Great beach. Within the set of beaches belonging to the cliff, it is capable of being one of the most popular. Even full has space.

My take is that the beach is one of several that has an ideal position. Without a local landmass, the wind here can get strong. This just means it may feel cold or have high winds that impact your visit. With several restaurants on the beach, you can always seek protection on windy days and still enjoy the views, with food.

Praia dos Tomates

Further down the same stretch of beach, you will find this beach area. This location offers good parking and nearby water sports rental gear. If the day is not too windy, you may prefer this location to the first mentioned.

There are many more beaches here along the same direct oceanfront area.

Day Three

If golf is important to you, then you will love the many courses in the area. Dom Pedro Golf Courses are located in Vilamoura, Portugal. They offer 5 championship golf courses. Their name is “Old” course, “Pinhal”, “Laguna”, “Millennium” and “Victoria”.

I have a foursome. I am going to arrange it by the resort. I do not play often, but I do enjoy the game now. We are set to play the Old Course. The course offers many par 4-5 holes. Hole 16 was the longest par 5 at 514M off of the white tees.

The 3 players I had the pleasure of playing with were kind travelers from other parts of Europe. So I felt that in a way I was responsible for being on my best behavior and representing America overseas. Not very seriously, but I did not want to be loud or obnoxious. I was the youngest of the foursome, and likely the least experienced since I did not start playing until about 1 year ago.

After the game, we went to Browns Sports Resort Restaurant for some beer and food. I was happy to get some local shrimp and some local pasta with a meat sauce that was very good. The menu here was affordable, and they even had a daily special that included a half pint of beer and coffee with the meal.

Local Park

Vilamoura Environmental park is a protected area of about 170 hectares. It is located in the municipality of Sesimbra, in the district of Setúbal, in Portugal. The park was established in 1987 by decree nº 4/87. It is considered a National Reserve and is part of the Natura 2000 network. The park is also included in the European Union’s Natura 2000 network, since 2002.

Marina is an excellent marina with many facilities. There are 825 berths, and the marina is recognized as one of the best marinas in the world. The marina is also certified with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications. The beach next to the marina is awarded the Blue Flag certification.

Make a splash along the Algarve

Experience the Iberian Peninsula by staying at Vilamoura, a Hilton Grand Vacation Club, a Portugal timeshares resort featuring 1- and 3-bedroom suites with living, dining, and kitchen areas, full kitchens, and balcony views of the marina. Adjacent to the Hilton Vilamoura golf course, this Vilamoura resort is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, refreshing pools, and cascades, and just a short walk from Faro’s best beaches, shopping, and entertainment.

This is an amazing location. I think the pace of the resort and area might lend itself to older couples who enjoy the scenery, golf, and the ocean.

To get an amazing vacation of your own, visit the area yourself and book through TZort.