The 5 Best Museums in Albufeira

What better way to spend a day in Albufeira doing something a little different by immersing yourself in the Algarve’s culture and history by visiting one of its many museums which are overflowing with ancient artefacts and documents that trace back to the millennia. What was once a sleepy fishing village, Albufeira is now one of the Algarve’s most popular tourist destinations and you can still trace a hint of the authentic way of life in evidence if you take the time to explore some of the best museums in Albufeira.

Why visit the Museums in Albufeira?

There are several places that should be on the must-visit list of museums in Albufeira. The rich history of Albufeira dates back to the Roman Empire times where Albufeira the settlement had a port that was heavily involved with commerce and agriculture. The Roman influence is still visible today with the remains of Roman bridges and artefacts that can be viewed in its many museums. Here are the top 5 museums in Albufeira for a fun and educational day out.  

Albufeira Municipal Archaeological Museum

Away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre, Albufeira Municipal museum is located in the old town of Albufeira, on the cliff overlooking the beaches of Praia do Peneco. Although this museum is small, it is full of interesting artefacts that make up for its size containing a mix of archaeological exhibits found in the Algarve such as Roman, Visigothic and Moorish, as well as hosting a temporary exhibition on its upper floor. The beautiful roman mosaic and other original Roman remains make it one of the best museums in Albufeira.

The Museum of Sacred Art

Situated in the meticulously restored 18th century Chapel of San Sebastian, this museum makes for style and substance exhibiting sacred 15th, 16th and 17th-century art salvaged from a number of churches in the region that were, unfortunately, a victim of the earthquake in 1775. This is one of the greatest museums in Albufeira to visit thanks to its spectacularly embossed gold wooden altar and the south room which holds a collection of documents and photographs of the old caste.

Museu Regional Do Algarve

The Algarve Regional Museum is one of the best places to learn about the social and cultural aspect of Algarve’s anthropology. Each piece in the museum reflect an old and long forgotten Algarve such as furniture, farming tools, costumes and domestic industry. Through a collection of photography, you can visit the Algarve of the 1st half of the 20th century.  

Museu de Portimao

This award-winning museum is well worth adding to your list of things to do in the Algarve. Just a drive away from Albufeira, the museum is located along the riverfront housed in what was one of the main sardine canning factories which contains many of the original machines used in the industry. The museum has an extremely interesting archaeological exhibition showing the evolution of human occupation in the are from Neolithic ties all the way through to Roman and Islamic occupations. Underneath the museum runs an old waterway where you can see animated images of the underwater wildlife of the area.