Ruínas de Milreu

Near the village of Estoi, a few kilometres from Faro, the Ruínas de Milreu preserve the remains of a large Roman villa. Its mosaics, baths and courtyards, and the temple that later rose among them, make it one of the most important Roman sites in the Algarve.

A Roman villa in the Algarve

The villa was occupied from the first to the fourth century AD, when it was a wealthy country estate with fine mosaics and its own baths. In later centuries a Christian temple was built within its walls, and the site was excavated from the nineteenth century onwards. A visitor centre explains the villa and its history.

What to see

• The mosaics, with their scenes of fish and sea creatures.
• The baths and the peristyle of the villa.
• The later temple and the remains of the Christian phase.
• The visitor centre and the village of Estoi, with its palace.

Visiting the ruins

The site is at Estoi, in the municipality of Faro, in the Algarve. Opening hours are published on the official website, so check before your visit.

Visitor information: cm-faro.pt.

Image credit: Ruínas de Milreu, Estoi, by Concepcion AMAT ORTA, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.