Vila Real de Santo António
Vila Real de Santo António is a city of order, proportion and light.
Founded in the 18th century under the Marquis of Pombal, its rational grid and Enlightenment architecture create a striking urban setting at the eastern edge of the Algarve.
he city also has a Modernist layer. Manuel Gomes da Costa, born here in 1921, designed a number of projects in the region, including a distinctive holiday house in Vila Real de Santo António.
Today, historic Pombaline architecture meets contemporary interventions and new architecture, creating an intriguing dialogue between the city’s rational origins and its changing future.
A city where Enlightenment planning, Modernism and contemporary architecture meet.
ARCHITECTURE VILA REAL DE SANTO ANTÓNIO
Self Guided Digital Tour:
Pombaline City & Modernism
60–90 minute self-guided architecture walk
📍 Vila Real de Santo António, Algarve
📱 STQRY App
EN • PT • FR • DE • NL
Discover Vila Real de Santo António
From Pombaline planning to Modernism & contemporary architecture
You will discover:
→ Pombaline urban planning
→ Enlightenment architecture
→ Manuel Gomes da Costa
→ His distinctive holiday house
→ Modernist architecture
→ Contemporary interventions
→ The city’s rational grid & waterfront
Scan the QR code below to download the STQRY App
Looking for Manuel Gomes da Costa
A journey in search of the work of Manuel Gomes da Costa (1921–2016) in his birthplace, Vila Real de Santo António.
The video explores the architect’s connection with the city where he was born and where, towards the end of his career, he designed one of his most personal projects: his own holiday home.
Watch the video and discover Gomes da Costa’s architectural traces in his hometown.
Click on the video to watch.
Vila Real de Santo António e o Urbanismo Iluminista
Discover the story behind Vila Real de Santo António, one of Portugal’s most remarkable examples of Enlightenment urbanism.
Published by the Câmara Municipal de Vila Real de Santo António, this Portuguese-language book explores the city conceived under the Marquês de Pombal — an ideal city based on a central square, a regular street grid and the remarkable uniformity of its buildings.
A fascinating introduction to the rational planning, architecture and ideas that shaped Vila Real de Santo António and continue to define its character today.
Portuguese · Câmara Municipal de Vila Real de Santo António
