Several sites of interest can be found close to Portimão. The Mother Church in Alvor houses afamous Manueline portal dating to the 16th century, and at Alcalar recently restored burial tombs date back to the Dolman period (around 3.500 BC).

The Municipal Museum in Portimão, a converted old sardine canning factory, features regular art, history, and general culture exhibitions.

The regional museum adjoining the Igreja de Santo António in Lagos contains an interesting archeological collection and an ethnographical section devoted to the Algarve. Nearby you can visit the "Mercado de Escravos" - Europe's first slave market.