A short walk downhill from the Palace of Estoi, the ruins of Milreu were the country house of a wealthy Roman family who farmed the surrounding land between the 1st and 4th centuries AD. The villa is unusually well preserved for the Algarve, with mosaic floors showing fish and marine scenes still in situ, the foundations of an inner courtyard, baths, and a remarkable temple.
The temple is the highlight: a small rectangular building that was later converted into one of the earliest Christian churches in the Iberian peninsula, retaining its fish-decorated wall niches. The site is open Tuesday to Sunday and rarely crowded. Combine with the Estoi palace for a relaxed morning out of the city.