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Cacela Velha is a small and unique historical complex, with a roughly circular perimeter, bordered to the south by a fortress and to the east and west by the parish cemetery, overlooking the Ria Formosa.

Archaeological excavations have identified an occupation from the end of the Almohad period. After the conquest of the Moors, the settlement was donated to the Order of Saint James. It was granted a charter by King Denis of Portugal and became a town. The present fortress was built during the reigns of King John III and King Sebastian of Portugal.

On the ruins of the medieval church, in 1538 it housed the Church of the Assumption of Mary (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção), which stands out over the built-up area, mostly consisting of single-storey houses of vernacular architecture from the Algarve region.

The progressive silting up of the river and the devastation caused by the 1755 earthquake led to the desertification of the town and its integration into Vila Real de Santo António.

The Urban Centre of Cacela Velha was, in 1996, classified as Property of Public Interest, currently integrating the oriental route of the Portuguese Way of St. James.

The place is also worth a visit because it is a magnificent viewpoint over the sea and the islands of the Ria Formosa Natural Park (Parque Natural da Ria Formosa. Close by, at Fábrica, small fishing boats provide a link to the islands, where you can enjoy the quiet sandy beaches.