The territory of Silves has been occupied since the Paleolithic, and testaments of human presence in Alcantarilha can be traced back to the fossil beaches in Torre and Morgado das Relvas, along the coast.

[2] From the inventory by the Direcção Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais (General-Directorate on Buildings and National Monuments), this settlement consisted of a Lusitanian castro bridging the Neolithic and Chalcolithic eras.

[2] João Cascão left behind a historical account, on the small "hamlet" of Alcantarilha, that included 150 neighbours and completely encircled by a wall of bulwarks.

[2] Until 1683, Pera (the parish seat) was linked to Alcantarilha, when bishop José de Menezes de-annexed the community, and included it in the municipality of Albufeira.

[2] On 4 February 1999, PS deputy Jorge Valente (elected in the Algarve) brought before the National Assembly a petition to formally elevate the urban seat of Alcantarilha to the status of vila (town).