The actual site of present-day Alcochete was already occupied during Roman times with a clay production facility.

It became a vacation site preferred by the Portuguese royalty and the future king D. Manuel I was born in the village.

It has experienced major development due to the construction of the Vasco da Gama Bridge.

On 10 January 2008 Portuguese prime minister José Sócrates announced that Alcochete had been selected as the site of the new airport serving Lisbon, Portugal's capital.

[3] The location of Alcochete as the construction site of the future Lisbon Airport was confirmed by the Portuguese Government on May 8, 2008.