[6] There are many pre-historic vestiges of the early settlements, including menhirs (standing stones), funerary necropoles and artifacts that date a human presence to remote history.

[7] After the Celtiberian era, including the age of Cynete presence and domination, followed by the arrival of the Roman Empire and then the Visigoths, the entire region of the Algarve was conquered and ruled by Arabs when they moved into the Iberian peninsula in the 8th century.

[7] The coastal zone was, for centuries, attacked by barbary pirates and corsairs, and those responsible for public security erected various defensive structures along the coast, such as the fortresses of Nossa Senhora da Rocha, Carvoeiro and São João de Ferragudo, in addition to the lookouts and redoubts, such as the tower of Lapa or Marinha.

[5] The local natural resources contributed to the current economic structure of the municipality, with agriculture (especially fruit and wine production), fishing, light industry and, later, tourism influencing the activities of the region.

The fishing industry (in the communities of Ferragudo, Benagil, Carvoeiro and Senhora da Rocha), vineyards, and the traditional products of irrigated agriculture were the principal sources of wealth for the area until the 1970s.

Many cultural activities take place at the Parque Municipal de Fontes, north of Estômbar, all year round, including theatre, dances, and traditional folk-songs.

It has nowadays numerous supermarkets (ALDI, Auchan, Apolónia, Intermarché and Pingo Doce), medical offices, educational (elementary, secondary, music, art) institutions as well as sports, leisure and tourism facilities.