Albufeira area was mapped under Roman rule and was called Baltun during that time.
The Romans took Albufeira and attempted to transform it into an efficiently run city. They began agriculture, mining and commercial ventures, however a slow influx of Moorish settlers around the 8th centaury had taken place and over the years it adopted the name of Ah-Buhera, which meant "castle of the sea."
It was finally taken from the Moors in the middle of the 13th Century by the 'Knights of the Order of Santiago'.
Albufeira, like many Algarve towns, was a walled town and has the remains of a castle dating from Roman times but most of the castle along with the town, was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. The most visible pointer to the castle remains is the Torre do Relógio (clock tower), which was built on one of the old castle towers.
In the resent archaeological dig they have found layers of the Islamic Albufeira (Al-Buhera) , this is near the site of the north gate of the castle wall.
Torre do Relógio once served as prison but now is host to a music school and not open to the public
Best bit... Opposite is a little museum (once was the city hall) which has a lot of roman and Moorish finds, cost just 1 euro, has great toilets and seating both inside and out
See:http://www.cm-albufeira.pt/portal_autarquico/albufeira/v_pt-PT/menu_turista/concelho/cultura/MuseuArqueologia/
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Torre do Relógio
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