history
Moncarapacho is a town in the municipality of Olhão, in the district of Faro, and the seat of the parish of the same name, covering 75.19 km² and home to 7,717 inhabitants (2011). It was granted town status in 1991. In 2013 the parish was merged with that of Fuseta to form the União das Freguesias de Moncarapacho e Fuseta, and became an independent parish again in 2025 under Law no. 25-A/2025. In addition to the town itself, it includes settlements such as Alfandanga, Bias do Norte, Bias do Sul, Fontes Santas, Foupana, Gião, Laranjeiro, Pereiro, Pés do Cerro, Quatrim do Sul and Jordana. Its heritage includes the Igreja Matriz de Moncarapacho (parish church), the Igreja de São Sebastião dos Matinhos (also known as do Bitoito), the Solar da Farrobeira and the Casa-Museu Dr. José Fernandes Mascarenhas. The Rancho Folclórico de Moncarapacho, founded in 1963, preserves the dances, songs and traditional costumes of the area, including the Aguadeiro, the Pescador and the Bioco.
