Built between the four hills that surround it - Galvana, Francelheira, Castelo and Rocha Maior - the village invites you to walk through its narrow streets, treading softly on the traditional cobblestones and paving stones and peeking into the courtyards full of sardine trees. In other times you could hear around every corner, especially in Rua dos Pisadoiros, the sound of stomping esparto mace, a wild plant that marked the economic and social life of the whole parish.

Alte is located in the southern part of the Caldeirão region and is bounded to the north by S. Barnabé, to the east by Salir and Benafim, to the south by the municipality of Albufeira and by S. Bartolomeu de Messines to the west. The parish is crossed from west to east by the EN 124 that connects Silves to Alcoutim. It is approximately 25 km from Loulé on a new, purpose-built road and can be reached in a few minutes. The 30 km to Albufeira takes longer.

The parish of Alte, according to preliminary data from the 2001 Census has an estimated population of 2177 people.

The population of Alte is mostly engaged in small trade and subsistence agriculture.