The Ria Formosa Natural Park

The Ria Formosa is a protected lagoon system that stretches along the eastern Algarve coast, from near Quinta do Lago past Faro to Manta Rota. It’s a world of channels, salt marshes, sandbanks and barrier islands, full of birdlife, shellfish beds and empty beaches. Here’s how to explore it.

Quick answer: take a boat tour from Faro or Olhão through the channels to the islands, or a ferry to Ilha Deserta, Culatra, Armona or Ilha de Tavira. Look for flamingos, herons and spoonbills, and try local clams and oysters. See Ria Formosa tours.

Why go

The lagoon runs for about 60 km, from Ancão near Quinta do Lago in the west to Manta Rota, just past Cacela Velha, in the east. It covers around 18,000 hectares and has been a natural park since 1987. A chain of sandy barrier islands shields it from the open Atlantic, with inlets letting the tide in and out. In 2010 it was voted one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Portugal. For you, that means calm water, long empty beaches a short boat ride from town, and some of the best birdwatching in the country.

Things to do

• Boat tours: birdwatching and island-hopping trips, usually two to four hours. Smaller boats can get into the shallow channels. See the best boat trips.
• Island beaches: see Ilha Deserta and Olhão’s islands. Culatra has a working fishing village and, at its western end, the lighthouse settlement of Farol. Armona is closest to Olhão and has a long ocean beach a short walk from the jetty.
• Birdwatching: flamingos, storks and waders, especially in autumn and winter. Tens of thousands of birds pass through on migration. Look out too for the purple swamphen in the reed beds. See wildlife in Portugal.
• Kayaking and SUP on the calm channels. Go with a guide if you don’t know the tides.
• Walking trails: marked paths around the lagoon, including near Quinta do Lago and Olhão. The park’s visitor centre at Quinta de Marim, just east of Olhão, has a nature trail past salt marsh, a restored tide mill and Roman fish-salting remains. Allow one to two hours.
• Shellfish: clams and oysters farmed in the lagoon. See the seafood guide.

Getting there and around

• From Faro: ferries leave from the jetty by the old town for Ilha Deserta, Farol and Culatra. Summer has the most sailings, so check the timetable at the ticket office.
• From Olhão: public ferries run to Armona, Culatra and Farol all year, with fewer boats in winter. Water taxis fill the gaps.
• From Tavira: ferries cross to Ilha de Tavira from the town in summer and from Quatro Águas, a short way downriver, for more of the year.
• Trains: the Algarve line stops at Faro, Olhão and Tavira, so you can do it all without a car. See getting around the Algarve.

How long to spend

Give it at least one full day. A good plan from Olhão: morning ferry to Culatra, lunch in the village, a walk to the ocean side, then an afternoon boat back and an early evening at the Marim trail. With two days, add a boat tour from Faro to Ilha Deserta.

Food

• Clams: try amêijoas à Bulhão Pato, cooked with garlic, olive oil and coriander.
• Oysters: often sold straight from local farms.
• Cataplana and grilled fish: both found all round the lagoon. See cataplana.

Bases

• Faro: see Faro.
• Olhão: see Olhão.
• Tavira: see where to stay in Tavira.

When to go

Summer is best for the beaches. Spring and autumn are better for birds, walking and quieter boats. Winter is mild and good for flamingos, though some island cafes close.

Tips

• Tides: they shape the lagoon, so boat schedules follow them.
• Sun: little shade on the islands. Take water and a hat.
• Last boat: note the time of the last ferry back before you head off along the beach.
• Protected area: stay on paths and don’t disturb wildlife.

More: the eastern Algarve and east vs west Algarve.

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