Ria Formosa Natural Park
The great lagoon of the eastern Algarve: some sixty kilometres of barrier islands, tidal flats, salt pans and channels between Faro and the edge of Manta Rota. It shelters seahorses, flamingos and much of the region's shellfish, and its islands, Culatra, Armona, Deserta and the rest, carry some of the emptiest beaches in southern Europe. Ferries and small boats work the lagoon all year from Faro, Olhão and Tavira.
Good to know
Olhão
The Algarve's largest fishing port, famous for its red-brick market halls and seafood restaurants. A gateway to the Ria Formosa islands of Armona and Culatra.
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Where it is
Businesses in Olhão
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Ria Formosa Natural Park FAQs
- Where is Ria Formosa Natural Park?
- Ria Formosa Natural Park is by Olhão, in the Algarve, Portugal.
- How do you get to Ria Formosa Natural Park?
- The classic ways in are the ferries from Faro and Olhão to the islands, boat trips from any of the lagoon towns, and the flat walking trails at Quinta de Marim, just east of Olhão, and Ludo, near Faro.
- When is the best time to visit Ria Formosa Natural Park?
- Spring and autumn for birdlife, summer for the island beaches. Low tide turns the flats into a working landscape of shellfish gatherers.
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