Ria Formosa Nature Park
On the coast of Faro, you can visit the Ria Formosa Natural Park, considered one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal.
The Park is made up of a Ria and a lagoon system, in which a coastal range of dunes stands out, formed by peninsulas and islands that protect a vast area of salt marsh, channels, and islets.
Every year, many species of migratory waterbirds, which move from Northern Europe, choose this important ecosystem to stay during the winter. Some of the species that can be observed are the flamingo, the tern, the chirp, the avocet, the piadeiras, and the finch, among others.
Ria Formosa Nature Park
Any telegraphic description of Ria Formosa Nature Park would simply say 2 peninsulas, 5 islands, 6 piers, marshlands, and a scent of salt! On one side, the sea, on the other and before land, the "ria", a lagunar system. The latter is on the Algarve's leeward between the sandy peninsulas of Ancão and Manta Rota, Ria Formosa.
The nature park occupies 17,900.77 ha, and is the most important wetland in the south of Portugal, set apart from the sea by a string of barrier islands and being fed in freshwater by small, seasonal water streams. Diverse habitats - dunes, marshlands, muddy areas, pine woods, and agriculture fields - complete the set. An important area in terms of birds and diverse marine fauna since the lagoon area works as a nursery fo some marine species.
Many migratory bird species from northern Europe spend the winter here or use the estuary as a stopover. Bird highlights - purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), the park symbol, the little egret (Egretta garzetta) colony, the Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), and the white stork (Ciconia ciconia) populations. The little tern (Sternula albifrons), declining in Europe, nests here on dunes and salterns.
There are 65 fish species, resident, occasional, and migrants, including gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), white seabream (Diplodus sargus), European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), Senegal sole (Solea senegalensis) and European eel (Anguilla anguilla) the ones with the highest economic importance.
In this area several activities are run here - bivalve culture, fish farming, salt production, sand extraction... - and is quite visited because it is in, the tourist heart of the Algarve. Cacela-a-Velha with its 17th-century fort, cubist Olhão or Tavira with its roofs and crossed by Gilão / Séqua River, live side by side with the characteristic Algarve excitement.
How to get to the Ria Formosa Natural Park´
36° 59' 59" N / 7° 52' 39" W
Access coming from:
- Faro - enter the barrier islands using the boats that leave "Cais Comercial" or "Cais das Portas do Mar" depending on the season, you can browse the schedules.
- Faro - access Faro beach, following the IC4/N125, and then the N125-10, heading towards Faro's Airport, in the Airport's roundabout follow the Praia de Faro Indication.
- Olhão - access the barrier islands using the tour boats that leave the boarding pier, and browse the schedules.
- Tavira - enter Tavira's Island, where you have regular boat connections.
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The Ria Formosa Natural Park stretches for close to 60 kilometers along the southeastern coast of Portugal, from Faro to Tavira. It’s a maze of islands, sandbars, lagoons, canals, and marshes that change size and shape depending on the currents and tides. Accessible by public ferries and tourist boats, it’s a natural wonder that no visitor to Algarve should miss.
In total there are six barrier islands and a peninsula, with wonderful white sand beaches, some of them completely deserted. The designation as a natural park means that it’s protected from development, so visitors shouldn’t expect beachfront hotels. These beaches are heaven for those who prefer peace, and there are spots officially recognized as nude beaches. On the way there, it’s possible to see a variety of wildlife, including chameleons, the world’s largest concentration of seahorses, flamingos, storks, and other resident and migratory birds.
A native of these shores is the Portuguese Water Dog, a rare breed that became famous when U.S. President Obama chose it for the family dog in the White House, allegedly for its non-shedding qualities. You can know more about this breed and all about the natural park at the Ria Formosa Natural Park Interpretation Center in Olhão. The site, located at Quinta de Marim, suffers from some neglect, but has 3 kilometers (almost 2 miles) of paths and boardwalks, allowing visitors to observe a variety of animal species. It also preserves an archeological site dating back to Roman times (4th century), and a mansion with exhibitions about environmental protection.
The beaches on the islands are the most popular destinations in the park, and the main gateways are the cities of Faro, Olhão and Tavira. From their piers, you can hop on tourist boats for tours around the park or take a ferry directly to the beaches. These are the tours available: Ria Formosa Natural Park Tours
Beaches in the Ria Formosa Natural Park
PRAIA DE CACELA VELHA
The beach on the eastern end of the Ria Formosa Natural Park is in a peninsula and island by one of the Algarve’s best-preserved villages. Accessed by boat at high tide or on foot from the village at low tide, it stretches for about 2 kilometers (over one mile) and has shallow and calm waters. International publications have ranked it among the world’s and Europe’s best beaches, but fortunately, it has been able to escape
ILHA DE CABANAS DE TAVIRA
The 7km-long (4 miles) beach of an island between Cacela Velha and the town of Tavira can be reached by boat from the fishing village of Cabanas de Tavira. Because it’s so long, it offers plenty of space and tranquility and is almost deserted. It has just one restaurant and loungers and wicker parasols for rent in the center of the island, but most of it is one long stretch of dunes. As you cross the lagoon on your way there, you can spot a variety of wildlife.
PRAIA DA ILHA DE TAVIRA
The big but uninhabited island of Tavira is divided into four beaches, and this one is the easiest to reach from the center of town. There’s a regular ferry, which takes you to a pier by a pine forest which you must cross to reach the beach. It attracts families due to its accessibility and variety of restaurants with outdoor seating, plus its volleyball nets. However, keep walking to the right (when facing the sea) and it becomes a deserted island where some people find enough space and privacy to sunbathe nude.
PRAIA DA TERRA ESTREITA
The second beach on the island of Tavira can be reached on a long walk from Praia da Ilha de Tavira or by boat from Santa Luzia, a small fishing village to the west of Tavira. It has a bar and a few loungers and parasols for rent but hasn’t yet been discovered by many tourists. Backed by dunes with Mediterranean vegetation, it's on the narrowest part of the island.
PRAIA DO BARRIL
Until the second half of the 20th century, this part of the island of Tavira was where a small fishing community lived throughout much of the year. When the fishing industry declined, its abandoned homes were turned into restaurants, and then came the tourists. Most arrive on a charming old train originally used by the fishermen to cross a path that connects the island to the mainland, over a lagoon of the Ria Formosa Natural Park. Also left behind by the fishermen were dozens of anchors that secured nets and are now on display on the dunes as reminders of the fishing heritage.
PRAIA DO HOMEM NU
Keep walking west (to the right when facing the sea) from Praia do Barril, and the island becomes one long desert. In about 15 to 20 minutes you’ll find yourself all alone at this official nude beach. Because it can only be reached on foot from the neighboring beach, it’s one of Algarve’s quietest beaches. It’s the western end of the island, and on the very end, you’ll find a small lagoon and can see the neighboring island of Fuseta.
ILHA DE FARO
It’s not really an “ilha” (island), it’s a peninsula. Because it’s so easy to reach from Faro, it’s the most crowded beach in the Ria Formosa Natural Park. It’s also the most developed, with villas, restaurants and cafés. Follow the boardwalk to the east for the undeveloped, uncrowded, and much more pleasant and attractive side of the beach. The waves here attract surfers, but to the north, you have the calmer waters of a lagoon.
ILHA DA FUSETA
Armona Island is often called Fuseta Island on its eastern end. That’s because this site is reached by boat from the fishing village of Fuseta. Mostly frequented by locals, it’s a well-kept secret despite being one of the Algarve’s best and most beautiful beaches. When you arrive, keep walking east (to the left) for the more peaceful side, with shallow, calm, and clear waters that will make you picture yourself in the Maldives. Just keep the secret to yourself!
ILHA DA ARMONA
Accessed by ferry from the town of Olhão, this is a 9km-long (6 miles) island inhabited by a small fishing community. The ferry arrives on the western end, by the village, and to reach the beach you have to go down the main street and follow a long boardwalk over the dunes. Most people stay in the area at the end of the boardwalk, to be close to the restaurants and the ferry, but if you prefer quieter beaches, keep walking to the left. After a few minutes, you’ll see nothing but white sand stretching as far as the eye can see. Because so few people come this far, it’s an unofficial nude beach. There’s nothing but unspoiled nature around you, and you’ll just have a few chameleons and birds for company.
ILHA DA CULATRA
The island to the west of Armona also has two names – Ilha da Culatra in the east and Ilha do Farol in the west. Culatra is a small fishing community with about 1000 residents, and although its beach is a popular destination for the people of Faro and Olhão, it’s never crowded. In fact, if you keep walking east (to the left) when you arrive, it’s nearly deserted. The sea is usually calm and you just might spot a few dolphins in the distance.
ILHA DO FAROL
Named after a 19th-century lighthouse, this part of the island between Faro and Olhão also has a tiny fishing village. Walk through the village, past some restaurants offering grilled fish, in the direction of the lighthouse, and you arrive at the beach. In the area by the lighthouse you have wicker parasols and water sports equipment for rent, so it’s where most people stay. For a quieter spot, keep walking east. At a certain point, you’ll have the beach all for yourself.
ILHA DESERTA
There is just a small lighthouse, a few sheds by the pier, and a restaurant on this island. It’s a literally deserted island, with a magnificently pristine landscape that can be admired from a 2 km-long boardwalk over dunes. This is Portugal’s southernmost tip and its beach is divided into an official nude beach on the western side and an area covered with parasols and loungers for rent on the eastern end. The northern side of the island, facing the city of Faro, has the calmest waters.
PRAIA DA QUINTA DO LAGO
Quinta do Lago is one of Algarve’s luxury resorts. Never crowded, its beach is reached via a footbridge over a lagoon and has a rather exclusive atmosphere, due to the 5-star resorts and world-class golf courses nearby. A trail (the “São Lourenço Trail”) takes you past pinewoods, lagoons, and marshes, allowing you to observe different bird species and breathe in the fresh air of the park.
PRAIA DO ANCÃO
This beach marks the western end of the Ria Formosa Natural Park. It has a natural landscape of pinewoods and dunes that are protected by boardwalks connecting it to Quinta do Lago. Follow the boardwalks to observe a variety of flora and fauna, including different species of birds. The beach is known as a favorite of Portuguese celebrities, who want to escape the crowds and enjoy meals with sea views at the two restaurants elevated over the dunes.
Armona Island
This is the most accessible beach from Olhão, via ferry. It is located at the western end of a nine-kilometer-long island, which is home to a small fishing community. After crossing the town's main street, visitors follow a long walkway over the dunes to the sandy beach. The fine white sand seems to have no end, and walking towards the east you will find an almost deserted beach, with only the occasional naturist. The sea is usually calm, clear, and shallow, and the beach is quite clean. In the dunes, you can see chameleons and different species of birds. If you like quieter beaches and being surrounded by nature, this is your beach.
Armona Island is an island in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, close to the city of Olhão. In fact, Armona is the name of the western side of the island, as the eastern side is called Ilha da Fuseta. It is around nine kilometers long and one kilometer wide and has just over 800 homes in a small village that started out as a fishing community. Today, many of the residents make their living from the tourism industry.~
Although its name is of Celtic origin, the island only began to be inhabited in the 20th century. Many of the houses (most of them built in the 1970s) are now used only for holidays, while others have been transformed into cafes and restaurants. There are no hotels on the island (the closest are in the city of Olhão), but it is possible to stay overnight here, in the bungalows at the campsite.
The houses are concentrated next to the pier where ferries arrive from Olhão, with the rest of the island being a long deserted beach. Some stay on the small beach next to the pier, which has calm waters, but the real beach is on the other side of the town. To get there, you have to cross the main street on foot, to a walkway of around 1.5 kilometers high over the dunes. Conveniently, there are minimarkets along the way, where many stop to buy water and food, although the beach also has two bars/restaurants.
The beach is very clean, with fine white sand. It stretches for kilometers, and the sea is usually calm, clear and shallow. This is a Blue Flag beach, which attests to its quality and safety. Most visitors stay on the west side, where there are lifeguards, palm trees, sun loungers and equipment for water sports, such as stand up paddleboarding.
The village of Armona, Algarve
Walking east (to the left when facing the sea), the beach begins to become increasingly deserted, even in July and August. In fact, despite not being officially one, this beach is considered a naturist beach, as recommended by the Portuguese Naturism Federation.
Boat on Armona Island, Algarve
In the dunes, it is possible to observe wildlife, from chameleons to different species of birds. If you are looking for peace in a beautiful natural setting away from the crowds, this is your beach.
Ferry to Armona Island, Algarve
Location: Olhão
Perfect for: Couples, Naturists
Guarded: Yes
WC: Yes
Hat Rental: Yes
Bar or Restaurant: Yes
Accessible: Yes
Parking: Yes (in Olhão)
How to get to Armona Island
Ferries to Ilha da Armona depart from the Olhão pier, at the end of Avenida 5 de Outubro, not far from the city's famous market. There is paid parking nearby. In summer, they depart every hour, being less frequent at other times of the year. Tickets are purchased at the pier ticket office. The ferries have a covered part and an open-air part, and the journey, which lasts around 15 minutes, offers beautiful scenery.
Beaches near Armona Island
If you like long walks by the sea, you can go to Ilha da Fuseta beach, on the east side of the island. You can also reach this beach by boat, departing from the fishing village of Fuseta. Other boats, leaving from Faro, make the crossing to Ilha Deserta, a literally deserted beach and one of the best in the region. Ferries in Olhão also go to Ilha da Culatra and Ilha do Farol, which are similar to Ilha da Armona.
Transport from Faro
Boat schedule to the islands
The municipality of Faro includes a group of islands in its territory: Ilha da Culatra, Farol, Ilha Deserta (or Barreta), and Ilha de Faro (better known as Praia de Faro). Except for the latter, the islands are only accessible by boat.
Throughout the year (departing from Cais das Portas do Mar) you can use regular sea routes or boat tour services along the ria, to discover the beauty of these islands.
Regular maritime careers:
Departures from Faro (Portas do Mar) to Faro Beach - MARCH
Departures from Faro (Portas do Mar) to Farol and Culatra Islands 2023
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Animaris Company - Career: Faro-Ilha Deserta - www.animaris.pt
Transport to the Ria Formosa islands from Olhão
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