Algarve Holiday Destinations - Olhao, Algarve, Portugal

Olhao sits on the edge of the Ria Formosa and life now, as it always has, revolves mainly around fish, fishing and the fishing industry.

The town itself is almost untouched by commercial tourism but remains a favorite destination with Portuguese and Spanish day trippers attracted by the beautiful island beaches of Armona and Culatra, reached by ferry or speedboat from the pier in Olhao.

We recommend a visit to the town, the fish market and the outlying islands and to show you why, we have put together a short slideshow to give you a feel of what you will discover.

Olhao municipality is just East of Faro and takes in the towns of Fuzeta, Moncarapacho, Pechao, Quelfes and Olhao itself, as well as the outlying islands of Culatra, Armona and Fuzeta and a large part of the Ria Formosa.

The landscape slpoes gently from Sao Miguel (with is radio masts), past Moncarapacho and down to sea level and this land is used for growing oranges and other crops for market. Once at sea level the people farm the sea instead, many are fishermen, many are mariscodors (clam farmers) and many work in the canning factories and fish resturants.

The unique islands are one of the best kept secrets in Europe and a visit to at least one of them is a must.

The Camera Municipal (council) has a website with more information.

The large boat on the jetty between the markets is the Bom Successo, a copy of the boat of the same name, that, crewed by local fishermen, made the hazzardous journey to Brasil to tell the Portuguese king that Napoleon´s army had been defeated and that it was safe for the royal court to return to Portugal. The boat remains the symbol of the town and is featured on the town crest.

There is lots to see in and around Olhao.

Olhao markets

When visiting Olhao its best to arrive early and head straight for the busy town quay area, which is alive with the comings and goings of small fishing boats from the crack of dawn until lunchtime.

On the quay you will find two red brick market buildings, these house a huge variety of fish, seafood, fruit, vegitables, etc. and are the heart and soul of the town and the fish market (Tue - Sat) in particular is a must see, as it is the biggest in the region. The sights, sounds and smells of this building are amazing with fish of all shapes, sizes and colours, together with Octopus, Squid and Cuttlefish.
Both markets are surrounded by small cafes where you can sit in the shade of the brightly coloured umbrellas, order a cool drink or maybe an ice-cream and relax while overlooking the marina and watching the world go by.

Mariscos and Fish Resturants

Across the road from the fish market you will find the Mariscos (shellfish shops), and it is here that you can buy Ameijoas (back breakingly, hand picked large clams from the Ria Formosa), Conquilhas (small clams from the sea), Prawns of all sizes, live Crabs and Lobsters.
All along the road, from one end of town to the other, you will find a multitude of restuarants, cafes and bars offering anything from a shellfish cataplana (shown above) to coffee.

Main Church

The main church (Nossa Senhora do Rosario) dates from the 17th century and is the towns most prominent building and is situated right in the heart of the town. It is open Tuesday - Sunday 09.30 - 12.00 and 15.00 - 18.00

If there was a storm at sea, the local fishermans wives and townswomen traditionally met at the back of the church, at the chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Aflitos facing the Avenida da Republica where there would place strange limbs made of wax, light candles and pray for their mens safe return. Candles still burn there among the very odd collection of wax body parts.

Ria Formosa Nature Park - Marim

Located at the eastern end of Olhao, near the campsite, you will find the headquarters of the park. There´s lots to see and do and it´s a lovely place to just stroll around while enjoying the beautiful views of the Ria, the park itself and it´s wildlife.

• Easy access
• Parking
• Beautiful location. Looking out over the Ria and the island of Armona.
• Birdwatching hides overlook the fresh water lake and the salt pans.
• Easy to photograph and wonderfully colourful particularly the Gallinules. There are countless waders to be seen together with Flamingos, ducks and gulls.
• Portuguese water dog breeding centre
• A working tide mill
• Lots to learn about

It is a marvellous place to take the whole family, even those not interested in birds.

The Islands

Take one of the two ferries from Olhao and discover a different world.
One of the ferries (30 min trip) serves Armona, a small island with holiday homes, a few bars, a few resturants and more than 7km of beach.
Tickets cost €3.10 adult return and €1.60 child return to Armona.
The other ferry serves the fishing village of Culatra and the village on the other end of the island, near the lighthouse, which is Farol. This trip takes 30 minutes or an hour depending which route the ferry takes and where you decide to get off.
Tickets are available at the town end of the pier. Tickets cost €3.70 adult return and €2.00 child return to Farol and €3.10 adult return and €1.60 child return to Culatra.

If you prefer to visit Fuzeta island, you can get the ferry from the riverside area (a ticket booth is opposite) and the boat journey takes about 10 minutes. Like the other islands, Fuzeta has a collection of beach huts / houses and a few bars and a resturant and a beautiful sandy beach.

The Fishing Club

The GNO or Groupo Naval de Olhao is the local fishing club situated at the eastern end of the seafront road and better still it has its own bar and restaurant. What makes this place special is the covered terrace that overlooks the small-boat marina and the fact that the fish on the menu here are so fresh. As it says outside “We know about fish” and the club is home to three times world boat-fishing champion Rui Gomes.

Tourist Information Offices as you would expect, offer advice, information, maps and guides and they are open 7 days a week, from 09.30 until 12.30 and from 14.00 until 17.30
The Olhao tourist office is located near the camera building at the address below:

Largo Sebastiao Martins Mestre,
No. 6 A
8700 - 349 Olhao

Posto de Turismo de Olhão 289 713 936

Useful Telephone Numbers of Municipality Olhão
Bombeiros de Olhão 289 710 000
GNR- Posto de Olhão 289 703 089
PSP- Esquadra de Olhão 289 710 770/ 289 710 772
Centro de Saúde de Olhão 289-700260 csolhao@csolhao.min-saude.pt

You can download a printable map of the town here

Arriving by car

We recommend that all visitors rent a hire car in order to have the freedom to explore the region with their own itinerary and at their own pace.

If coming from the East, via the A22, come off at junction 15, the Olhao junction and take the EN 398 south and follow signs for Olhao.
If coming from the West, pick up the EN 125 at Faro and follow signs for Olhao the turn right at the water fountain roundabout as you come into town. This road leads to the waterfront, the markets and the ferry jetty.

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Arriving by train

Olhao station in on the Villa Real do St Antonio - Lagos line which also serves Faro, and ticket information, times and prices can be found here. There are around 17 trains a day from Faro, depending on the day of the week, and the journey only takes 10 minutes and costs €1.05 each way. If you are coming from Lisbon you will need to change at Faro.

The station in Olhao lays mid way down the Avinida da Republica

By Bus

The bus is another option if you are staying in on the coast.

There are a number of busses that run up and down the coast each day. See bus timetable in english here.

The bus station can be found on Rua General Humberto Delgado not far from the train station.

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