Ria Formosa Natural Park

The Ria Formosa Natural Park stretches for 60 km along the coast between Faro and Tavira.

It is a protected wetland of international importance, covering some 18,400 hectares. Inside the park you'll find lagoons, channels, islands and sandbanks, home to a huge variety of birds and other creatures.

What to see in the Ria Formosa

Tavira salt pans

In the northern part of the Ria Formosa Natural Park you can visit the salt pans. For many decades now, top-quality salt has been produced here the traditional way, in this corner of the Algarve.

You can walk around the salt pans and enjoy the colours and contrasts of the salt, the iodine, the sea and the sky.

 

Islands

Within the grounds of the Ria Formosa Natural Park you'll find some of the prettiest islands in Portugal: Armona, Culatra and Farol. The last two are actually two parts of the same island.

These islands have both sea beaches and lagoon beaches, depending on which side you choose. They are beaches with crystal-clear water where in some spots you can even get in the water and watch seahorses in their natural habitat.

They belong to Faro and Olhão.

Peninsulas

At either end of the lagoon there are two peninsulas. One is the Península do Ancão, which is where you'll find the beach at Faro known as Ilha de Faro, and the  Cacela Peninsula, home to one of the prettiest villages and beaches in the Algarve: Cacela Velha.

Birds

The park is a protected area under the Ramsar Convention: the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat.

It's a paradise for birdwatching.

Fishermen's gear and boats spread out across the lagoon waters, along with tuna and oyster farms. You can explore on foot, by bike or by boat.

Tours and activities in the Ria Formosa