Beaches in Olhao, Algarve

Olhão is surrounded by ‘ilhas’, sand spit islands, which protect the marshy lagoon, Reserva Natural da Ria Formosa, an environmental and conservation area for birds and marine life. The two nearest islands to Olhão are Ilha da Culatra and Ilha da Armona and they are served all year with regular ferry crossings from Olhão’s jetty, near to the municipal gardens. Ilha da Culatra is the bigger of the two islands and has permanent year round residents as well as summer visitors. The western end of Ilha da Culatra ,with the lighthouse, is known as Ilha do Farol.  The next ilha just to the west of Farol is Ilha Deserta, a beautiful island with nothing more than a stretch of beautiful soft sand backed by vegetation and a single restaurant. 

Many Algarve beaches are now classified as 'Accessible Beaches' meaning that not only do they provide ramps, footpaths and walkways directly to the sand but also meet certain criteria for restaurant tables, bar and counter heights. They also have first aid posts and disabled toilets and should be equipped with wheelchairs, walking aids and other equipment capable of being used in the sea as well as on the beach. We include which beaches have been awarded the 'Accessible Beach' flag , although depending on individual abilities you may just want to know that you can park nearby or that there are no steps involved.

We also indicate which beaches have lifeguards during the season (normally April to the end of September) and as a reminder for you: a green flag - swimming permitted; yellow flag - swimming forbidden; red flag - swimming and entering the water forbidden; blue and white chequered flag - beach temporarily unattended.

Ilha da Culatra, Ilha do Farol and Ilha Deserta

Ilha do Farol is the western end of Ilha da Culatra which has a small, permanent all year round, population which increases to around 3000 in the summer season. It's a lovely seaside community of mostly single storey houses; with oleanders lining the sandy pathways and bouganvileas climbing over the verandas. There are several restaurants and cafés dotted along the pathways from the quay.

The beach on the seaward side is another beautiful sandy bay and obviously popular both with the residents and people just visiting for a few hours.

The ferry runs to Farol and Culatra from Olhão port throughout the year, but frequencies are reduced in the winter months to only 4 per day, compared to 12 or 13 in the peak summer months.

From Farol you can go to the uninhabited Ilha Deserta by water taxi.  Ilha Deserta has just one very popular restaurant on it ("Restaurante O Estaminé" offering traditional flavours from the Atlantic and Ria Formosa; Tel: 917811856) - if you want to lunch here we would suggest you book a table before or as soon as you arrive on the ilha! The beach on the seaward side is a beautiful sandy bay, just a couple of minutes walk from the quay. 

There is a small area of sunbeds for hire, but most people seem to take their own sunshades and their own refreshments to enjoy a quiet few hours on this very peaceful ilha. When we visited (July 2007) there was a new, larger restaurant being built with wooden walkways to both sides of the ilha.

If you want a very quiet, relaxed day on the beach and nothing else, then Deserta is just the place; if you like to wander around and explore and have a choice of places to eat and drink, as well as having a beautiful beach, then Ilha da Culatra is the place for you. The beaches are supervised during the season.

Ilha da Armona

Ilha da Armona is the closest to Olhão and is about a 10 minute ferry ride. There is a collection of holiday chalets, a handful of restaurants -  one of which is open all year - and a beach on the seaward side of beautiful, white sand stretching as far as the eye can see.The water on the land side of the ilha is quite shallow at low tide and rather warmer than the atlantic side! 

There are sun loungers for hire and a beach bar for refreshments when the sun gets too much for you at the western end of the sands, which is also supervised during the 'beach season'.