We always hire a car and find it really easy to travel around The Algarve. As we got married in Albufeira we decided we would we leave our little Nathan with my parents and go discover somewhere different, just the two of us. We had done our research beforehand and decided on the traditional, pretty fishing port of Olhao. It’s only 10 minutes away from Faro so it took us around 45 mins to get there from Albufeira.
We spent 4 nights here to truly relax and wind down after our wedding and we loved it. It’s a total contrast to Albufeira and we’ve been back to visit for the day numerous times since as well as recommending to friends and family. It’s got a really chilled vibe, evenings consist of a couple of pre dinner drinks before heading to one of the beautiful restaurants. We found a couple of great tapas places here and just sat and enjoyed the views out to the Ria Formosa (which was awarded Natural Park status in 1987).
Ria Formosa has always intrigued me after noticing all these islands and marshlands as you’re coming into land at Faro airport, it’s a coastal lagoon protected by a group of sandy barrier islands. It features marshes, tidal flats, waterways and some absolutely stunning sandy beaches. We went out on one of the regular boat trips that takes visitors out to explore some of the islands. The trips provide a great opportunity to escape any crowds and really get close up to nature. Most of the boat tours last 3 to 4 hours, take a snorkel and you might be lucky enough to spot seahorses in the crystal clear waters of the lagoons. The area is an important destination for birdwatchers too who come here to see flamingos, the rare purple swamp hen and the tens of thousands of migratory birds which stop-off here on their journey between Europe and Africa. We were absolutely spellbound by the beauty of these islands, definitely a must take boat trip or two if you’re in the area.
We stayed at the the Real Marina Hotel and Spa, the rooms were gorgeous. We had a view of the Ria Formosa and the breakfast was plentiful too. You could recreate our stay here for 4 nights at the end of June for just under £550 per person.
Thanks for reading.
Stacey x
