This traditional fishing port in the Algarve has Portugal's largest fish market, with white-washed Moorish-style buildings and narrow streets leading to the waterfront.
Olhão, a fishing port in Portugal's Algarve region, centers around its two distinctive red-brick market buildings where local fishmongers sell their daily catch. You'll walk through streets lined with white cubic houses, past outdoor staircases leading to rooftop terraces, and find regular ferries departing to Armona and Culatra islands. In the surrounding Ria Formosa Natural Park, flamingos wade through shallow lagoons that stretch for kilometers along the coast.
Exploring Olhão's Famous Markets
The two neo-Arabic red brick buildings on the waterfront form the center of daily life in Olhão. In the eastern building, fishmongers arrange their fresh catches from 7:00 to 13:00. The western building houses vendors selling locally grown fruits, vegetables, and regional specialties. On Saturday mornings, local craftspeople and farmers set up additional stalls outside, selling everything from handmade baskets to fresh honey.
Discovering the Old Town's Architecture
The Bairro dos Pescadores (fishermen's quarter) reflects North African building styles with its distinctive cubic houses. Walk through the narrow streets to see white houses with flat roof terraces called açoteias, which residents once used for drying fish and collecting rainwater. Look for Portuguese azulejo tiles decorating the facades and wrought-iron balconies above the streets. Climb the outdoor staircases to reach rooftop viewpoints for views across the town and harbor.
Beaches and Island Life
Take a 15-minute ferry ride from Olhão's harbor to reach Armona or Culatra islands. These car-free islands extend for over 10 kilometers, with wooden boardwalks crossing the dunes to long stretches of sandy beaches. On Culatra island, you'll find a small fishing community and several restaurants serving grilled fish caught that morning. Ferries run every hour from 9:00 to 18:00 in summer, with reduced service in winter.
Wildlife in Ria Formosa
The Ria Formosa Natural Park encompasses the waterways around Olhão. Join a boat tour or rent a kayak to explore the saltwater channels, where you might see spoonbills feeding in the shallows or ospreys diving for fish. Start at the park's visitor center at Quinta de Marim, 3 kilometers from town, to walk the marked nature trails. Between October and March, large groups of flamingos gather in the shallow waters.
Local Food Scene
Fish and shellfish dominate Olhão's menus, with most restaurants preparing seafood simply - grilled with olive oil and garlic or steamed in traditional copper cataplana pots. Each August, the Festival do Marisco (Seafood Festival) fills the waterfront Jardim Pescador Olhanense with food stalls and musicians.
When to Visit
Plan your visit for September or October when temperatures reach 25°C (77°F), perfect for swimming but without July and August's crowds. Visit the fish market before noon to see the full selection of the morning's catch. Winter temperatures stay around 15°C (59°F), though some island ferry services reduce their schedule.
