OLHÃO
Olhão is a major port and actually the largest fishing port in the Algarve. It is full of character with Moorish-style houses,an influence from the commercial links with Africa. Olhão is a vibrant cultural city that has so much to offer, from its excellent cuisine and local wines to the wonders of the Ria Formosa on its doorstep.
Along the water front there is a long, very pleasant, paved promenade with cool gardens (Jardim Pescador do Olhanense) to escape the heat of the sun.
There are two market buildings side by side along the water front, which are a 'must visit' for the huge variety of extremely fresh fish and sea food straight from the port and the vast array of locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables. Olhão is well known for it's fish market, in particular
The market halls are surrounded by pavement cafes and it's a great place to sit and enjoy the view of the boats moored along the water front in Olhão Marina and the sand spit beach ilhas of Armona and Culatra just a short distance off shore behind them. After a stroll along the water front and through the gardens, perhaps take a seat outside the jazz cafe & unwind with a cool drink and watch the boats, people cycling around and locals going about their day
Along the water front there is a long, very pleasant, paved promenade with cool gardens (Jardim Pescador do Olhanense)
to escape the heat of the sun.
Ilha da Culatra is surrounded by beautifully clear water, with many species of fish, so it is perfect for diving and snorkelling. Ilha do Farol is not a separate ilha, but the area at the western end of Culatra where the lighthouse is ('Farol' meaning 'lighthouse' in Portuguese) and again offers visitors a large expanse of sand and warm water. Ilha da Armona, the closest ilha to Olhão, has a few restaurants and holiday chalets and large expanses of golden sand for a very relaxing day at the beach!
Olhão is definitely a city with lots to offer with its water front, historical town and the Ria Shopping centre with it's 3 floors of shops and restaurants and cinema on the EN125 towards the town centre. There are also several companies offering a variety of boat trips to the ilhas, fishing trips and general coastal cruises as well as the regular ferries. Being close to Faro means short transfer times so you are on holiday before you know it!
The easiest route to take to explore the historic heart of Olhão is directly across from the gap between the market halls. Here, many of the buildings are the elegant merchant's homes with wrought iron balconies, carved stonework and tile decorations and are such a contrast to the busy port area of Olhão. At the centre of the town at the end of Avenida da República, in the Praça da Restauração, is the church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, built in 1698 with contributions from the fishermen when it was the first stone building in Olhão. It's a very graceful building with a baroque facade and somehow quite a surprise!
The building behind the church, on the other side of the square, is the Compromisso Marítimo -the fishermen's mutual society, which was founded in the 18th century - it is also home to the Olhão city museum. In a niche above the doorway is a statue of Nossa Senhora do Rosário (Our Lady of the Rosary).
While you are in this area there is another church at the back of the Compromisso Marítimo - the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Soledade which is 17th century and the original church of the then fishing village. In the surrounding narrow, cobbled streets are a wide variety of inviting shops and pavement cafes that tempt you to linger! Well, after the sightseeing you need a break! This historic area of the town is really rather picturesque and gives a totally different view of Olhão from the port and the fishermen's quarter.
Olhão itself doesn't have a beach as it is on the Ria Formosa lagoon system but the ferries for the ilhas run from the quayside near the gardens at the eastern end of the market halls. There are regular services throughout the year, although fewer in number during the winter.
