Many travellers visit Olhão only to catch the ferry to the islands of the Ria Formosa, but the town deserves far more attention. Unlike many resorts in the Algarve, Olhão grew as a working fishing port rather than a tourist destination, and that character is still visible today. The waterfront remains dominated by fishing boats and the large market halls rather than hotels.
Olhão was founded relatively late compared with many Portuguese towns. It expanded rapidly during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries thanks to fishing and the sardine-canning industry, becoming one of the Algarve’s most important commercial ports. The white cubic houses that characterise the old town reflect a strong North African influence, unusual elsewhere in Portugal.
Our stop was mainly a base for visiting the town and the Ria Formosa.
We stayed in the large motorhome parking area close to the waterfront. Finding a space for our 23-foot motorhome was easy despite the number of other motorhomes already present. The area was level, spacious and within comfortable walking distance of the market, marina and ferry terminal, making it unnecessary to move the motorhome again.
Overall, we found it practical and convenient. The location felt safe and was busy enough to provide reassurance without becoming overcrowded. Road noise was limited during the night and the area worked well both for an overnight stop and for spending a full day exploring the town.
The real highlight was walking along the waterfront.
Instead of a traditional beach promenade, Olhão offers a working harbour where fishing boats still unload their catch. The atmosphere felt more authentic than in many Algarve resorts, with local life continuing alongside tourism rather than being replaced by it.
One of the town’s greatest curiosities dates back to the French invasion of Portugal in 1808. After driving out the occupying forces, a group of local fishermen sailed all the way to Brazil in a small fishing boat called the Bom Sucesso to inform the Portuguese royal family that Olhão had been liberated. The voyage covered more than 4,500 miles across the Atlantic and remains one of the most remarkable journeys ever undertaken by such a small vessel.
Another little-known fact is that the Mercados de Olhão, completed in 1916, have become one of the Algarve’s architectural symbols. The two red-brick market halls, standing beside the harbour, continue to sell fresh fish and local produce more than a century after they opened.
The Ria Formosa itself is equally remarkable. Rather than being a single lagoon, it is a constantly changing system of barrier islands, salt marshes and tidal channels extending for approximately 37 miles along the Algarve coast. It is one of Portugal’s most important protected wetlands and supports flamingos, spoonbills, ospreys and hundreds of thousands of migratory birds every year.
For us, Olhão was one of the most useful stops in the Algarve. Easy motorhome parking, a genuine fishing-town atmosphere and immediate access to the Ria Formosa made it a place worth staying rather than simply passing through on the way to the islands.