Olhão

in south Portugal

... yeah, south Portugal, near Algarve, close to a town called, uh, Olhão and, and the airport at Faro.

And there's a big lagoon there- Mm ... tidal lagoon with sandbanks and things.

There's a beautiful, uh, anchorage there, isn't it? Sorry? It's a beautiful anchorage at Olhão.

Yeah.

At Olhão itself, you can't actually go in.

There's a marina now.

Right.

Stay in Faro or Tavira for the eastern half, then move to Lagos for the west.

The train works well along the eastern corridor through Faro, Olhão, and Tavira, but is less suited to the full cliff and Atlantic journey.

Begin in Faro, the usual gateway and a compact introduction to the eastern Algarve.

Spend your arrival afternoon in its old town.

The main reason to start here, though, is Ria Formosa, a protected lagoon landscape where tidal channels, wetlands, dunes, and barrier islands shape the coastline.

Take a lagoon trip from Faro or Olhão.

This is more than another beach outing.

It shows how water, fishing, and shellfish gathering shape life along this stretch of coast.