Olhao in the autumn sunshine
January 10th, 2023Only twenty minutes from Faro airport
The water front at Olhao
How did we end up holidaying in Olhao? Well it is only twenty minutes from Faro airport and is on the Algarve coast. No, I hadn’t heard of Olhao before either. The popular places to visit in the Algarve are Lagos, Alvor, Albufeira, Tavira, Portimao and Praia da Rocha which are all on the coast. Plus inland there are the delights of Monchique, Silves and Loule, just to mention a few places of interest. I have visited all of these other towns and many more but somehow Olhao is very distinctive and has a very special charm of its own.
The harbour bay at Olhao
A working town
What is particularly special about Olhao is that it is a working town. It has a wonderful fish market which is supplied with fresh fish daily caught by the local fishermen and you can see them offloading their catches early in the morning. Away from the sea front and the enchanting bay you will find Portuguese restaurants frequented by the local people eating the fresh fish such as dorado and of course sardines. The latter is normally cooked on a barbeque and is always good value for money. These local restaurants, away from the sea front, are often not visited by tourists as the menus are not usually in English and they are often situated down side streets. They are also very reasonably priced – a three course meal for 7 euros!
Rua de Libertade
Centre of Olhao
Did you know that nearly every town in Portugal has a street named Rua de Libertade? It is in many ways a celebration of of the ‘Carnation Revolution’. It is when dictatorship ended and democracy was established in 1974. On 25 April each year Portugal recognizes this event with a national public holiday called ‘freedom day’. It is on Rua de Libertade that we were staying in a traditional town house in Olhao. At the end of the street is a delightful restaurant called Casa de Pasto Almirante on Rua Almirante. The menu is only provided in Portuguese so a lot of visitors are not aware of its delights. The dorado fish dish cooked in garlic and served with potatoes and vegetables is delicious and incredible value for money.
The island of Culatra
The lighthouse on Praia do Farol
Island of Culatra
One of the reasons for staying in Olhao is the fact it is the perfect base to visit a number of local attractions. The island of Culatra is just a thirty minute ferry ride from Olhao. Culatra is an inhabited island of about one thousand people in both summer and winter. The ferry ride only costs a few euros and if like me you enjoy boat rides it is delightful even for just the return journey by sea. The island is famous for its beaches and wildlife but is enjoyable to visit just to dine out in the numerous restaurants and cafes and eat the delicious fish dishes. Within walking distance is Praia do Farol famous for its lighthouse. The alternative is to spend an extra fifteen minutes on the ferry and go there direct.
Ferry from Olhao to the island of Culatra
A sandy island, part of Parque Natural da Ria Formosa
National Park of Ria Formosa
Fuseta, sandy island, part of Parque da Ria Formosa
If you enjoy walking, cycling or bird watching this is the perfect place to visit. The entrance to the park is just over a mile away from Olhao town centre. It is helpful to have a a bicycle as the park stretches for some 37 miles (60 km). There are scores of sandy islands linked by shallow lagoons and salt marshes. There are lots of pine forests and dunes and it is easy to get lost even with the aid of the maps and signposts provided as everywhere looks remarkably similar. I wouldn’t want to find my way around in failing light at the end of the day. Although this may be because I don’t have a very good sense of direction!
Island of Culatra
It is surprising who you bump into!
Island of Culatra
Whilst cycling through the National Park of Ria Formosa I bump into a German traveller who lives on a boat on the island of Culatra. His boat is a catamaran and has engine problems, so not safe to sail. He is obviously adventurous as he has sailed in his catamaran around the Greek islands and the Mediterranean. He is on his own as his partner is recovering from cancer and had to work. It was however a heartwarming story as she had been diagnosed with terminal throat cancer which had spread to other parts of the body. They did a lot of research on the internet and eventually she signed up for a clinical trial to treat the cancer using an experimental drug and treatment process. There were about thirty five participants in the trial and she was about number thirty four to join the trial. Within about a year she was declared free of the cancer. He tried to explain the process to me but I think a lot of it was lost in translation but essentially it was about different ways of dealing with our immune system. He somehow glowed as he was telling the story as you could see his joy at his partner’s recovery from illness.
Vila Real de Santo Antonio
Brilliant public transport
Vila Real de Santo Antonio
One of the real benefits of holidaying or living in the Algarve is the train line stretching all the way along the coast from Lagos in the west to Via Real de Santo Antonio on the Spanish border. It is cheap to use (half price if you are retired) and reasonably reliable. It is not luxurious but has some beautiful sea views from the train carriages. The fruit orchards and small family farms which can also be viewed from the train are a delightful way of seeing the Portuguese countryside and very therapeutic particularly if you are feeling a little stressed. It is important to remember to buy your tickets before you board or you will be fined. The other key thing to checkout is how far away from the town is the station from the actual town on the route. Some stations are right next to the town such as Lagos, Faro or Olhao. Others are several kilometers away from the station such as Silves or Loule; surprisingly there is rarely a reliable bus link from the station to the town or even a taxi service.
Town centre, Vila Real de Santo Antonio
Personally I never hire a car these days as it makes for a much more relaxing holiday and from the money you save you can treat yourself to a delicious meal out or go to a live music or theatre event. There are also lots of good value organized coach days out to places like Lagos, Monchique and Loule. When we were staying this time in late October 2022 there were quite a few delays on the train lines due to an upgrading of the railway lines. I am not sure if this was electrification of the lines or the installation of two railway lines to replace the existing single lines. However it is nothing like the current railway chaos in the UK or the regular railway strikes in Spain. The bus service is not such good value as the train service in the Algarve. Unfortunately there are no reduced bus fares for retired people but sometimes it is a good alternative to the train such as the journey from Olhao to Loule. This is because the the train station at Loule is so far from the town. It is at least 5 kilometres away.
Is it a good idea to revisit?
River Gilao, Tavira
We are on the train from Olhao to Tavira which takes about 30 minutes. The train carriage is almost completely full which is not surprising as Tavira is one of the most popular places to visit on the sea coast in the Algarve and nearly everyone disembarks at Tavira. The walk from the station to the town centre is about a mile which is worth knowing in advance particularly if you are walking with a suitcase as I saw several people struggling to pull their suitcases on the pebbled pavements. I have visited Tavira a number of times before and once stayed here for a week probably at least 15 years ago. It is a ‘pretty’ town with a lovely view from the main bridge overlooking the River Gilao. However it has gradually become much more touristy over the years and is dominated by cafes and restaurants. It does also boast lots of live entertainment in the main square and outside some of the restaurants.
Tavira
Tavira is still a lovely place to visit but I preferred its more bohemian days of fifteen years or more ago. Somehow it has lost some of its charm of years gone by when you could eat a snack or have a coffee without worrying about the cost and just watch the world go by. We ate at a great restaurant overlooking the river and started with a delicious fish soup. The main meal however was spoilt from flies having to be constantly swatted away. I suspect the adjacency of the river and time of year did not help. Is it a good idea to revisit somewhere? Perhaps my nostalgia for a time when I was a little younger has distorted my view of Tavira.
The links between Brazil and Portugal
Poster for Samba evening in Olhao
On our last night in Olhao we enjoy a live Samba evening of singing and dancing with a brilliant group of musicians and female lead singer. For just 10 euros we savour a free Brazilian alcoholic drink and listen to the Samba band. Many of the locals get up to dance and enjoy a Brazilian meal as well. The venue is ‘Re-Creative Republic 14’- the cultural centre for Olhao with a delightful court yard and classical building. Everyone is very relaxed and enters into the spirit of the evening. Even if you are not into Samba music it is still good fun as you are caught up by the enthusiasm of those present.
The links between Brazil and Portugal are evident wherever you go in the country, mainly I feel because they share a common language. Or as the Portuguese locals tell me the Brazilians speak a form of Portuguese. When we were visiting Alveiro, a coastal town just south of Porto, we stayed in a bed and breakfast establishment run by a family who had emigrated from Brazil to Portugal. Also when I was staying in Lisbon with my eldest daughter Sarah we met lots of Brazilians who are now living in the city. Portugal is sometimes controversially called the ‘mother country’ of Brazil. The two countries are intrinsically tied because of the Portuguese Empire. Today it is clearly evident that Portuguese people view Brazil’s influence very positively.
I hope this blog has whetted your appetite enough to visit Olhao even if only for a day but it deserves a longer stay.
