For years we drove past Olhão, assuming it didn’t have much to offer — and how wrong we were! Last November we finally visited Olhao Portugal, and honestly I don’t understand why it took us so many years. Don’t make the same mistake we did. To tempt you, I’ve put together a list of the 22 most interesting things to see in Olhão, along with tips for day trips.
When to visit Olhao? Olhao Portugal weather
We love travelling to Portugal in February and November. Those months might sound like an odd choice, but… The cooler yet pleasantly sunny weather is perfect for relaxed strolls along the Ria Formosa and enjoying the local cafés without the crowds. 🤭
Of course, the summer months of July and August are the most popular, as they’re ideal for lounging by the sea and taking boat trips. In general the sea in Portugal is on the cooler side, so families with children tend not to come off-season.
For anyone looking for something in between, April to June and then early autumn — September and early October — are ideal. The hardier among us go for a swim, too.
Tip: 7-day Algarve road trip – where to go?
Where to stay in Olhão?
Do you love design accommodation? Then take a look at the Pure Formosa Concept Hotel. Opened in 2021, this hotel quickly became a favourite thanks to its stylish rooms fitted with everything you need — air conditioning, a minibar and private bathrooms. You can easily book your stay through Booking.com.
The crowning glory is undoubtedly the rooftop terrace, which offers an idyllic setting for evening relaxation with panoramic views.
Olhao Portugal: 22 things to see, day trips and the best beaches
Let’s explore our list of the best things to do and see in Olhão, Portugal, together. Olhão won us over with its picturesque lanes and lively atmosphere. As vegetarians, we were thrilled to find a whole row of great spots where you can eat well.
A couple of friends tipped us off about a boat trip into the Ria Formosa nature park. We prefer to book online through GetYourGuide, because you can cancel easily.
Casa Dr. Bernardino da Silva
Casa Dr. Bernardino da Silva, the historic house at number 14 on Avenida da República, was built in the 19th century and served as the residence of a respected local doctor, Dr. Luís Bernardino da Silva.
In 1932 it became the seat of the Olhão Recreational Society, founded in 1858 to promote cultural and artistic activities for the local elite. This society was a pioneer in the Algarve and is the fourth oldest of its kind in Portugal.
The Olhão Recreational Society was famous for its riotous carnival celebrations and had a large terrace at the back of the building where open-air film screenings were held until the 1980s. In 2015 the society stopped using the house, and since 2017 it has been occupied by a new group — the Re-Criativa República 14 Cultural Association.
The Olhão City Museum
The Olhão City Museum is a fascinating place to learn more about the history and culture of this picturesque Portuguese town. The museum is housed in the former 18th-century Casa do Compromisso Marítimo building, originally intended to support fishermen. It offers a deep insight into the town’s past and its fishing traditions.
You can look forward to rich collections of artefacts and exhibits documenting the life and work of local people, from traditional fishing tools to historical documents and photographs. A visit will give you a unique perspective on how Olhão has evolved from its beginnings to the present day, while letting you appreciate the beauty and significance of this historic site.
The Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Rosário
The Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Rosário is the largest church in Olhão and the second stone building erected in the town (between 1698 and 1722). The church stands here thanks to the locals who funded it.
Construction began as a direct result of Olhão being granted self-governing status in 1695. Even though the building wasn’t yet finished, services started here as early as 1715, driven by the people’s desire for independence from the nearby town of Faro.
The most notable features of the Igreja Matriz are the sundial on the bell tower walls and an inscription describing the simple, humble life of the sailors who funded and built the church in 1698.
The façade is a majestic baroque work by Inácio Mendes, who also designed the Contraria do Corpo Santo in Faro. It is adorned with statues of angels and a striking wood carving of the risen Christ.
The gilded altar of Nossa Senhora da Conceição is crowned with statues of angels bearing the Portuguese shield. At the back is a small chapel that opens directly onto the street and is dedicated to Nosso Senhor dos Aflitos (Lord of the Afflicted). One of the most beautiful elements is a panel of traditional tiles depicting Christ on the cross.
If you climb the bell tower (which costs only about €1), you’ll be treated to a stunning view over hundreds of houses with their typical terraces (“açoteias”) and “mirantes” (taller structures rising above the terraces).
Igreja Pequena
Igreja Pequena, the town’s smallest church, was the first stone building in Olhão. This church served as the main place of worship until the Matriz church was completed. The exact year of construction is unknown, but some historians believe it is the same chapel mentioned in historical records and founded by King Dom João I in the 14th century.
Compromisso Marítimo
This lovely example of simple architecture stands near the little church (Igreja Pequena) and was completed in 1771. Today the building houses the City Museum, which offers an interactive room, archaeological exhibits, spaces for temporary exhibitions and a bibliographic centre.
On the building’s main façade you’ll find symmetrical windows framed by wrought-iron balconies and a carved stone niche holding a statue of our patron saint, Our Lady of Mercy. This statue holds deep meaning in Olhão, as legend has it that it was found by local fishermen floating in the sea.
In times of poor fishing, the fishermen would bring candles and olive oil as offerings to please Our Lady and ask her to fill their nets with fish.
Compromisso Marítimo is also linked to the town’s most significant historical moment — the uprising of the local population against Napoleon’s troops in 1808.
The ‘Casas Cubistas’ of the old town
A walk through Olhão’s old quarters will enchant you with its unique “cubist” architecture. The houses here, similar to those in North Africa and the Mediterranean, form clusters of cubes. This historic style is entirely unique thanks to the constant movement of people between Olhão and North Africa dating back to the 18th century.
These houses have several distinctive features. Traditional Olhão homes always have a high parapet defining the terrace (“açoteia”) on top of the house. It’s common to find extra rooms added to the back or side of the terrace. These rooms are called “pangaio” and are topped by a second, smaller terrace — the “mirante”, or lookout.
Os Mercados – the market in Olhao
You definitely shouldn’t miss a visit to the Os Mercados markets in Olhão. They are two imposing red-brick buildings — a fish market on one side and a fruit and vegetable market on the other. These markets are among the liveliest spots in town, especially on Saturday mornings when people from the surrounding villages come to sell their homemade produce.
Architecturally, the Os Mercados markets are fascinating. Built in 1916, the buildings have zinc-covered roofs made up of four overlapping trapezoidal structures that wrap around the entire building. These roofs are supported by iron beams, giving them a late-19th-century look.
A Alfândega – the Customs House
The Customs House sits on Largo Patrão Joaquim Lopes with direct access to the former fishing beach, where the markets and municipal gardens now stand. Its architectural style is typical of the 19th century.
The main façade has two floors in the side buildings and three in the central one. This feature is visually very appealing thanks to its symmetrical simplicity, further emphasised by the arrangement of many doors and windows.
The Customs House officially opened on 28 June 1842 and operated until the 1970s. On the square you’ll find a statue of a famous figure from Olhão’s legends — Floripes, the magical Moorish woman.
Floripes
On the square you’ll find a statue of Floripes. The legend tells of a beautiful young woman dressed in white who often appeared as an apparition by the tidal mill, where the Grupo Naval de Olhão now stands and from which boats set off for the archipelago.
According to the legend, the only person who dared to come to this spot at night was a drunk middle-aged man who fell asleep on the way. The beautiful woman in white gently approached him and sat down beside him. When the drunk man started telling his friends about the encounter, none of them had the courage to visit the place and check whether his story was true.
The Legend of Arraul
Arraul is an ancient legend from the Olhão area, named after a brave young man whose name means “a friend who does good” in Sanskrit. According to the legend, Arraul created the strip of sand dunes that forms the Ria Formosa and protects this part of the Algarve.
This young hero is said to have emerged from the depths of the lost city of Atlantis. When Atlantis’s waves were swallowed by the sea, Arraul was saved by a whale that spat him back onto the shore. Thanks to strong underwater currents, he reached Sítio das Prainhas, where the history of Olhão began.
To protect the coast from further disasters, Arraul decided to move soil from the slopes of Cerro da Cabeça to the shore. This is how the islands of Fuseta, Armona and Culatra came to be, and how the sandy lagoon of the Ria Formosa expanded into what we know today.
The João Lúcio Cottage
The historic João Lúcio cottage, located in Quinta de Marim near the Ria Formosa nature park, is a three-storey circular building with no clearly defined front or back. It is considered one of the finest examples of symbolist architecture in Portugal thanks to its exotic character.
Inside the house you’ll find four staircases of different shapes — fish, guitars, violins and snakes — arranged according to the four cardinal directions and forming entrances to the centre of the house, where they end at a large skylight.
The building houses the Ekotéka Olhão, a public service supporting environmental education and various cultural events. Visiting this cottage is a rewarding experience not only for architecture enthusiasts, but also for anyone interested in the environment and culture.
Lenda do Mouro Encantada
This spot became famous thanks to one of Portugal’s legends, which tells the story of an enchanted Moor who guards a treasure hidden in the rocks. According to the legend, when someone discovers the treasure and tries to take it, the enchanted Moor turns them to stone.
Lenda de Marim
Another of the statues in Olhão you shouldn’t miss is the Lenda de Marim. This statue is based on a beautiful legend of love and honour from the days of the Moorish empire on the Iberian Peninsula. The story tells of a girl named Mariam and her beloved Galvín, who became a hero fighting the enemies of his people.
Mariam and Galvín promised each other eternal love. When Galvín fell into enemy hands, their love was put to a hard test. Mariam waited faithfully for him, even as other suitors tried to win her over. In the end Galvín returned, and they spent the rest of their lives together.
This statue is not only a beautiful work of art, but also a reminder of just how strong and faithful love can be.
Jardim Patrão Joaquim Lopes
Jardim Patrão Joaquim Lopes is a beautiful park on the Olhão waterfront in Portugal. It offers a stunning view of the adjacent marina and the Ria Formosa lagoon.
Murals
Strolling along Largo and Rua da Fábrica Velha in the Barrio do Levante, Lukáš and I came across some amazing murals that tell the rich story of Olhão’s fishing history right before our eyes.
MosaicOlhão (Lavandas e Maravilhas)
My dad absolutely loves making mosaics, so I was thrilled when I stumbled upon this shop, where the owner will make any lettering you like while you wait. And within an hour, too. The price was pretty reasonable as well, so if you’re after an original souvenir, be sure to pop in.
Ilha da Culatra
Where to find beautiful Olhao Portugal beaches? On Ilha da Culatra, a gorgeous island in the Ria Formosa! You can easily book the trip through GetYourGuide. You can even visit several islands in one go. The island is known for its picturesque fishing huts, which have been turned into holiday homes and local residences.
Ilha da Armona: in search of beautiful beaches
Ilha da Armona, a beautiful island just off Olhão, offers stunning beaches and the charming lanes of a former fishing settlement.
Ilha do Farol
Ilha do Farol is part of the island of Culatra and is known for its community and the iconic Cabo de Santa Maria lighthouse, the oldest in Portugal.
Ria Formosa
In case you haven’t yet grasped that the Ria Formosa is one of the places in this area you simply shouldn’t miss, let us remind you once more. You can easily get there again through the online portal GetYourGuide, or you can buy the trip down at the harbour.
Just bear in mind that in high season there are queues, and off-season there’s often no one around to serve you, so we recommend booking online (you pay nothing extra through GetYourGuide, and you can cancel your booking anytime).
The Ria Formosa is a stunning nature park stretching along the eastern and western coast of the Algarve. The park includes lagoons, wetlands, salt marshes and islands, creating a rich ecological diversity.
Jardim Pescador Olhanense
We seek out parks in summer, because when you’re exploring a town on a sunny day, it’s nice to sit down for a while. Jardim Pescador Olhanense is a beautifully kept little park along the waterfront, right next to the market.
Even though we were here in November, we had a lovely 26 degrees, and I was pregnant, so we stopped here to watch the local bustle and rest up a little.
Discover how cork and cork products are made
Do you enjoy off-the-beaten-track experiences? We always check what’s on offer through GetYourGuide, which we use to book both attraction tickets (so we never queue, and the price is the same) and day trips.
In Olhao you can head out on a 50-minute tour of a traditional cork factory, where you’ll learn all about how cork and cork products are made. At the end you can even buy a souvenir.
Why cork? The Algarve is home to 720,000 hectares of cork forests, which makes the region the backbone of a major cork industry.
Map of points of interest for your phone
Where to next?
Read our 7-day Algarve road trip, take a look at what to see in Silves, in Loulé and in the lovely town of Faro, and don’t forget to explore Lagos, home to some of the most beautiful beaches.
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
🚗 Car rental on the roadVerified rental cars in AlgarveSearch with the DiscoverCars comparison engine — it compares prices from dozens of local and international rental companies, and most bookings come with free cancellation.
Compare car prices in Algarve →Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
