Olhão is a small city in the East Algarve with about 45,000 people. It is the largest fishing port in the Algarve and during the summer it can get busy with lots of tourists, just like the rest of the Algarve. During the winter though it is also much quieter, but because it is larger than some of the other places in the East Algarve, it isn’t completely dead and there are still things to experience. 

Olhão has a lively waterfront with lots of restaurants, bars, and shops but the main focus of the area is the market. The market actually is in 2 buildings, right next to each other. One has mostly fish and the other has produce, meats, cheeses and other stuff. It is a beautiful market, one of the, if not the nicest, in the Algarve. On Saturdays they also have a farmers market outside. The market is open everyday except Sundays until 1:30pm. 

The Markets from the outside
Inside one of the markets
meats, produce, honey, sauces, spices, etc

On each side of the market is a park. Jardim Pescador Olhanense to the west and Jardim Patrão Joaquim Lopes to the east. They are both nice and pretty parks to walk around. There is a play area for kids, historical statues, an exercise area, and plenty of benches to sit and watch the boats on the Ria Formosa.

kids play area
One of the parks

 

Olhão sits on the Ria Formosa, which is a huge natural park that stretches for 60 km (37 miles) along the Algarve. There is a very diverse ecosystem here and it is a great area to see a variety of birds, especially flamingos. You can take boat tours from any of the towns on the Ria Formosa, including Olhão. There are boat tours and watersports that you can do and you can also take a ferry out to the islands for the beaches. 

The centro of Olhão also has things to do and see. There are more shops, restaurants and bars. There is a museum and a church in the center that you can visit. There are also some art galleries. The town is adorned with decorations that show off the importance of the fishing industry. The cobblestone streets are lined with trees in painted boat bows. There are also statues throughout the town, such as the one of the Legend of Floripes, that tell the history of the town. 

Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Rosario
Painted boats that line the streets
Statue of the Legend of Floripes

The Street Art

One of the other cool things about Olhão is the abundance of street art and murals. All throughout the city you can see them. If you happen to take the train in or out of the city you can see a ton! The coolest piece though, in my opinion, are the murals that are painted on an old, abandoned church. The old church is located right on the N-125, which is the main road that runs across the Algarve. 

Where to Eat in Olhão- Gluten Free Choices

There are a lot of choices for food in Olhao and it is not usually hard to get gluten free items anywhere in Portugal. Fish is an obvious choice, since it is a fishing village but there are other options as well. These are a couple of my favorites:

Pizza na Pedra– 

This Italian restaurant was so good. They have multiple options for gluten free pasta and pizza. The pizza is delicious and has a delicious crust. The restaurant itself is really pretty. It has arched stone walls and beautiful decor. The staff is friendly. The prices are moderate, gluten free pizzas are €13 each and are a decent size. I only ate half of mine and took the rest home. It is right across from the market. 

inside Pizza ne Pedra
Gluten free pizza potions
Montalcino gf pizza

Fasian Ya–

This is a Japanese fusion restaurant with so many options. Their sushi is delicious and there are plenty of gluten free options. Just make sure to tell them you need everything gf. They also have Thai curries, pho, pad thai, bao buns, and more. They have good drinks as well. This restaurant is located at the Marina Ria Center. There are also a lot of other restaurants, bars and shops here and there is also a small arcade.

Sake Sangria at Fasian Ya

Hola Torito-

This is the closest Mexican restaurant to Tavira. They have some gluten free options. The food is ok but the margaritas are really good. They also have a really cool atmosphere. They are located near the mercado. 

Olhao is a nice place to stop on a tour of the East Algarve. It’s a great place to spend a day and have some good food and see some art. 

Stay tuned for more about the off-season in the East Algarve. 💙