Natural park of the ria formosa

ria formosa and species

one of the 7 natural wonders of Portugal

Lagoon system

In this vast wetland there is a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitats:

salt flats, sandbanks , dunes, salt pans, fish farms, freshwater and rant water lagoons, watercourses, riparian vegetation, agricultural areas, forests and pine forests.

This is revealed in the great faunistic and floristic diversity that can be found there. The lagoon is protected from the sea by a discontinuous line of narrow dunes, which form five barrier islands and two peninsulas.

About 3,600 ha are permanently flooded.

A sanctuary of many species

Biodiversity

An extremely important place for biodiversity, it regularly hosts more than 20,000 aquatic birds during the winter season.

The whole area is very important as a gateway area for migrations between Northern Europe and Africa and is home to rare species in Portugal such as Caimão or Galinha-sultana, a bird chosen as a symbol of the Natural Park, and other emblematic species such as the colorful flamingos.

In this Natural Park we can find other endangered animals as is the case of the chameleon that, in Portugal, exists only in the pine forests and dunes of the Sotavento coast of the Algarve, and the seahorse that gave rise to one of the largest communities of the species in the world.

Cultural heritage

The cultural heritage existing in the Park is of great interest, whether they are historical complexes or sites, isolated buildings, fishing or rural villages and other complementary manifestations, such as handicrafts, gastronomy, beliefs and traditions.

The archaeological remains of the various peoples that have settled in the area since the Paleolithic and later the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Arabs, express ancient cultural roots.

The Roman presence deeply marked the territory.