The Ria Formosa lagoon, located in Algarve, south of Portugal, is a barrier islands system that communicates with the sea through 6 inlets. The Algarve ( pron aɫ'gaɾv(ɨ is the southernmost region of mainland Portugal. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Five of these inlets are natural and have mobility characteristics and the 6th is artificial inlet that was opened with the purpose of allowing easier access to the port of Faro. Faro (ˈfaɾu is a city and municipality in southern Portugal.
Presently the main inlet of the system is the Faro-Olhão inlet, which was artificially opened. The process started in 1927 but only in 1952 were the engineering works completed and it assumed the present configuration.
Within the Ria Formosa system, different and sometimes antagonistic uses may be found. Part of the system is a Natural Park but Ria Formosa also plays an important role in the region economy. Beyond the tourist use the system also supports other economic activities like seafood farms and the port of Faro.
The Ria Formosa is also a designated Natural Park of over 170 km² and a stopping place for hundreds of different birds during the spring and autumn migratory periods. Portugal's conservation areas are divided into five categories One national park ( Parque Nacional) 12 natural parks ( Parque Natural) 9 natural reserves ( Reserva
The most important cities near the Ria Formosa are Tavira, Faro and Olhão. Tavira or Tabira is another name for Durango Spain. Tavira ( pron Faro (ˈfaɾu is a city and municipality in southern Portugal. Olhão ( pron o'ʎɐ̃w̃ or Olhão da Restauração is a city and a municipality in the Algarve region southern Portugal.
There are also some towns in this area, whose names are: Fuzeta (belongs to municipality of Olhão), Santa Luzia, Cabanas de Tavira (these two to Tavira) and Cacela Velha (belongs to Vila Real de Santo António). Fuseta Fuseta ( pron. fu'zetɐ is a Portuguese parish located in the municipality of Olhão in the district of Faro, which Olhão ( pron o'ʎɐ̃w̃ or Olhão da Restauração is a city and a municipality in the Algarve region southern Portugal. Santa Luzia is a freguesia (parish in the municipality of Tavira ( Algarve, Portugal) Cabanas de Tavira ( pron. kɐ'bɐnɐʃ dɨ tɐ'viɾɐ Portuguese for "Tavira's Huts" is a former fishing village on the east-southern coast of the Tavira or Tabira is another name for Durango Spain. Tavira ( pron Vila Real de Santo António ( pron 'vilɐ ʁi'aɫ dɨ 'sɐ̃tu ɐ̃'tɔnju often pronounced as ʁi'aɫ dɨ sɐ̃tɐ̃'tɔnju}} is a city civil parish and municipality
Several buses run from Tavira to Cabanas and back each day. The nearest train station is in nearby Conceição which is on the Tavira to Vila Real line. Vila Real de Santo António ( pron 'vilɐ ʁi'aɫ dɨ 'sɐ̃tu ɐ̃'tɔnju often pronounced as ʁi'aɫ dɨ sɐ̃tɐ̃'tɔnju}} is a city civil parish and municipality
Little villages and towns in the area, like Cabanas de Tavira, have a large number of bars, cafés and restaurants which run along the riverfront and are also dotted around a couple of blocks inland.
The coast of east Algarve has a remarkable mild climate, with sunny days all the year. Winters used to be mild and summers are not very hot. Because of these features, beaches in the Ria Formosa area are well known, like Vale do Lobo, Faro Island, Culatra, Barril, Tavira Island, Cabanas de Tavira, Cacela-Velha and Manta Rota. Culatra Island is an island in the Algarve, Portugal. It is 6 kilometres in length and 0 Tavira Island (Ilha de Tavira lies south of the town of Tavira just a few hundred metres off the coast Cabanas de Tavira ( pron. kɐ'bɐnɐʃ dɨ tɐ'viɾɐ Portuguese for "Tavira's Huts" is a former fishing village on the east-southern coast of the Barril attracts a good number of naturists and gays. Naturism or nudism is a cultural and Political movement advocating and defending social Nudity in private and in public. In the English language, gay is an Adjective that in modern usage refers to Homosexuality. Another gay beach is Cacela Velha. Tavira Island is a beach with a camping park.