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Home / Armona Island

ABOUT ARMONA ISLAND

Welcome To

ARMONA ISLAND

Your car free and care free island in the sunny Portuguese Algarve.

SUNNY ARMONA ISLAND

  • 9 Kilometres of Sand Beach

  • Child Friendly and Car Free

  • Great Restaurants and Bars

  • Part of Rio Formosa National Park

  • Enjoy Portuguese Cuisine and Lifestyle

  • Short Taxi From Faro Airport

  • Ferries and Water Taxis from Olhao

  • Other Islands to Visit in the Algarve

    • Farol

    • Culatra

    • Tavira

    • Deserta

    • Faro Beach​
       

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Armona Island

BEACHES

Armona Island has the best unspoilt beaches in the Algarve

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ARMONA WATERFRONT BEACH

  • Long Beach

  • Safe Swim Area

  • Life Guards in Summer

  • 4 Restaurants

  • Ferry Terminal

  • Peres Store

The Waterfront Beach on Armona has the most activity.  The safe swimming area is child friendly, and there are even tiny hermit crabs just off the beach.  Locals dive off the pier (please stay safe!), and from the Ferry Terminal you can see and even catch local Rio Formossa fish (license required).

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Enjoy the many restaurants (see below) and stock up at Peres shop with swim toys, wine, beer and a large selection of items. 

ATLANTIC BEACH

  • 5+ Kilometers of Sand!

  • Sunbed Rentals

  • Cocktail Bar / Restaurant

  • Less Crowded

  • Lifeguards in Summer

The Atlantic beach is a 10 minutes walk from our villa.  The sand stretches farther than the eye can see.  The beach bar and sunbeds (see below) have prime position and are open between May and October, but there is space for everyone!

Fuseta Beach is at the far end of the island, and also has sunbed rentals and drink / food bars.  It's about a 2 hour walk best attempted earlier in the morning, and bring plenty of water (not suitable for younger children).  Check Fuseta ferry times - you can get a ferry to Fuseta town in summer and catch a train back to Olhao.

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ARMONA LAGUNA BEACH

  • Tidal Beach

  • Hunt for Clams and Crabs

  • Great for Young Children (supervised!)

  • 2 Person Kayak included in villa rental

The laguna is close to the beach villa - just a few moments walk and there you will be able to have lots of fun- walking, wading, searching for clams or when the tide is high using the Kayak (life preservers provided are a legal requirement if there are young children or non-swimmers) .

ARMONA INLAND LAKE

  • Short Walk From Our Villa

  • Perfect for Young Children (supervised!)

  • Can be reached by Kayak at Highest Tides (Full or New Moon)

The laguna feeds into a lake when tides or high (full moon or new moon) which provides an ideal spot for picnicking, sunbathing and exploring the island interior.

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ARMONA SIDE BEACH

  • Quieter Beach

  • Stretches From Ferry Terminal To Atlantic Beach

  • Good Swimming Regardless Of Tides

  • Great For Picnics

  • Quieter Than The Other Beaches

What we call the "Side Beach" forms a long sand beach between the Ferry Terminal/Laguna Beach to the Atlantic Beach.  Along this beach is the channel between Armona and Culatra Islands, so you can swim there regardless of how low the tide is.  Side Beach is a great place to bring a picnic and enjoy one of the quieter beaches on Armona.

Armona Island

RESTAURANTS

There are 7 restaurants on Armona Island during high season. They all offer excellent Portuguese food, often fresh from the sea and/or simple local fare with no frills. Enjoy the Algarve like a native!!

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ARMONA 4

  • Rooftop Restaurant Terrace

  • Indoor Restaurant

  • Full Bar

  • Portuguese Cuisine

  • Great Sunsets

  • Fresh Local Caught Fish

Armona 4 has a wonderful roof terrace and serves drinks and pizzas as well as cocktails. It's the perfect place to watch the sunset, and the chef creates true Portuguese dishes to order.

CARLOS RESTAURANT & BAR

  • Open Air Restaurant

  • Indoor Restaurant

  • Full Bar

  • Portuguese Cuisine

  • Ice Cream / Geleteria

  • Fresh Local Caught Fish

Carlos serves great Portuguese food nearly year round. You can sit on the beach-side balcony, enjoy a glass of something, and watch your children play on the beach.

Carlos Restaurant has been recently refurbished, and they have an impressive display of fresh fish.

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KALLINOS BAR / SNACKS

  • Open Air Restaurant / Coffee Shop

  • Indoor Restaurant / Coffee Shop

  • Full Bar

  • Great Tostas (Toasted Sandwiches)

Kallinos Bar serves freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee, and alcoholic beverages, plus a selection of snacks. Many of our guests rave about the tostas (toasted sandwiches).

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TOLINHAS BAR RESTAURANTE

  • Open Air Restaurant

  • Indoor Restaurant

  • Full Bar

  • Portuguese Cuisine

  • Fresh Local Caught Fish

Tolhinas is one of the longest serving restaurants on the island. They have recently expanded seating to outside, and the rear corner is great for sunsets.

CONVIVIO RESTAURANT

  • Open Air Restaurant

  • Full Bar

  • Portuguese Cuisine

  • Fresh Local Caught Fish

  • BBQ Lunches Every Day In Summer

Convivio Restaurant is a firm favourite on the island for their BBQ fish and meat dishes for lunch, such as bacon wrapped prawns.  They also serve coffee and alcoholic drinks.  Ps - they are only 40 metres from our villa.

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RESTAURANTE SANTO ANTONIO

  • Open Air Restaurant

  • Indoor Restaurant

  • Full Bar

  • European Cuisine

  • Fresh Local Caught Fish

Restaurante Santo Antonio (the Belgian Restaurant) serves great kebabs, fish, and continental dishes just this side of the Atlantic Beach

BAR CAMALEAO (CHAMELEON)

  • Open Air Restaurant

  • Beach Bar with Cocktails

  • Fresh Local Caught Fish

  • Chilled Ibiza Style Music & Vibe

Sunbed rentals and great cocktails mix well, but it is also possible to just relax and have a beer or snack or ice cream. They now have a full restaurant service seafood and tostas.

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Armona Island

SHOPS

Armona Island has local shops, supplemented by the stores and large markets on Olhao

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OLHAO MARKETS

  • Algarve's Largest Fresh Fish Market

  • Fresh Vegetable / Meat / Cheese Market

  • Stock up on Olives, Nuts, PiriPiri Sauce

They have an incredible variety of fresh fish and shellfish, plus a great selection of fresh meat, vegetables, cheeses, olives, nuts, and delightful local cakes.

PERES STORE

  • On the island!

  • Open All Year

  • Various Foods

  • Selection of Beer, Wine, Spirits

  • Beach toys 

  • Bottled Water

Peres store shuts only once, in the winter, but otherwise is the island's mainstay for food, drink, plus beach toys and postcards.

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CONVIVIO STORE

  • 40 Metres From Our Villa

  • Various Foods

  • Selection of Beer, Wine, Spirits

  • Charcoal for BBQ

  • Fresh Fruit, Bread & Cakes

  • Frozen Fish and Veg Section

  • Café / BBQ restaurant next door

Convivio store now stocks fresh and packaged foods, fresh meat, fruit and vegetables, plus beer, wine, soft drinks, and charcoal for the barbecue.

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In summer they often have fresh fish, and may in future be open all year round (before they were open from Easter until end of October)

BARBECUE IT IN OUR VILLA

  • Enjoy Outside BBQ On The Patio

  • Beach Garden Is Best For Sun

  • Patio Area Provides Cover From Sun

If you enjoy a really good BBQ then stock up fresh chicken and fish in the Olhao Markets or Convivio Store.  Crack open the wine or beer or sparkling water, and enjoy!

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Olhao

NEARBY OLHAO

Armona Island has a regular ferry service to Olhao

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OLHAO

  • Waterfront & Marina

  • Seafood/Tapas/Etc Restaurants

  • Cocktail and regular bars

  • Clothing shops and markets

  • Coffee and pastry shops

  • Supermarkets

  • Marina Real Hotel

Olhao is a waterfront city, with huge markets, lots of Portuguese and other restaurants, great bars, a resort hotel complex, and plenty of shopping

OLHAO MARKETS & CAFES

  • Waterfront  Cafes

  • Cocktail Bars

  • Indoor Fish Market - Very Fresh!

  • Indoor Veg and Meat Market

  • Saturday Outdoor Market

  • Small Shops

Olhao markets house the fish market (a whole building) and meat, vegetables and Portuguese delicacies (other building).  Surrounding the marks are waterfront cafes, cocktail bars, a jazz club, and a great ice cream parlour.

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OLHAO DINING

  • Portuguese Cuisine

  • Seafood

  • Sushi (including several all you can eat)

  • Pizza

  • Tapas

  • Crepes

Olhao is famed for seafood and Portuguese restaurants, and they also have great all you can eat sushi, pizza, tapas and coffee shops.  Just walk along Ave de 5 Outubro in view of the sea and enjoy the choice and setting.

OLHAO BARS

  • Waterfront Bars

  • Cocktail Bars

  • Tapas Bars

  • Wine Cellars

  • Jazz Bars

  • Beer bars

Olhao has a lively waterfront scene, with plenty of bars for you to enjoy. The main street has many new bars popping up, plus old favourites.  Many are furnished to a very high standard, with great atmosphere.  

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Armona Island

FERRY TIMETABLE

Armona Island is served by a ferry from Olhao city, which has some great restaurants and bars, as well as shops and markets. The ferry runs more often in the summer, but it does run year round.

1st January to 31st May

1st of June to 20th September

21st September to 31st December

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