Ria Formosa
A lagoon system in the Algarve made of barrier islands and sandbanks. It connects to the sea through six inlets, five of them natural and shifting, and it is a protected natural park next to Faro.
- Where
- Faro, Portugal
- Grade
- Heritage site
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 3 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 36.9833, -7.9167
Get the Ria Formosa stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Ria Formosa. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Faro volume with your photos and a note.
Near Ria Formosa
Praia da Marinha 46 km
A small beach on the Algarve coast, framed by golden limestone cliffs and sea stacks. It is regularly named among the most beautiful beaches in Europe. Steps lead down from the clifftop, and a viewpoint above gives a wide look over the water.
Silves Castle 52 km
A castle above the town of Silves in the Algarve, with first fortifications possibly raised on an earlier Lusitanian hillfort by the Romans or Visigoths. Between the 8th and 13th centuries the Moors rebuilt it, and its red sandstone walls still stand.
Praia da Rocha 57 km
A long Atlantic beach in the south of Portimao, in the Algarve. On its eastern edge stands the Fort of Santa Catarina, a 17th century fortress built to defend the mouth of the Arade river.
Ponta da Piedade 68 km
A headland on the coast of Lagos in the Algarve, made of yellow golden rock formations and cliffs up to 20 metres high. The stacks and sea caves are among the most famous sights of the region and can be viewed from the cliff top or by boat.
Sagres Fortress 92 km
A military fortress on the cliffs near Sagres in the western Algarve, built in the 15th century by order of Prince Henry. It stands on a windswept headland close to Cape St Vincent, at the southwest corner of Europe.
Cape St. Vincent 96 km
A headland on the southwest tip of mainland Portugal and Europe, with a lighthouse on cliffs about 75 metres high. Ancient sailors believed it marked the end of the known world. It is a popular place to watch the sun set over the Atlantic, near the town of Sagres.
Doñana National Park 131 km
A vast reserve of marshes, dunes and pine woods at the mouth of the Guadalquivir. It shelters the Iberian lynx and the Spanish imperial eagle, and it is a winter home for huge numbers of migratory birds.
Alqueva Dam 140 km
A large arch dam on the Guadiana river in the Alentejo, completed in 2002. It created Alqueva Lake, one of the biggest artificial lakes in Western Europe, and the area is a certified dark sky reserve.
Questions
Where is Ria Formosa?
Ria Formosa is in Faro, Portugal. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Praia da Marinha (46 km), Silves Castle (52 km), Praia da Rocha (57 km).
How do I get the Ria Formosa stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Ria Formosa and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Faro volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Ria Formosa before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Faro volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 40 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.