“Simple and perfect.” One of the best ways to savour the Ria Formosa is to round up family or friends and spend a few unforgettable days aboard a houseboat. You can wake up right in the lagoon, watch the sun go down while you gently bob on the water, show the children how to fish at an unhurried pace, while away hours collecting wedge clams with the family, or finally pick up those couple conversations that daily life keeps postponing.
Barcos Casa Fuseta houseboats on the Ria Formosa
Those are some of the moments guests describe after staying on the Barcos Casa Fuseta (tel. 962156922), where the usual logistics of life are put on hold. “People go there to rest and switch off, but they forget that life today moves so fast that there’s always something to do. Only when they arrive do they realise that time passes differently. It’s never easy to describe this experience-you have to live it,” says Ricardo Badalo, the driving force behind the project and owner of Passeios na Ria Formosa.
Moored off the Barra Velha area, the five adapted boats are eco-friendly stays powered by solar panels. This year, they are available until 11 October (from €150). Check-in always takes place at the Fuseta marina, and guests are then taken out to the floating homes-although both arrival and departure are dictated by the tide.
Practical details: tides, check-in and rates
Because access depends on tidal conditions, timings for getting to and from the houseboats can vary. The meeting point remains the same-Fuseta marina-and transfers are provided from there. Rates start at €150, with availability running up to 11 October.
What to expect on board
Styled with a minimalist look, each houseboat comes with a sun deck, a kitchenette and a small semi-rigid rowing tender for quick trips to the deserted beaches around 100 metres away. If you prefer to stay put, meals can also be ordered as takeaway. As Ricardo Badalo puts it, “the customer spends their holiday here in peace, without having to travel around or worry about other things”.
Exploring the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa
Passeios Ria Formosa also runs a range of wildlife-spotting trips in the lagoon and out at sea, with the chance of seeing dolphins. The Parque Natural da Ria Formosa is worth remembering as a maze of channels, islands, salt marshes and sandbanks stretching for 60 km, from Ancão to Manta Rota, with striking views from towns such as Faro, Olhão and Tavira.
Houseboats on the Ria de Aveiro with OstrAveiro
Salt, oysters and nights gently rocked on the Ria de Aveiro
So close to the city centre and yet a world away… In Aveiro, a speedboat can take you to Marinha Passagem, a former salt pan that has been restored and redeveloped, where you can spend the night on houseboats right on the Ria de Aveiro. There are four boats (two T1 and two T1 + 2), each with a bedroom, a fully equipped kitchen, a bathroom, a lounge with a sofa, and a rooftop terrace with sun loungers.
Creating the chance to unwind on the lagoon with “total peace”, away from urban development and close to nature, was the aim of OstrAveiro (Tel. 913453876).
For Christine Francisco, the company’s director, what makes the spot special “is the water, the birds, the wonderful sunset, looking out into the distance and being in the middle of nowhere-while still being in a picturesque place within a city”. The rate (from €145) includes a bottle of sparkling wine, water, coffee, tea and breakfast.
Beyond the accommodation, the OstrAveiro project also includes a restaurant serving oysters, clams, cockles and razor clams from its own production. Guests can tour the operation, which features a nursery holding two million baby oysters and ten hectares of giant oysters aged seven, ten and 15 years. There are also options for boat trips, kayaking and swimming in a natural pool. Ask about Ninho de Sal, a one-of-a-kind stay…
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