What to see in Olhão ?

Olhão is a fishing town on the Algarve that has managed to stay clear of mass tourism. Its Cubist architecture, with North African influences, is best appreciated from the church terraces and speaks to the town's long-standing ties with seafarers and merchants. The Mercado de Olhão, a double brick hall on the waterfront, remains a working market where locals buy their fish in the morning—not a folksy backdrop.

April to June is the sweet spot, before the heat and summer crowds arrive. Two days are enough to explore the town and take the ferry out to the barrier islands of Culatra and Armona. Skip staying in Faro and making Olhão a day trip: the town deserves an overnight stay, as its atmosphere transforms entirely once the day-trippers have left.