Olhão and Armona Island with Kids: A Ferry Trip to One of the Algarve's Best Beaches

Visiting Armona Island was one of the highlights of our entire week in the Algarve, and I say that having also spent a day at Ponta da Piedade and Praia do Canavial. It's a small, low-key island in the Ria Formosa nature reserve, reachable by a 15 minute ferry from the fishing town of Olhão, and the beach on the far side is one of the most beautiful stretches of sand I've seen in Portugal. Kilometres of fine white sand, shallow warm water, and no development. Our 2.5 year old was in the sea within about 90 seconds of arriving. My only regret is that we didn't have more time here.

The day combines two very different things that work well together: Olhão itself, which is an interesting fishing town that deserves a couple of hours of your time before you get on the ferry, and then the island, which is about as far from a typical tourist beach as you can get while still being 15 minutes from the mainland.

Getting to Olhão

Olhão is in the eastern Algarve, about 8km east of Faro, which makes it one of the easier day trips to reach if you're flying in and out of Faro airport. If you're based further west around Albufeira or Carvoeiro, allow about 45 minutes to an hour by car.

There is a train from Faro to Olhão (about 10 minutes) if you'd rather not drive, but having a car gives you more flexibility for the drive back and for combining Olhão with other eastern Algarve stops. Parking is available along the seafront near the ferry terminal, which is easy to find.

The ferry terminal itself is located between the market hall and the old harbour, both of which you will walk right past on your way there, so the timing works out nicely for exploring the town first.

When to go: We went in April and it was one of the best decisions of the trip. The beach was warm enough for paddling, the ferry wasn't crowded, and the whole day felt relaxed. In July and August Armona gets very popular and ferries fill up so you'll need to arrive early at the terminal, especially at peak departure times. Shoulder season (April, May, September, October) is ideal.

Olhão: What to Do Before You Catch the Ferry

I would allocate at least a couple of hours to Olhão before boarding the ferry. It would be easy to treat the town as just a transfer point, and that would be a shame because it's a cute little town in the Algarve.

The Town

Olhão has a completely different character from the tourist towns further west. It's a working fishing town with narrow cobbled streets, a busy working harbour, and a general sense that this place existed and functioned before you arrived and will continue to do so after you leave. The architecture has a North African quality to it that you don't see elsewhere in the Algarve, a legacy of the town's trading history across the sea.

One small detail that I loved: the shops along the streets have their own small boats outside, each one uniquely painted and filled with flowers and plants. Our daughter immediately wanted to know whose boats they were and whether she could get in one (she could not).

The Market Hall

The market hall is right on the waterfront and is worth going inside even if you're not buying anything. There are two buildings: one for fish, one for fruit and vegetables. Both are lively, colourful, and smell exactly as you'd expect. If you're planning a picnic on the island, this is a good place to pick up supplies. The fish here is fresh off the boats and can also be cooked up right in front of you.

The Waterfront Playground

There is a good playground on the waterfront, close to the market and the ferry terminal. If your child needs to burn off some energy before the ferry ride (or before the walk across the island), this is the perfect place to let that happen in a contained way. We used it on the way back from the island, which also worked well.

Eating in Olhão

Olhão has some excellent seafood restaurants, and the prices are significantly better than in the more tourist-heavy towns. If you're planning to eat a proper lunch in town rather than on the island, anywhere near the waterfront will offer fresh grilled fish, cataplana, and whatever was landed that morning. It's the east Algarve equivalent of what you'd eat in Lagos but without the tourist premium.

The Ferry to Armona Island

The ferry terminal is located between the market and the old harbour and there are signs from the town centre and it's hard to miss. Tickets are purchased at the ticket office at the entrance to the terminal, which opens around 15-30 minutes before each departure. Payment is cash only, so make sure you have euros on you before you arrive. There is no online booking and no card payments.

The return fare is €4.20 per adult and €2.00 for children aged 4-10. Children under 4 travel free. It is remarkably good value for what it gets you.

A note on ferry frequency: this is the most important practical detail of the whole day, and the one most worth planning around. The Armona ferry does not run continuously and departures vary significantly by season:

In April and May, ferries leave Olhão at 08:30, 10:00, 12:00, 15:00, 17:00 and 19:00. That's roughly every two hours, which means if you miss one, you're waiting a while. In June and September, there are more crossings and the gaps are shorter. In July and August, ferries run much more frequently. In winter (October to March), there are only four crossings a day.

I would strongly recommend looking up the timetable before you go and planning your day around the departure times. We had to adjust our plans once because of the ferry timing and it was entirely avoidable. The website amoteolhao.com has the current full timetable by season, or you can download their NextFerry app to check from your phone.

The crossing takes about 15-20 minutes. Pushchairs are allowed on board, and the ferries have toilets on board, which is useful to know.

Armona Island

Getting from the Dock to the Beach

When you step off the ferry at Armona, you're in a small village clustered around the dock. There are a couple of cafés and restaurants here, where you can eat or get a drink when you're waiting for the return ferry.

From the dock, there's a path that takes you across the island to the beach on the other side. It's not a long walk (around 10-15 minutes) but the path was partly sand when we visited in April. We started pushing the pram along it, got about halfway, decided this was more work than it was worth, left the pram off to the side with a note on it, and carried on on foot with our daughter. They were actually paving the path while we were there (April 2025), so the sandy sections should be complete by now but I would still recommend bringing a carrier rather than relying on the pram for this stretch, because the paving turns to boardwalk and then sand which makes a pram essentially useless once you're on the beach.

The Beach

The beach that faces out to sea on the far side of Armona has beautiful fine white sand and crystal clear water. In April, the water was noticeably warmer and calmer than the Atlantic coast beaches we'd visited further west, which I hadn't expected. Our daughter could splash around in the shallows completely safely and spent a good two hours doing exactly that.

It's a small island and there isn't a great deal in the way of amenities at the beach itself, but there is a beach restaurant if you want to eat there, and it's perfectly set up for a simple lunch, a long afternoon, and a swim. Pack sunscreen, water, and snacks regardless.

My one genuine regret about this day: we had to leave before sunset to catch the ferry back, because I'm sure the view of sunset from Armona over the Ria Formosa would have been magical. If you can time your day so that you're on the last ferry back, it would be worth it. Just check the return timetable carefully before you go so you know exactly when the last boat leaves.

Practical Tips for Visiting Armona with Young Children

Check the ferry timetable before you go, download it to your phone, and plan your day around the crossings. Missing a ferry on Armona means waiting the better part of two hours in some seasons, which is fine if you're prepared for it and less fine if you're not.

A carrier is more useful than a pram for this day. The path across the island may be improved since we visited, but the beach itself makes a pram impractical once you're there. We found a lightweight carrier was exactly what we needed.

Pack snacks and water. There are cafés on the island but the selection is limited in shoulder season and you don't want to be rationing snacks with a hungry toddler waiting for the ferry.

The beach has no shade. A sun tent or UV pop-up shelter is a worthwhile thing to pack if you're going in summer, especially with very young children.

Where to Stay in the Eastern Algarve

If you want to make more of this area and explore Olhão and Armona alongside Tavira and the east coast, here are three places I would look at across different price points.

Budget: Olhão Natura Guest House

Olhão Natura Guest House is a cosy guesthouse right in Olhão town, walking distance from the market and the ferry terminal. Reviews from families mention the warm welcome, the good breakfasts, and the helpfulness of the hosts in planning days out. It's simple and affordable, and the location means you could walk to the ferry in the morning without needing the car at all. A very easy base for this day trip in particular.

Mid-Range: Hotel Alcazar, Monte Gordo

If you're exploring the eastern Algarve more broadly, Hotel Alcazar in Monte Gordo is about 40 minutes east of Olhão and consistently comes up in family reviews as one of the best mid-range options in the region. Large outdoor pool, beach access, family rooms, and good breakfast. Reviews from families with young children are particularly positive about the pool area and the amount of space. Olhão is an easy day trip from here.

Splurge: Pousada Palácio de Estói

For something genuinely special, Pousada Palácio de Estói is a converted 18th-century palace set in formal gardens about 15 minutes north of Olhão and Faro. It's a historic pousada (state-run heritage hotel) with beautiful tile work, a pool in the palace gardens, and a formal restaurant. Family rooms are available and reviews mention the staff are excellent with children. It's not a beach resort and it doesn't try to be, instead it's a beautiful, calm base for exploring the eastern Algarve at a slightly more leisurely pace. From here you're 15 minutes from Olhão, 20 minutes from Tavira, and 10 minutes from Faro airport.

Final Thoughts

Olhão and Armona Island is the day trip from the Algarve that I recommend most readily to people who want something that feels genuinely different from the western coast. The town has real character, the island beach is exceptional, and the whole thing costs almost nothing once you're there. For families with young children, the shallow warm water and the easy ferry crossing make it one of the most manageable days on offer. We left feeling like we hadn't had quite enough time here, which is usually the right feeling to leave with.

For more ideas on what to do in the region, take a look at our guide to Top Places to Visit in the Algarve with a Toddler and our Best Beaches in the Algarve with a Toddler. If you're deciding where to base yourself in this part of the Algarve, our accommodation guide covers Tavira alongside the main western towns.