Santa Luzia

Between Tavira and Fuseta, on the inner channel of the Ria Formosa, the village of Santa Luzia lives from the octopus: boats bring it in, the town’s restaurants cook it every way the Algarve knows, and the village has claimed the title of Portugal’s octopus capital.

A chapel that became a parish

The place was born in the sixteenth century, when fishermen built a chapel to Saint Lucy by the channel; a curacy followed in the eighteenth century, and the matrix church stands today on the site of that first chapel, rebuilt over the years. The village’s lanes run down to the quay where the octopus pots come ashore, and the salt and marshes of the lagoon surround it on every side.

To the island of Barril

Across the channel lies the Ilha de Tavira, and Santa Luzia is the natural starting point for its western beaches: the old footbridge and miniature train lead to the Praia do Barril, where the anchor cemetery remembers the tuna fishermen of the old fishery, and the sands of Terra Estreita run east from it. The octopus restaurants of the village face the water, and the boats of Tavira‘s marina cruise the same channels. The fishing town of Fuseta lies along the lagoon to the west.

What to see

• The octopus boats and restaurants of the quay
• The matrix church on the site of the first chapel
• The trail and train to the Praia do Barril
• The anchor cemetery of the old tuna fishery
• The sands of Terra Estreita on the island

Practical information

Santa Luzia lies in the Tavira municipality, in the eastern Algarve, on the lagoon road between Tavira and Fuseta. The island beaches are reached by the footbridge or boat: check crossing times, and check the official websites before setting out.

Image credit: Santa Luzia – Portugal by Vitor Oliveira — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.