{"id":59377,"date":"2026-10-14T15:49:02","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T15:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/realdreams.pt\/?post_type=to-visit&p=59377"},"modified":"2026-10-14T15:49:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T15:49:02","slug":"deserta","status":"publish","type":"to-visit","link":"https:\/\/realdreams.pt\/zh\/attractions-to-visit\/regions-of-portugal\/algarve-region\/deserta\/","title":{"rendered":"Ilha Deserta"},"content":{"rendered":"

Deserta Island \u2014 the Deserted Island \u2014 is the only barrier island of the Ria Formosa with no village on it: seven kilometres of white sand, dunes crossed by wooden boardwalks, a solar-powered restaurant and nothing else but the birds. It is reached by ferry from Faro in twenty minutes, and the moment the boat turns into the lagoon channels you are already somewhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The island that stayed empty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Officially the Ilha da Barreta, Deserta lies at the mouth of the Ria Formosa between Faro<\/a> \u4e0e natural park<\/a> channels, with the Cabo de Santa Maria \u2014 the southernmost point of mainland Portugal \u2014 at its western tip. Almost half of the island is covered by grey dunes, a priority habitat of the Natura 2000 network, and the boardwalk path across them is shared with rare plants, chameleons, seahorses in the seagrass meadows, and flocks of waders and terns. At the landing pier, the Estamin\u00e9 restaurant runs on its own solar panels and desalinated water; beyond it there is only the beach, the shells, and the cold Atlantic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to see<\/h2>\n\n\n\n