Ilha Deserta (Barreta Island)

Ilha Deserta, also known as Barreta Island, is a narrow 7km sandbar within the Ria Formosa lagoon system and marks the southernmost point of mainland Portugal, reachable only by a short ferry crossing from the Faro waterfront. As its name suggests, the island is almost entirely uninhabited, with just one restaurant near the ferry landing and otherwise open dunes, beach grass and an uninterrupted stretch of Atlantic-facing sand running the length of the island. Because there is no permanent population or development beyond the restaurant, Ilha Deserta offers a degree of solitude difficult to find on the mainland Algarve coast, even during the busiest summer weeks, since visitor numbers are naturally capped by the ferry schedule. A typical visit involves taking the morning ferry from Faro, walking a stretch of the island's length along the beach or the boardwalk, and returning for lunch at the island restaurant before catching a later ferry back, an outing that fills roughly half a day. The island's flat, open landscape offers no natural shade, so a visit in summer requires sun protection and enough water for the walk, and the lack of shelter also means conditions can be windy given the island's fully exposed position between the lagoon and the open ocean. Ferries run less frequently outside the summer season, so checking the timetable before setting out is advisable, particularly for visitors planning to catch a specific return crossing.