 Fuzeta or Fuseta
Fuzeta is a medium sized seaside fisher village in the Ria Formosa area. Fishing boats leave from one end of the quay, small pleasure boats and the ferry to the island from the other. It is never dead in winter – mainly local people, but busy for about 2 – 3 months in summer. It has a street market on Thursdays and a flea market on the first Sunday of every month.
Fruits, vegetable and fish market is each day of the week.
It has a small lagoon beach in the town and a very long and lovely ocean beach on the island. It has a campsite by the quay and two train stations. The highlight of the year in Fuseta is the Festival in Honour of our Lady of Carmo in July. It is a religious festival in which a statue of 'Our Lady of Livramento' is taken out on the water in search of 'Our Lady of Carmo', the ceremony acting as a blessing for the town's fishermen for the next year. Many boats participate in the procession, all decorated with flags and flowers, all sounding horns and hooters. The procession leaves the harbour in Fuzeta and goes as far as the barra - the gap between the island via which the fishing boats reach the ocean. There are religious services and general celebrations at night on each of the three days of the festival.
Fuzeta highlights
The Festival in Honour of our Lady of Carmo
A beer on the quay afterwards
The beaches
Fresh fish restaurants
Fish market
Beaches
By foot from the village to the lagoon beach. By Ferry to ocean beach, 5 minutes (beautiful boat trip), though Ria Formosa. Aqua Taxi will also take you to the beach at the tip of the island.
What will you find on the beaches
2 cafés at the lagoon beach and several bars / cafés near to it. One restaurant and WC at the ocean beach. Several bars on the beach with snacks and “Caipirinhas” and fresh beer.
Comments
Our favourite beach – miles of beach with nearly nobody to your left and right hand side.
Some history
Fuzeta is a fishing village born from the sand and sea, dates back to year 1541, and its main activities have been connected to the sea, fishing and related industries. Back in the 15th century fisherman were already departing from this area for cod fishing.
According to existing records, in 1790 this village had 90 fisherman and 6 fishing boats. In 1835 a church, in honour of Our Lady of Carmo was erected, and to this day, she is still the patron of the village and images of these beginning still exist.
The local people say that many years ago, on the 16th of June, a massive storm arose when the fisherman were all out fishing on the high sea. On the land the desperate women folk, made a huge fire in the church square, which was the highest point in the village, in order to guide their mans safe return. From their boats on the high sea the fisherman’s saw the distant light and the image of Nossa Senhora do Carmo which guided them safely to land.
Today, during the festivities of this village which are held annually between the 1st and 17th of June, a huge fire is still lit on the church square.
Located on the outskirt of the Ria Formosa natural park, east of Faro, Fuzeta boasts of some of the best natural conditions for water sports such as fishing, canoeing, windsurfing, sailing, jet-skiing, kait-surfing and diving. The beach and the island of Fuzeta are made up of fine golden sand surrounded by warm sea waters, which provides many holiday makers peace and tranquillity in an area which is still unspoilt.
The architecture of the old properties is the typical Moorish cubic style, roof terraced houses with high, intricately designed chimneys and having magnificent views over the Ria Formosa and the island of Armona. The village is also known as “Branca noiva do mar” the “sea’s white bride” due to the fact that the village was (and still is) located very close to the sea and all houses were painted in white.
This is a very picturesque village, with a quiet environment inhabited mostly by locals thus not yet a very touristy area where it is possible to buy fresh fish from the marketplace, appreciate nature and take long walks by the sea at the end of the afternoon without concerns...
More history and finally the beach...
The “freguesia” of Fuseta, in the council of Olhão, was developing little by little, until being one of most popular in Algarve. The tourists are attracted by it’s natural beauty and for the calm of the sea.
Nobody knows for sure when begun to constitute a population in Fuseta. In the beginning, just some huts existed to keep fishing utensils. Later new huts and a new population appeared.
Land of fishermen, Fuseta still keeps many lines of the art of the fishing, also conserving their houses in a cubic way with the famous “balã” chimneys, characteristics of this area of Algarve.
One of the most popular places of Fuseta is the beach; With calm and limpid waters, the swimmers seek at the island moments of peace and beauty, where good hours of rest can be passed having the sky and the sea as company.
To arrive to the island of Fuseta is not difficult and a beautiful short 5-10 minutes trip; Once being at the dock in Fuseta, the visitors can take a short boat trip to the island, what lasts approximately ten minutes. The beach of Fuseta centers the main activity in the fishing, but also gives attention to the crescent tourist flow in that area.
The tourists can still take advantage to do a boat cruise, to know the salt beds, the ruins watchtowers of Tower of Bias, Cumeada and Alfaxina and still to north of the town you can find the East of water of Olheiros.
The religion is marked by the presence of the Mother church of Fuseta. With good works of sacred art, the church has a churchyard capable to provide beautiful landscapes on Ria Formosa, the sea and the town, through it’s viewpoint.
To delight the best of the cookery of Algarve in Fuseta, the ideal points are the restaurants “A Lota”, Capri, “A Concha”, La Plage, Crispim or Pizzaria Sol, besides other located restaurants in that place.
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