24 HOURS IN THE RIA FORMOSA

TWENTY FOUR HOURS IN THE HEART OF THE RIA FORMOSA

We share our unforgettable experience of staying in Casas da Ria’s house boat, a vessel that sits in the center of the Algarve’s stunning Ria Formosa.

Casas da Ria is a catamaran in the heart of the Ria Formosa with a sleeping capacity for four people with approximately 30 square meters of space. It has a bedroom, fully equipped bathroom, kitchen and living space that can be converted to another bedroom, outside seating area and a roof terrace where you can soak in the sun whilst enjoying amazing 360 degree views of the natural park that surrounds you. Its a family business with its surroundings in mind, the vessel is completely eco-friendly and self sufficient everything is powered by solar panels including its electric motors and with a septic tank for anaerobic biological treatment of black waters which is very important to conserve the environment.

Their mission is to provide a unique experience to their clients in a floating accommodation that sits in perfect harmony with nature.

The Ria Formosa is a labyrinth of canals, islands, marshland and sandy beaches that extend 60 km along the Algarve coast between the beaches of Garrão and Manta Rota. A paradise for birdwatchers, Ria Formosa is considered an important bird area (IBA) and is part of the Natura 2000 Network. This is one of the most important areas for aquatic birds in Portugal, hosting on a regular basis more than 20,000 birds during the wintering period. The area is also very important as a stop-over point in the migration routes between Europe and Africa and it provides shelter for rare species in Portugal such as the Purple Swamphen, and for other emblematic species like the colourful flamingos. You can also find other endangered species such as the chameleon - a reptile that only exists in the south of Portugal and also seahorses. The Ria formosa has one of the largest populations of seahorses in the world.

There is a long list of activities available to you on and around the vessel, Casa Da Ria has a dingy with an electric motor to take you to the islands that surround you so you can enjoy the exclusive beaches the Ria Formosa has to

offer you. Inside the seating area in the living space you will find snorkelling equipment so you can see the incredible amount of marine life that swims around you. They also have stand up paddle boards available to rent and there are many private tours available where you can explore the local fishing villages and Bird watch, Dolphin watch and more.

The experience of staying there is amazing and gives you a feeling of being in the middle of nature that you rarely experience anywhere else. In an age where we spend more and more time connected to wifi, even when “on holiday” or taking some time from work it is hard to get away from the online world but when you’re in the middle of a natural park with nothing to do but enjoy the nature around you it gives you time to clear your mind and really relax. And

when the beach-goers go home and the sun starts to set, you are alone in one of the most beautiful places in the world with nothing but the sound of fish flapping around the boat and the occasional plane coming in to land at Faro airport. It’s for sure a bucket list experience and we can not recommend it enough. We would like to thank the team at Casas da Ria for an experience we will never forget and we share with you in the hope that you go and experience it too. Now is a better time than ever as you couldn’t be in a safer place and we are lucky to have great weather all year round, also, if you mention Simply Algarve when booking you will get a free welcome drink included in your stay!

Contact them at (+351) 913 971 522 or (+351) 934 769 706 or email info@casasdaria.com