Salinas do Grelha sits at Cova da Onça / Belamandil outside Olhão – working organic salt pans (PT-BIO 04) with guided tours, birdwatching on the Ria Formosa edge, mud treatments, and a famous Dead Sea-style float in hyper-salty water. It is Portugal’s first organic-certified salt operation, and the visitor side is booking-led rather than a walk-up boardwalk.
Typical hours run roughly Monday to Saturday, 10:00-19:00 (confirm before you drive). Guided tours and float sessions need advance contact by phone, WhatsApp, or email during opening hours. Languages on site include Portuguese, English, French, Spanish, and Czech.
Who it suits: east-Algarve guests who want lagoon salt culture, a float afternoon, or a calm nature stop between Olhão and Tavira. Skip if you only want sand and Atlantic swell – this is pans and brine, not Praia da Rocha.
Worth it? Yes as a booked half-day from Olhão or Faro. Contacts. Stay planning: where to stay in Olhão.