Introduction
For such a small place, there is so much to SEE in Fuseta.
It’s a small Portuguese fishing village on the Ria Formosa, a busy fishing village with many things for visitors to do, but also many things to see.
There are the beaches, the quayside, fishermen going about their business.
There are the cubist houses typical of the area, with tiled facades, roof terraces and latticed chimneys.
There’s the market, the Main Square, the Igreja (church) and cemetery…
Just take a wander around the back streets.
Look at the architecture, look at the old doors on the houses: tall wooden doors full of character, some with doorknockers shaped like hands.
Ignore the monstrous apartment blocks on the front (I’m not sure how they passed planning!), but enjoy the old town, the quayside, the beach, the island.
Enjoy just wandering around a village that, despite welcoming tourism, has retained its charm and honesty.
So what do I like to see?
The Sunrise
Get up early and head down to the beach.
There will be hardly anyone around, maybe a couple of dog walkers, maybe someone fishing. But what you will definitely see is a fantastic sunrise, starting in the east, rising up from the Ilha da Tavira, creeping up behind the green ‘Starboard’ light at the end of the quay.
Even better, wander west along the Ecovia (the cycle track that runs all the way along the Algarve) a short distance, and watch the sun rise behind the abandoned lifeboat station. It’s a stunning sight…
The Moon and Stars
After dark, head down to the beach again.
There’s a lot of light pollution within the village itself, but once down on the beach and away from the ‘Borda d’Agua’, the stars and/or moon will be readily visible.
There won’t be many people around, so just sit back and stare at the sky – it’s even better with a glass of wine or beer!
Slowly, more and more stars will appear, and the further away from the light you get, the better the view.
I love the peace and quiet you find down there.
The Mercado Municipal
The Mercado Municipal is the local fresh food market. Every day (except Sunday), it’s open from 7:30-14:00.
Here you’ll find fresh fish, fresh meat, fresh fruit and veg.
The fish is fresh and laid out on copious amounts of ice. The butcher will chop up meat to any size you want. The fruit and veg ladies will happily serve you with a smile.
You’ll see the locals angling (no pun intended) for the best fish, shouting to old friends, supporting what I believe to be the heart of the community.
The place is buzzy and full of life.
If you get the chance, go and buy something: fish for the BBQ, meat for the oven, fruit for the beach. Every little bit helps to keep this place thriving.
With hardly any Portuguese (much to my embarrassment, and something I intend to remedy), I manage to get myself understood. So give it a go. It’s a great experience!
The People
Whether it be the fishermen dropping off their catch on the quayside, locals drinking their coffee (usually small, dark and strong), old ladies sitting outside their houses chatting (or simply watching the world go by), I’m always fascinated by the people here.
It’s their village. They live here, and yet they don’t let me feel like an outsider. They’re friendly. They make you feel welcome
It’s always busy, there’s always something happening, there are always people on the move.
Just sit and watch.
The Square
And a good place to sit and watch is on the main square.
It’s not a large square, but it’s the heartbeat (along with the Mercado – only 200m away) of the village.
There are a number of restaurants, a Pastelaria, a bar (O Pescadoro). Each has seating inside and out, with umbrellas and trees for shade.
There are benches for those who want to just sit and watch, rather than buy a drink or food.
There’s a small kiosk that sells ice cream in the summer.
You may see Luis playing his guitar (he’s a fantastic guitarist). You may see other musicians as they do their rounds of local restaurants.
It’s a place for socialising. It’s a place for gathering. It’s a busy place, especially in summer, and it’s well worth whiling away an hour or two in this special place.
The Church
Just up the hill from the square, dominating the town is the Igreja Matriz da Fuseta, Nossa Senhora do Carmo – the main Church.
The Church was built in the year 1835 upon the ruins of a church that had been erected in 1698 and was completely destroyed by the earthquake of 1755.
It’s a beautiful church and well worth seeing, but it can only be visited during Mass.
Next to the church is the local cemetery. Visiting a cemetery sounds a bit morbid, but it’s an amazing place, full of family tombs and colourful flowers, and well worth a visit.
The Many Events put on in Fuseta
For such a small place, Fuseta offers a huge array of public events, most of which are free.
To get an idea of what could be seen over the past 3-4 months:
September
2019 Campeonato Nacional de Kiteboard: The first National Kiteboarding championships held in Fuseta
August
XX1 Festa da Ria: The 21st Ria Festival – music, drink and food over six nights
The 21st Ria Festival – music, drink and food over six nights
Concerto de Verao, Classicos Light, Orquestra Classica Do Sul: The Southern Classical Orchestra playing on the bandstand
Grande Noite de Fados: Fado is a Portuguese musical genre, which follows a specific structure and is normally fairly mournful, recounting tales of poverty, life at sea etc
Sabores da Ria: 5 nights of entertainment provided by the Associacoa Cultural Fusetense
July
Jazz na Ria: Free Jazz night
Rock na Ria: Free Rock night
Festas de Nossa Senhora do Carmo: A week of events to honour Nossa Senhora do Carmo, and allow local fishermen to show their faith and devotion, with families praying for their safe return from the sea. These events include religious ceremonies, a traditional bonfire (burning of a boat) and a procession through the village down to the waterfront, as well as music and celebrations.
June
Arraial Movidance: Dance demonstrations
Festival Pe na Terra: A festival bringing together the various cultures of the Portuguese speaking world
The Ria Formosa Natural Park
Fuseta sits in the stunning Ria Formosa Natural Park, a coastal lagoon protected from the vagaries of the Atlantic Ocean by a series of barrier islands.
Take a boat out of Fuseta, or walk/cycle along the Ecovia Litoral, and you’ll see the huge diversity of flora and fauna (particularly birdlife) available in this part of the world. If you like nature, it’s a great place to come.
You’ll also see seafood farms, people digging for clams (at low tide), fishing boats heading out to sea, dredgers ensuring that the gateways to the ocean remain open, sunbathers, kayakers, paddle boarders, kite surfers…
There is so much to see here, and so much for both tourists and locals alike.
Come and have a look.
A couple of Weird Things you might see
You might see the odd German wandering around looking lost, with a book in their hand.
The German author, Gil Ribeiro, wrote a crime novel called ‘Lost in Fuseta’, about a German policeman (Leander Lost) being transferred to Portugal for a year, finding himself living in Fuseta, and then having to deal with a murder. Very popular apparently.
If you find an English translation, let me know…
But the strangest thing I’ve seen is a group of cross-country skiers gliding through the streets – on wheeled skis, obviously, since the temperature was about 30 degrees. Now that was strange!
