Praia da Barreta (Ilha Deserta)

The island is reachable only by boat. Animaris runs ferries from the Cais das Portas do Mar pier in Faro old town; the trip crosses the Ria Formosa lagoon; check current timetables and fares, as returns run at set times. Stay dressed on the boat. From the landing, follow the boardwalk across the dunes to the beach and walk west along the sand beyond its end to reach the naturist zone. Paid parking is available in Faro near the marina. The boardwalk helps, but the sand walk makes the naturist area hard for wheelchair users.

Visitors rave about the empty sand, clear water and sense of remoteness once past the boardwalk, and say the boat trip through the Ria Formosa is part of the experience. The main complaints are the boat cost and fixed return times, and the walk to the naturist end. Several note that despite the official status only a handful of naturists use it, and that clothed walkers pass along the shoreline. Bring shade and water, since services are only near the landing.

Summarised in our own words from public reviews and guides listed under Sources.

In Portugal nudity is lawful on officially designated naturist beaches under Law 53/2010; elsewhere it can be treated as an offence. Praia da Barreta was designated by the Faro municipal assembly on 28 February 2011 and is listed as official by the Federação Portuguesa de Naturismo. Nudity is confined to the naturist zone at the western end; stay dressed on the boat and near the landing.

Naturism at Praia da Barreta (Ilha Deserta) sits under Portugal's rules for officially designated nude beaches — explicit protection inside the marked area.

Full country law: Portugal public nudity guide.

Naturist status confirmed against an official source on 24 October 2026.