Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo António Nature Reserve
Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo António Nature Reserve, Nature reserve at Guadiana River estuary in Algarve, Portugal.
Description
The Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo António is a nature reserve at the Guadiana River estuary near the Atlantic coast in southern Portugal. It features salt marshes, mudflats, and sand dunes spread across an extensive area of coastal wetland.
History
The area was officially designated as a protected reserve in 1975, becoming the third such protected site in Portugal for coastal wetlands. This designation marked a turning point in safeguarding this important habitat.
Culture
Traditional salt harvesting continues in the marshes here, with workers using methods passed down through generations to collect sea salt. This local practice shapes how the landscape is used and maintained today.
Practical
The reserve is open around the clock for wildlife watching and exploration. Early mornings and sunset hours are ideal times to visit, as animals are most active during these quieter periods.
Did you know?
The reserve acts as a nursery ground where young fish, crustaceans, and shellfish find shelter and food before moving to deeper waters. This breeding habitat plays a quiet but vital role in maintaining marine populations across a wider region.
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Castle of Castro Marim
537 m
Praia de Monte Gordo
4.2 km
Castle of Ayamonte
3.4 km
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Angustias
2.9 km
Vila Real de Santo António Lighthouse
3.8 km
Iglesia de Nuestro Señor y Salvador
3.5 km
Saint Sebastian Fortress
350 m
El Pintado tide mill
4.6 km
Capilla de Nuestra Señora del Carmen (Ayamonte)
3.8 km
Palacio del Marqués de Ayamonte
3.1 km
Capilla del Socorro (Ayamonte)
3.5 km
Playa de Santo António
4.9 km
Baluarte de las Angustias
2.9 km
Antiguo Convento de la Merced
3.1 km
Núcleo histórico pombalino de Vila Real de Santo António
3.2 km
Monumento a la Virgen de las Angustias
3.4 km
Casa consistorial de Ayamonte
2.9 km
Sports Complex of Vila Real de Santo António
3.5 km
Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora dos Mártires
438 m
Forno romano de Olhos de São Bartolomeu
4 km
Ermida de Santo António
376 m
Igreja de Santiago
545 m
Câmara Municipal de Castro Marim
405 m
Mercado 1.º de Maio
3.1 km
Câmara Municipal de Vila Real de Santo António
3.2 km
Paisaje pesquero de Isla Cristina
4.6 km
Jardim da Avenida da República
3.6 km
Capela de São Sebastião
520 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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