Faro-Feast of Ria Formosa
The Feast of Ria Formosa is a delight for the seafood lovers. This yearly festival is bound to capture the hearts of all the foodies no matter which region of the world they belong to. The festival is aimed at celebrating the bountiful harvest of all type of seafood including fish. It is organized in the month of August and held at Jardim dos Pescadores for a period of six days.
The region of Ria Formosa is well known for its bounty of different species of fish, crustaceans and mollusks, with Olhao being the largest fishing port in the area. Though the event was a simple tradition in the past, it has now gained international importance with people coming from all over the world to enjoy the sumptuous meals prepared by some of the most celebrated chefs of Portugal.
Located towards the eastern coast of Faro, Ria Formosa is basically a fishing community, where people make their living either through fishing or caring for oyster and clam nurseries. The area is truly gifted by nature and provides livelihood as well as nourishment to the people residing in the surrounding areas. Most of the fish is caught from the Ria Formosa estuary. Clams are one of the most sought after seafood of the area and are always on the menu in the local restaurants.
The prepared seafood are all innovatively decorated with salad and other garnishing to show both talent and make the whole display attractive to visitorssome are even prepared right in front of your eyes, making your mouth water. They are all displayed in different types of plates and dishes, ranging from ceramics to earthen pots. There is a wide variety to choose from, available at some competitive rates.
Those wanting to attend the festival must purchase tickets that cost 8 to10 Euros, however the entry for children under the age of six years is free of cost. The ticket charges for children between the ages of 7 to 12 years are 3 to 5 Euros. The tickets can be purchased from the Festival box office placed at the entrance of the festival. The prices for the tickets are different during every festival, so you will find out the actual cost when you reach the venue.
There are several flights to Faro, which is well connected with all the major cities of Europe. Ria Formosa can be easily reached via Faro, in case you are planning to be there for the festival.
