The largest of Faro's barrier islands has three small communities — Culatra village, Hangares and Farol — connected by sandy paths and dune boardwalks. There are no cars; transport is by foot, bike or boat. The fishermen still bring in clams and oysters from the lagoon side, and you can eat them an hour later at any of the simple restaurants on the quay.
Farol, the easternmost settlement, takes its name from the 19th-century lighthouse that still functions and can be climbed by arrangement. Beaches on the ocean side are long, wide, and remarkably empty even in August. Ferries from Faro and Olhão run roughly hourly in season.