Cape of St. Mary

Cape Santa Maria projects from the sandy barrier islands of the Ria Formosa on the Algarve coast. The chain of islands and spits separates a shallow lagoon from the Atlantic, with channels through which tides enter and leave. Near the cape the barrier lies several kilometers from the mainland, sheltering the waterways behind it. Sand, tides and storms have continually shaped this low coastline, in marked contrast to the cliffs farther west toward Cape São Vicente.