Visiting Salinas do Grelha: Floating in Portugal’s Dead Sea

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I found Salinas do Grelha by chance during a three-week stay in the Algarve and it ended up being one of my favorite surprises. Near Olhão, this traditional salt flat isn’t just about learning how salt is made. You can also float in a saltwater pool, just like in the Dead Sea.

I probably won’t ever make it to the real Dead Sea, so getting that weightless floating feeling in Portugal was surreal. The moment my feet lifted off the ground and bobbed to the surface? Totally unexpected and super cool.

If you’re wondering whether Salinas do Grelha is worth a stop, this post will help you decide. I’ll walk you through what to expect, how to get there, and whether it’s the right kind of experience for your trip.

Table of Contents

What are the Salinas Do Grelha

Salinas do Grelha are traditional salt pans just outside Olhão in the Algarve, showcasing centuries-old salt-harvesting methods. From May to September, you can even see the salt being produced using age-old techniques.

You can take a guided tour to learn about the process, but let’s be honest, most people (myself included) come for the chance to float in their own version of the Dead Sea.

The salt lake here has such a high salinity that you’ll float effortlessly, just like in the real Dead Sea.

Tina floating in a salt lake at Salinas do Grelha near Olhão — It was so cool to just float around!

Things to Know Before You Visit

Reservations are required: Book your visit in advance via phone or WhatsApp. The number is listed on the official Salinas do Grelha website.
(I booked the day before through WhatsApp, super easy and quick.)
Avoid shaving or having open cuts: The high salt content will sting, even in tiny wounds.
The water is a bit chilly: We visited in September and it was chillier than I hoped. It made floating a bit less relaxing, but it’s still a refreshing way to cool off on a hot Algarve day.
Not ideal for young kids: The saltwater can easily get in their eyes and cause pain.
(The website says under 6-12 isn’t recommended)
Atmosphere can shift quickly: It was peaceful during our visit… until a family with a young child arrived who kept splashing about the water, that was our cue to leave.

A wooden hut with a sign saying MAR MORTO — The “reception area” of the Dead Sea

What to Bring for Your Visit

Pack these essentials in your day trip bag to make the most of your trip to Salinas do Grelha:

Reusable water bottle: Stay hydrated, especially on sunny days.
Old, dark bathing suit: The optional mud can stain fabric, and salt can be tough to wash out. Leave your favorite swimwear at home.
Towel: You’ll want to dry off right after floating.
Flip-flops or water shoes: The ground can be hot or rough around the salt pans.

A picture of changing rooms and a stack of sun lounges at Salinas do Grelha — There are changing rooms available

How to Get There

The easiest way to reach Salinas do Grelha is by Uber. It’s only an 8-minute drive from Olhão and just costs a few euros. There’s a small parking lot right at the entrance, so your driver can drop you off directly at the site.

You could walk from Olhão center, but it takes about 45 minutes and isn’t a scenic or shaded route. I don’t recommend it, especially in the heat.

Our Experience: Our Uber driver asked if we were really getting out there, it looked like the middle of nowhere. But we spotted the salt lake sign and walked the last few hundred meters, passing the towering salt hills for a memorable arrival.

A small way sign next to a dirt road — We got out of our Uber just next to this sign

Visiting Salinas Do Grelha

Guided Tour

A big pile of salt next to some bushes — Can you believe that’s all salt?!

On a one hour guided tour through the salt pans you can learn everything about the salt production and the harvesting process.

The tours are available in Portuguese, English, French or Czech. The minimum number of participants in a tour is just 2 people.

In the right season, you might be able to see some seabirds around the salt pans as well.

Bathing in the “Dead Sea”

The main reason I visited Salinas do Grelha was to float in their Dead Sea, a salt lake with the same high salinity as the real one in Israel. That intense salt level makes floating effortless.

You’ll get a neck cushion to keep your head above water, not necessary to float, but great for keeping salt out of your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Wading in felt normal at first, but the moment I lifted my feet, they shot to the surface, I even struggled to get my feet back down. It was wild!

The experience is absolutely worth it. The only downside? The water was colder than I expected. 26°C sounds warm, but when you’re just floating still, it feels chillier than you’d think.

Mud Treatment

Tina in a bikini covered with mud everywhere — The mud is supposed to make your skin super soft

For a few extra euros, you can try the salt mud treatment, it’s said to have healing properties and leave your skin super soft.

If you go for it, wear an old, dark bathing suit. The mud can stain lighter fabrics, though mine came clean in the wash.

You simply cover yourself in mud, let it dry in the sun, then float again in the salt lake. When I rinsed off in the lake, I was left with salt crystals stuck to my skin, not exactly soft at first! But after a fresh water rinse, they came off, and my skin really did feel amazing.

Amenities

A few sun lounges with straw umbrellas — You can rent a sun lounge

Salinas Do Grelha offer a range of amenities to make your visit as comfortable as possible:

Toilets
Changing rooms
Fresh water showers
Benches
Sun lounges for hire
Drinks for sale
Different salt products for sale, which make for great Portuguese souvenirs

The reception area of the Salinas do Grelha

Are the Salinas Do Grelha Worth It?

Absolutely, floating in the salt lake was such a surreal and fun experience. If you’ve ever wondered what the Dead Sea feels like, but don’t plan on heading to the Middle East anytime soon, this is the next best thing.

It’s a unique, offbeat activity that’s easy to reach from Olhão and makes for a great half-day adventure.

After your float, stick around to explore more of the area, I recommend taking a boat tour from Olhão to see the stunning Ria Formosa Natural Park, one of Portugal’s “Seven Natural Wonders.”

Tina Riegelnegg

Tina Riegelnegg is the founder of Veganderlust. She's a vegan with wanderlust, who shares tips and stories from her travels to 31 countries as a vegan minimalist. After 2.5 years of full-time travel with just a personal item-sized bag, she’s now based in Vienna, helping fellow travelers explore the world with ease and compassion.