Salt Production in Portugal

  Vila Real Santo Antonio

The production of salt is something most of us don't even contemplate, not even when we add the condiment to our meals. However ask most Portuguese locals and they will proudly inform you of the salt industry in Portugal.

Salt has been produced in Portugal for centuries due to it's ideal climate and visiting one of the country's salt pans can make for an interesting day out.

There are three key places in Portugal where the production of salt  is still carried out on a commercial basis today - the eastern Algarve, Rio Maior and Aveiro in central Portugal.

The production of salt is carried out in a very traditional fashion and the protected marshes around Castro Marim, Olhão and Faro are ideal locations adjacent to both the Atlantic and fresh waters of rivers. Sea water flows into small, specially created pools through channels where it rests until only salt crystals remain. The salt crystals are scooped up and laid on large drying trays before being scooped into salt mountains ready for sale.

The process of salt production on the vast salt flats of Aveiro in central Portugal is similar with salt workers 'harvesting' the salt in July, August and September, when the sun is at its' strongest.

The only inland salt flat in Portugal is located at Rio Maior in central Portugal. The salt flats of Rio Maior (Salinas de Rio Maior) are fed by deep underground water sources, which are eight times saltier than sea water. The salt crystals are formed as the water evaporates under the heat of the sun. At Rio Maior most salt pans are privately owned and tended to with workers scrapping off the crystals during the summers months, then laid out to dry further.

So if you are visiting Portugal and want to see how sea salt is produced, then why not take a look at the salt pans in either the Algarve or central Portugal.