Odeleite
Parish on the water reservoir of the Ribeira de Odeleite near the Rio Guadiana
- District: Faro > Municipality: Castro Marim > Parish: Odeleite
- Population: 782
- Distances: Faro Airport 57 km, Lisbon Airport 334 km
- Tourist Info: Castro Marim Tourist Info
Odeleite is a parish (freguesia) in the municipality (concelho) of Castro Marim. The hamlet is situated in the interior of the eastern Algarve (Sotavento) on the stream known as Ribeira de Odeleite.
The Ribeira de Odeleite is dammed near Odeleite by the Barragem de Odeleite. This reservoir is linked by a tunnel to the nearby Barragem de Beliche, ensuring the water supply for the entire eastern Algarve. A few kilometres to the east the Ribeira de Odeleite flows into the Rio Guadiana at a place called Foz de Odeleite.
The surroundings of Odeleite were being used for agricultural purposes by the Arabs from the 8th Century. The name goes back to an Arabian name for the stream meaning Rio de Leite (i.e. stream of milk).
