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Next to Pequena lagoon, this Center opened in 2012, in a partnership between ICNF, I.P., the municipality of Setúbal and SPEA. It has a fenced zone with about 1.3 km², with 4 observatories and 2 birdwatching routes, to see birds such as the Purple Swamphen, Common Coot, Common Moorhen, Mallard, Gadwall, Eurasian Tea, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Purple Heron, Eurasian Reed-warbler, Common Kingfisher, Osprey and Western Marsh-harrier. It encompasses the lagoons Pequena and Estacada, which is upstream, is covered by canoe and separated from the Pequena by a dam, with willows and poplars next to it. This wetland, fed by the Apostiça stream, together with the Grande lagoon (downstream) forms the Albufeira lagoon.

The Albufeira lagoon is in a dune system, following the fossil cliff of the Costa de Caparica. The lagoon has an area of more or less 155 ha, with an elongated shape and being constituted by 2 lagoon areas: Grande; and Pequena. Both are connected by a narrow, winding channel called Bico dos Corvos (Crow's Beak).

This territory is, in the context of the Albufeira lagoon, considered as the most relevant and ecologically sensitive single space. This area is one of the 5 most important in its European region for a significant number of species listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive, giving it a special relevance in the European wetland network.

Albufeira lagoon is classified as a Special Protection Zone and as a Site (Fernão Ferro / Lagoa de Albufeira). Pequena lagoon is also classified as a wetland of international importance included in the Ramsar Convention List.

The Grande (big) lagoon is separated from the sea by a sandy barrier and much of the lagoon's water mirror is free of vegetation. In the spring equinox, in general, the pond is artificially opened a single bar, but in winter, during strong storms, the bar can open naturally. In the zones of the coast there is a dune area. The banks of the lagoon have relatively smooth, steeper in the north.

Upstream of the lagoon is a marshy zone formed by a relatively extensive patch of Common Reed, called the Estacada lagoon. Nowadays this zone is separated from Pequena (small) lagoon by a dam, being essentially fed by the Apostiça stream. Next to the dam there is a patch of willows and some poplars.

Surrounding almost the whole of the lagoon is a vast pine forest, where the Stone Pine (Pinus pinea), the Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster), some eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) and cork oaks (Quercus suber) stand out. Sometimes there is some shrub stratum. The agricultural lands usually appear in the rivers valley, of the streams of Aiana, Ferraria and Apostiça.