Introduction
Tavira is a marvellous place!
In summer, I find it too busy for my own tastes, but even just a month or so either side of August, and for the rest of the year, you’ll find a town full of interesting things to do and see.
You can wander around its streets for hours, looking at churches and museums, enjoying the hustle and bustle, strolling along the banks of the Gilao, climbing the castle walls.
But there’s much more to Tavira than just the culture, the architecture and the history.
There are also many things for you to do.
Because of the town’s close proximity to Ilha da Tavira and the Ria Formosa, Tavira provides access to one of the best beaches in Europe, and to some of the finest wetlands. It is also close to some of the best golf courses in Europe, if not the world.
You can walk, you can cycle, you can go on a tour. You can play golf, go horseriding, go shopping. Or if you prefer, you can simply take it easy – catch a ferry to the beach, taste some of the wonderful food available, or just sit at a table with a coffee of a Vinho Verde and watch the world go by.
As I’ve said before, Tavira is a town of opposites.
So you can either do something or do nothing. It really is your choice!
Visit Ilha da Tavira (Tavira Island)
In Tavira, there is no beach as such.
The town is situated on the banks of the Gilao, the river that runs down to the Atlantic via Quatro Aguas and the Ria Formosa.
The nearest beach is on the Ilha da Tavira, which can be reached by ferry (available all year round) or water taxi, from the right bank of the Gilao, or from the jetty at Quatro Aguas. Note that queues in the summer can be rather long, and you aren’t guaranteed to be able to get on to the ferry!
The Ilha da Tavira is one of the barrier islands that constitute the Ria Formosa Natural Park.
It’s a great place for a day out, or indeed, for a longer stay if you enjoy camping, since there’s a campsite on the island: Parque de Campismo da Ilha de Tavira.
The island itself is 7 miles in length, with a beach that stretches all the way along the Atlantic side: pristine sand as far as the eye can see, with sand dunes sitting just behind. The water is clear, clean and cool – perfect on a hot summer’s day.
The part of the beach nearest to Tavira is Praia da Tavira, then comes Praia da Terra Estreita, then Praia do Barril, and lastly Praia do Homem Nu (naked man beach), a rare haven for Naturists on the Algarve – but a long walk from Praia da Tavira.
The length of the beach and the amount of space available means that you won’t have to walk far to find yourself alone, even in the height of summer.
There are all the usual facilities available on the Ilha da Tavira: you’ll find restaurants and cafes and toilet facilities. In summer there are lifeguards on duty too.
If you do just one thing in Tavira, head for the island.
Visit Quatro Aguas
Quatro Aguas, a mile or so south-east of Tavira, is where four bodies of water meet – firstly the Gilao, then the inlet from the Atlantic (between the Ilha da Tavira and the Ilha de Cabanas), and lastly two lagoons that form part of the Ria Formosa, heading east and west.
You can either drive there (there’s ample parking) or walk. On the way, you’ll see saltpans lining the road (with mountains of salt appearing in the autumn) and an amazing variety of birdlife, including Flamingos.
Once at Quatro Aguas, you’ll find restaurants, the jetty, and wonderful views out across the water to the Ilha da Tavira.
It’s a place to relax, a place to unwind, a place to wander.
Grab a table, buy a drink and just sit and watch the boats pass by. Have a wonderful meal. Walk along the jetty and watch the fish swimming beside the jetty wall seeking shade. Catch a ferry across to the island.
But whatever you do, don’t rush. Quatro Aguas is not a place for rushing…
One thing I will say though is that during the off-season, it’s very quiet, and not all the restaurants will be open. You’ll also find the food a little bit on the expensive side compared with elsewhere, but that’s due to its location – which is stunning…
Enjoy a wonderful meal
Up until around the 1950s, the main industry in Tavira was fishing, as well as its associated canning industry. Today at Barril beach on Ilha da Tavira, you’ll find an old Tuna Museum, harking back to those halcyon days.
But the demise of the fishing industry hasn’t impacted the quality of the food on offer in Tavira.
The main industry is now tourism, and Tavira certainly offers plenty of eating options for its tourists.
Grilled fish, Cataplana de Marisco (a delicious seafood dish), Feijoada (bean stew with meat), Caldo Verde (a typical Portuguese broth), ameijoas e porco (clams and pork)… the list goes on and on.
But as well as Portuguese dishes, if you fancy something more International, you’ll find plenty of Indian Restaurants. There are also Italian restaurants, Pizza restaurants, Sushi Restaurants… you name it.
See our section on Best Places to eat in Tavira
Shopping
If you like to go shopping then there are a number of options in Tavira.
The Gran-Plaza Shopping Centre is a good place to start.
If you don’t know where it is, look for the monstrosity of a building that seems to dominate the east side of the City, the one with ‘Continente’ written on the side.
It has a wide variety of stores, offering everything from food to furniture to fashion. It’s here that you’ll go to buy your phone/Internet/TV packages from Vodafone, NOS or MEO. It also offers a range of eateries and a cinema complex.
If you’re staying in an apartment as opposed to a hotel, you’ll want to make the most of the fresh produce available in Tavira.
Head down to the Municipal Mercado (at the west end of the Ponte dos Descobrimentos, the last bridge before the Gilao reaches Quatro Aguas). Here you’ll see the locals buying their fruit and veg, as well as their fish, meat, cheese… Even if you don’t want to buy anything, it’s worth a visit.
Around the town, there are also plenty of gift shops for those who want a souvenir of their time in Tavira.
Many of the gifts are locally handcrafted. For example, you’ll find products made of cork throughout the town: handbags, purses, wallet, caps, shoes…
You can find pretty much anything you want in Tavira, so if you like shopping, have fun!
Take a Tour
When you’re in Tavira, the best way to explore the local area, including the Ria Formosa Natural Park is to take a tour with a local company.
There are lots of tours on offer!
Costa Boat Tours, for example, offer the following:
Dolphin watching
Snorkelling
Walks
Tours of the Ria Formosa
Bird watching
Kayak hire
Tours of the island
4×4 safaris to Pego do Inferno…
To be honest, I can’t recommend Pego do Inferno.
When I visited the place it was very difficult to find, and once we found it we couldn‘t believe the state it was in – rubbish everywhere, dangerous paths, and no water… the promotional photos look lovely, but nothing like the reality when we visited.
However, if you get the chance to go dolphin watching (although there’s no 100% guarantee that you will see any!) jump at it! That was probably the best tour that I’ve done.
I’d also recommend the chance to explore the Ria Formosa with an experienced guide, who can explain about the flora and fauna, in particular, the birdlife. If you’re lucky enough to see flamingos in flight, you won’t forget the sight in a hurry!
Passeios Ria Formosa offers many of the same tours.
Another great way to see the Ria Formosa is by Kayak.
Why not try Uadi Kayak?
If you just want to tour Tavira itself, going by Tuk Tuk isn’t a bad idea! Tuk Tuk Tavira offers the following:
City Tour
Old City Tour
Tour of local villages
Tuna Fish Tour
Wine Tour
Olive Oil Tour
Cork Oak Route Tour
Beer tour
Wine tour
Church tour
… the list seems endless!
Happy Tuk Tours offers a similar experience.
Or maybe you fancy a walking tour? Tavira Walking Tours offer the following:
A City Walk
A Countryside Walk
A Typical Cakes Walk
An Olive and Wine Experience Walk
A Farms and Watermills Walk
A Stone Village and Streams Walk
A Birds and Salt Pans Walk…
Of course, you can always organise your own walk.
An enjoyable day out would be to walk down to Quatro Aguas, take the ferry across to the Ilha da Tavira, walk along the beach to Barril Beach, walk back across the island from Barril (it’s connected to the mainland), walk to Santa Luzia (the Octopus capital of the Algarve!), have lunch, and then wander back up to Tavira.
Or simply stroll around the town, reading the informative plaques that adorn any buildings of interest. The tiled houses and cobbled streets are wonderful.
If you prefer going by bike, Abilio Bikes offers both bike tours and bike hire. Tours include:
Discover the Ria Formosa – Track
Route of the Hills – Mountain Bike
Route of the Dams – Road
Between Forts and Castles – Track;
Route of Sotavento – Mountain Bike;
Between the Mountains and the Sea – Road
Whatever sort of tour you want, someone will be offering it!
Golf
One of the main attractions on the Algarve for many people is golf. The Algarve is known as the best golf destination in the world, and there are a number of courses within a short drive of Tavira. The closest are:
Golfe Clube de Tavira
Benamor Golf
If you travel east, you don’t have to go far to find:
Quinta de Cima and Quinta da Ria
Monte Rei – best in Portugal
Monte Rei, which is near Vila Nova de Cacela, has been voted the best golf course in Portugal for the last three years.
If you like your golf, then you can do much worse than make Tavira your holiday centre.
Horse riding
If horse riding is your thing, then maybe contact Tavira Equestrian Tourism.
They offer horseback rides on the beach in Tavira, in the Ria Formosa, for both children and adults alike. It’s certainly a different way to see the natural beauty of this area.
I’ll be honest. I know nothing about horse riding, but the option is there.
