Tavira travel guide

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Tavira is a word for beautiful town and great beaches. It is east of Faro in the south-east corner of Portugal. Tavira is considered to be one of the most photogenic towns of Algarve with shining white-washed houses topped with decorative chimneys and pyramid shaped roman style roofs. This enchanting place is situated on the Gilao river, giving you some of the most splendid views. Tavira has some of the world’s magnificent churches which have amazing architecture and carved high altar. It is very rich in its heritage and is a town with the history that dates back to 2000 BC. The international airport at Faro is just 30 km away from the town. Since the weather is cool most of the time, Tavira is a year around holiday destination.

Fast Facts

1. Castro dos Mouros : - it is a beautiful castle surrounded with pretty garden and is privately owned but can be visited. The castle is purely of the Roman style. It has beautiful sceneries, tall walls and carved gates.

Igreja Santa Maria do Castelo: is a place in Castro dos Mouros only which has a beautifully carved tomb of gothic architecture.

2. Igreja da Misericórdia : - In spite of the rebuilding done after the 1755 earthquake the church is one of the best examples of Renaissance religious architecture in the Algarve.

3. Igreja do Carmo : - it is located on the north side of the town and boasts of some splendid choir stalls.

4. Ilha de Tavira : - is located offshore to Tavira. It has a beach several miles long and flat dunes.

5. Ponte : - is the only bridge that is seven arched. It lies north of the Praça da República. It is of Roman origin and a place worth visiting.

6. Praca da Republica (Praca da República) : - The center of Tavira is the Praça da República. To the east of this place lies the municipal park and and to its southeast stands the town's covered market, with street cafes all around.

√ Aquatic Sports : - If you are an aquatic sports lover, or like practicing sports in the sea, come spend your vacations in Tavira. The Isla de Tarifa Beach is a good place to practice sports such as kitesurf, windsurf, and surf.

√ Cultural Spots : - Tavira has lots of cultural spots to check out. You can make a cultural tour, seeing the different temples, monuments, churches, and ruins of this place, a perfect choice for culture and history lovers interested in the patrimonial history of the south of Portugal.

√ Visit the Ria Formosa Natural Park : - This park has almost 20,000 hectares that are spread out in the municipalities of Olhao, Tavira, and Faro. These municipalities are an ecological treasure of incalculable value, as they assist migratory birds, sand dune parks, diverse fauna and flora.

√ Island of Tavira : - The Island of Tavira is an ideal place to visit, and is located 5 minutes outside the town. It is an extensive beach, with a medium occupancy level, but due to its size, it gives you the sensation of being alone in paradise.

Tavira has numerous bars, cafes and lounge for perfect entertainment.

Acro bar : - is famous for serving finest of wines.

The Poet : - is also a bar that attracts a huge crowd.

Tavira is a food-lovers paradise. It is a great place for those who enjoy seafood. There are plenty restaurants along the riverbank serving excellent cuisines at reasonable prices. Tavira is popular for the exotic variety of fishes available. The food is of Mediterranean style. Dishes like Nora Velha, Marisqueira 4 Aguas, Portas do Mar and O Pátio are very famous here.

Tavira is well equipped with supermarkets for self-caterers on holiday. There are many souvenir selling shops that sell cork items, lace, embroidered goods and shell art etc. There is a supermarket for handcraft shopping centre called "Old Market" for discerning shoppers. The town has a market where you can get fresh daily products.

Tavira is an alluring holiday destination. Enjoy finding sea shells on the golden sandy beaches surrounded with crystal clear water. It is also known for various water sports like surfing, scuba diving etc. If you come to Tavira don’t forget to play golf. You can also go for bird watching, hill walking, fishing, cycling etc.

Tavira has connecting buses and trains for traveling around. You can even hire a taxi or take car on rent.

Tavira is located around 40 minutes from Faro. After reaching Faro you can either board a train or bus. The bus is more convenient and cheap mode of transport. The one-way bus fare between Faro to Tavira is approximately €2.60.