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Latest update: 29 May 2024
The beautiful town of Tavira is in the east of the Algarve, just over half an hour’s drive from Faro. Divided in two by the Gilão River, it is full of narrow streets with alternating white houses and houses with Portuguese tiles. Tavira deserves a spot on your Algarve itinerary!
Tavira in the Algarve
Tavira is labeled as the Venice of the Algarve in travel guides and blogs. Now, I have never been to Venice, but I immediately think of the gondolas in the water. I didn’t see those in Tavira, so whether the similarity holds in other respects is up to you.
What I do know is that Tavira is a lovely city that feels like a village. Although there are a lot of tourists there, it still feels cozy and friendly.
Typical Tavira
The two parts of town are split by the river and are worth walking through. The winding streets invite you to delve a little further into the city, but you can also get around the town in no time. Look for nice corners covered with beautiful Bougainvillea and gorgeous tiled houses. Also, look at the roofs because they are typical of Tavira. The gabled roofs have a kind of scissor construction that keeps the houses nice and cool in the summer.
The hands of Fatima
You may also notice the door knockers. The hands. These are the hands of Fatima. The hands of Fatima refer to the daughter of Mohammed. The Moors ruled the Algarve for a long time, so you can still see those influences in various places. In horseshoe-shaped gates, for example, and in door knockers.
Traditionally, there should be two hands of Fatima on the door. One was for men to knock, the other for women. The knocks of the two hands sounded different, so the residents knew whether a man or woman was visiting. If it was a man, the women in the house had to cover themselves. If you want to learn more about the hands of Fatima in Tavira, this is an excellent article.
Tavira’s absolute highlight: tuk-tuk tour
Book. This. Now. For me, the tuk-tuk tour is the highlight of my visit to Tavira and certainly one of the highlights of my entire Algarve trip. Of course, it was because I could see a lot of Tavira in just over an hour with the electric tuk-tuk in a relaxed way, but also because of the super friendly guide. An enthusiastic guy full of information and jokes about the features of the tuk-tuk: relaxation and massage positions, maximum speeds, and air conditioning settings.
Driving through the streets of Tavira and towards the Ria Formosa area, while the guide regularly calls for a tuk-tuk, I see all the sights in no time, from castle to salt pans. There is also enough time to pause to take a good photo. It was really fun. So reserve your ride now here or book directly below.
Mercado Municipal de Tavira: eat fish among the locals
Tavira used to live from fishing, especially tuna. Now, the old tuna factories are closed, and the buildings are used by, for example, a sushi restaurant, a club, and a hotel. The focus of fishing is now on octopus, and there are many oyster pits in the area. So be sure to order octopus or oysters when you eat out in Tavira. For example, go to the Mercado Municipal de Tavira to eat fresh fish among the locals.
Tavira Castle
On top of a hill, you will find the castle of Tavira, or rather what’s left of it. There are still large stretches of wall to view, and you can walk over some parts. You’ll have a beautiful view of the city. The Castelo de Tavira was built in the eleventh century, so it is exceptional that parts of the wall are still standing. Especially because Tavira also suffered greatly from the enormous earthquake in Lisbon in 1755.
A beautiful courtyard has been created between the remaining castle walls. Small and pretty. You can visit the castle for free from 10 a.m. In summer, the gate closes at 7 p.m., and in winter, at 5 p.m.
Tip! As you wander the streets of Tavira, be sure to stop by the archaeological site of Ruínas Fenícias de Tavira. From the street side, you can peek through the fence at the remains of a medieval house, a wall from the 8th century BC, and other ancient ruins. The goal is to open a museum here.
Google Maps location
Visit Tavira’s churches
I don’t know about you, but in everyday life, I never go to church, and when traveling, I see dozens. You can visit many churches in Tavira. You will find many in the center alone.
For example, next to the castle is the Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo (here), which you can visit for €3 (in 2023). Or go to the Igreja de São Paulo (here), where you can view the wooden altarpieces for a fee (the mediocre Google reviews put me off this). I like the facade of Ermida de São Lázaro (here) because the tile work is unique to me. Then, you also have the Igreja da Misericórdia (here), where you can see a Fado performance show. Well, you get the point. Plenty of churches to see in Tavira.
Fado performance in Tavira
Listen to Portugal’s life song: fado. Born in Lisbon, but known throughout the country. In the Misericórdia Church, you can attend a Fado performance from Monday to Saturday. It’s really a perfect introduction to the music style because you will also get an explanation about the Portuguese guitar and the songs.
Two older gentlemen play the guitar and one talks about Fado in several languages. A lady sings the songs. The church is a beautiful setting, but oppressively hot in September. You can buy a ticket on-site for €10 (in 2023) or reserve online. Children up to 12 years old can participate for free.
Ponte Romana in Tavira
The Ponte Romana is the Roman bridge connecting Tavira’s two parts. According to legend, the bridge also divides the river. On the north side, the river is called Séqua, and on the south side, Gilão – according to legend. On the map, it is simply referred to as the Gilão River. But why?
Tavira has its own Romeo and Juliet story. Gilão was a Christian knight and Séqua a Muslim princess. You guessed it: they fell in love, which was more than frowned upon. Torn by heartbreak, they committed suicide by jumping from the bridge – Gilão on the south side, Séqua on the north side.
Walk along the river
You can walk a long way along the Gilão River embankment. The best way to do this is on the side of the Praça da República square, from the Roman bridge to the second bridge (so continue walking once you have seen the first). There is a beautifully landscaped boulevard, an old market hall, and many restaurants and cafes on the street side.
Now that we’re talking about restaurants, check out my tips for restaurants in Tavira.
The salt pans of Tavira
The salt pans of Tavira are a bit out of the center. If you do the tuk-tuk tour, you will get to visit the salt pans. And you pass it when you go to the boarding point of the ferry to the island of Tavira. In theory, you can also walk there. In reality, it might be too hot to do so. It is about a half-hour walk from the city to the boarding point. You walk on a paved road and pass the salt pans. Sometimes, there are flamingos to be seen!
Depending on the season, you can see the salt crust, the pink sparkle on the water, or people mining the salt.
Beaches in Tavira: Ilha de Tavira
Tavira does not have a city beach, but it does have an island with a beautiful beach. Ilha de Tavira has a beautiful long sandy beach in the Ria Formosa Natural Park. You can have a great beach day here!
From Quatros Águas (past the salt pans), you take the ferry to the island of Ilha de Tavira. That only costs a few euros. In the summer, there is also a boat from the center of Tavira.
Tip! Fancy a tasty snack or drink? Then check out my favorite places to eat in Tavira.
Free parking in Tavira
Are you coming to Tavira by car? Then you can park for free next to the bus station (here). You must drive behind the bus station, as you cannot enter from the street. If there is no more space at the bus station, you can cross the river nearby and park along the street in Tavira. Here, for example.
If you still need to arrange a rental car, I recommend Sunny Cars or EasyTerra. If you rent a car at these companies, you can arrange all insurance so that you no longer have to hassle about it at the counter when picking up your rental car.
Accommodation in Tavira
I chose Formosa Guest House because it is super centrally located, within walking distance of the free parking lot, and the rooms are spacious. It took me some time to find the entrance —it’s between the cafes, and you have to climb a few stairs to get to Formosa Guest House.
We have a large room with a private bathroom in the hallway, but there are also rooms with shared bathrooms. You can use the garden and roof terrace, but I didn’t actually get around to it except to take a quick photo of the view.
View availability.
More Portugal inspiration?
Useful links for your Portugal trip
- Accommodation. All-time favorites: Booking.com and Campspace. Would you rather stay in a hostel? Check Hostelworld.
- Activities. You book the best tours and activities with GetYourGuide and Viator. Try WithLocals for experiences with Portuguese locals. Book your ‘free’ walking tours with Freetour.com or GuruWalks, and try bike tours with Baja Bikes.
- Attractions and museums. Interested in a 5% discount on museums and other attractions? Use this discount code at Tiqets: KIMOPREIS22
- Car rental. If you want to compare prices, check out Discover Cars or Rental Cars.
- Flights. Compare all your options! Be sure to check out Skyscanner, and Kiwi.
- Guidebooks. I love paper guidebooks to flip through. Buy them at Amazon.
- Package deals. Rather go on a catered trip? Maybe Expedia or CheapOair has a good option.
- SIM card. Beware of unexpectedly high calling and internet costs. Buy a local SIM card when you arrive, or arrange one online via Airalo.
- Train and Bus Travel to Portugal with Busbud. And reserve buses and trains on the go with 12Go or Omio.
- Yoga retreat. Or maybe treat yourself to a yoga retreat in Portugal.
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