Tavira (Algarve, Portugal)

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Tavira has a pleasant setting on an estuary of the Ségua river at the foot of a hill girded by the remains of ramparts built by King Dinis. The Roman bridge and Moorish walls testify to the town's long history. In the past Tavira was an important centre for tuna and today continues some of its fishing activities. The local beach is an offshore bar. The town has 37 churches.

Tavira, to the east of Faro in the south-east corner of Portugal, is one of the most photogenic towns along the Algarve coast, sporting white-washed houses topped with decorative chimneys and pyramid shaped Roman-tiled roofs, set among orange, fig and almond trees.

Although tourism is now the main industry, the resort is still a working fishing village with a compact old centre, and more modern development has largely kept to the resort outskirts. The rest of the area is rural and largely unspoilt, bounded to the SW by the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve and by the tiny, charming fishing village of Cabanas to the E.

The accommodation is mainly second-class self-catering accommodation, either villas or in large complexes farther away from the resort. In the outlying areas a few 4-star hotels can be found.

This area suits travellers from the economy to mid-market range,generally self-catering beach holidays.

Locality:

Towards the SE corner of Portugal, 20 mls E of Faro and its airport. Straddling both sides of the mouth of the River Gilao, in fairly flat terrain with mud flats and sand bars along the coastline.

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Only in Tavira itself, where there are many souvenir shops selling cork items, lace and gifts made from shells. "Old Market" is an upmarket handicraft and artefacts shopping centre. Market every third Monday of the month.

Like most of the resort towns on the Algarve, Tavira is a food-lovers haven, especially for those who enjoy seafood. There are numerous restaurants along the quayside and riverbank, serving excellent cuisine at reasonable prices. Recommendations for shellfish and fish dishes are Nora Velha, Marisqueira 4 Aguas and Portas do Mar.

The nightlife consists of Bars and cafes abound in the town, but options for dancing are limited to the Ubi Discotheque, which is enough to cater for energetic ravers.

Local activities include hunting for seashells on Tavira Island, enjoying a variety of watersports, explore the quaint town of Tavira, or play golf at the nearby Benamor Course. It is a good idea to hire a car and explore into Spain to the East and along the rest of the Algarve to the West.

Local Activities include:

Omega Parque - Near Monchique. Endangered wild animals in a stunning mountainside location.

Zoomarine - near Albufeira. Dolphinarium with several attractions.

Aqualand - Bij Armação de Pêra. Big Aquapark with a lot of high slides

Slide & Splash - near Lagoa. Big Aquapark.

Krazy World - near Algoz - Funpark for children and adults with two mini-golf courses (18 holes), pools,
childrenfarm, crocodilepark and Quad mania.

Aquashow - near Quarteira. Aqualand with the biggest wave pool in Europe.

Karting Algarve - in Almancil (between Vilamoura and Loulé).

Roma Golf Park - near Vilamoura. Super Mini-Golf and leisure park.

Fábrica do Inglês - in Silves - Entertainment and culturepark, Corkmuseum.

Omega Parque - near Monchique. Zoo, holding only threatened species.

Cova dos Mouros - Mining village near Alcoutim. Reconstruction of pre-historical mining activity in the Algarve.

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Population: 10.566.200
Languages: Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but lo
Currency: euro
Currency code: EUR
Local Times:
Portugal - Lisbon

Country Dialling Code: +361
Voltage: 220V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 Parallel circular prongs

'Schuko' type with two earth connectors on the sides

Portugal, by virtue of its position on Europe's Western edge, gets fewer travelers than other Mediterranean places. But visitors are rewarded with uncrowded cities and moderate tarifs for food, hotels and private villas and apartments. Portugal has a rich culture, a landscape wreathed in olive groves, superb beach resorts, wistful towns, vineyards and wheat fields.

Portugal occupies the western part of the Iberian Peninsula and is 35,655 sq miles. The country is crossed by three large rivers that rise in Spain, flow into the Atlantic, and divide the country into three geographic areas. The Minho River, part of the northern boundary, cuts through a mountainous area that extends south to the vicinity of the Douro River. South of the Douro, the mountains slope to the plains around the Tejo River.

The Portuguese have a close affinity to the sea; for centuries their famed mariners led the way in the exploration of Africa and the Americas, and opened trade routes to the East. The country became a strong colonial power, and remained so until the mid-20th century, resulting in distinctive foreign influences on the local culture and architecture. From Africa, for example, was imported the now traditional, sentimental fado music, which is one of the country's unique experiences for visitors, particularly in the cafés of Lisbon.

In recent years Portugal, long overlooked on the list of the world's top vacation stations, has been investing time, money and effort into ensuring it is discovered by the world's travellers, just as once it was the Portuguese who discovered the world. This new age of discovery is paying off, as increasing numbers of visitors arrive each year and hotel and resort construction has exploded. From the visitor's point of view the compactness of the country makes it easy to take in all the best elements: sandy beaches, scenery, history, wonderful cuisine, lively entertainment, charming handcrafts, thrilling nightlife, country fairs, excellent sporting facilities and warm, friendly people.

From the cobbled winding streets of Lisbon's medieval citadel to the cork forests in Alentejo, and from fishermen mending their nets on remote beaches to the shopping malls and sophisticated glitzy resorts, Portugal is a country well worth discovering.