Tavira is a port city in the south of Portugal, on the coast of the Gulf of Cadiz, the center of one of the municipalities of the Faro district. One of the important features of Tavira is the lack of a large number of tourists: the city somehow managed to avoid a tourist boom, although it is considered one of the most picturesque places on the Algarve coast.
Being under the rule of the Mauritanians for five centuries, Tavira still resembles an Arab city in places. Most of the houses, as well as throughout Portugal, are painted white, dates and fish are dried on the terraces. Palm trees and orange trees grow throughout the city, and frisky fish splash in the Gilao River, which divides the city into two parts. See ANDYEDUCATION for education and training in Portugal.
The terrace is a favorite place for leisure activities among locals. It’s hard not to see a few relaxed after a hard day’s work chatting over a cup of coffee with a custard cake called “pastas de nata”. We advise you to visit the city market – you will hardly see such an abundance of fruits anywhere else.
How to get there
The easiest way to get to Tavira is from Faro airport, where planes from Moscow fly daily. You will have to spend about 9 hours in the air, the issue price is from 9,000 rubles. We recommend taking a bus from Faro – a half-hour trip will cost 3-8 EUR. On the way, you will be accompanied by noisy locals, and a beautiful view of the olive, apple, almond and fig orchards will open from the window. Of course, you can take a taxi (the distance is only 30 km!), but it will cost much more.
The prices on the page are for July 20168.
Weather in Tavir
The climate of Tavira is classic Mediterranean: there is practically no winter here, and summer begins in April. At the same time, at the height of the summer season, it is not as hot here as in other Mediterranean countries – the temperature rarely rises above +33 ° C due to the refreshing breeze from the Atlantic. Winter temperatures average +12…+17 °C.
Ria Formosa, located a short distance from Tavira, is 17 hectares of water bodies and land islands inhabited by herons, flamingos, turtles and even chameleons.
Tavira Hotels
It is best to stay in a private guesthouse, where you can rent a room with a bathroom for about 40-50 EUR per day.
Natural beauty
The island of the same name Tavira is a local gem. From the Quatro Aguas pier, you will be taken there by Quatro Águas water taxi for 8 EUR. The island is a strip of sand 8 km long and only 400 m wide. There are several houses here, the rest of the territory is not built up due to the ban of the city administration. Which is very pleasing, because the undeveloped territory is snow-white sand and nothing more, only palm trees and shells. And how nice it is to swim in the purest water on a hot summer day!
Another must-visit point is the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve, located a short distance from Tavira. These are 17 hectares of reservoirs and islands of land, where herons, flamingos, turtles and even chameleons live. In areas where water predominates, crabs and frogs can be found.
Entertainment and attractions of Tavira
The city acquired its architectural appearance as a result of rebuilding after the strongest earthquake of 1755. The destruction was truly catastrophic, and Tavira was simply rebuilt. New picturesque buildings appeared in the city, including 37 churches. It cannot be said that Tavira is filled with architectural masterpieces, but the impression from it remains exactly this: it is very pleasant to walk here, admiring the architecture of the city, its numerous fountains and flower beds.
A very picturesque landscape can be observed from the walls of the Moorish castle, located on a hilltop in the old Arab quarter. From here, the clock tower of the church of Santa Maria do Castelo is perfectly visible, in which the remains of Don Paio Peres Correia and his seven knights are kept. Gothic windows and an entrance have been preserved on the facade of the church, and its interior was restored in the 19th century. Nearby is the monastery of Nossa Senhora da Graça, built in 1569.
