Tavira
The most elegant town in the eastern Algarve, with 37 churches, a Roman bridge over the Gilao river and a refined, unhurried atmosphere.
Tavira is widely regarded as the most beautiful town in the Algarve. Straddling the River Gilao about 30 kilometres east of Faro, it has a population of roughly 26,000 and a remarkably well-preserved historic centre that escaped the worst of mass tourism development. The town's skyline is defined by its unusual concentration of churches, over 30 in total, and by the distinctive four-sided hipped roofs known as telhados de tesoura that characterise its traditional architecture and give the rooftop panorama its singular appearance.
Tavira's history stretches back to the Phoenicians, who established a trading settlement here around 1000 BC. The Romans built a road connecting it to Faro, then known as Ossonoba, and under the Moors it became a prosperous port trading with North Africa. The town reached its peak in the 16th century as a centre for tuna fishing and salt production, when it briefly rivalled Lagos and Faro in regional importance. The devastating earthquake of 1755 and the subsequent silting of the river reduced its commercial significance, which paradoxically helped preserve its architectural heritage by removing the economic incentive to demolish and rebuild.
The Ponte Romana, a seven-arched bridge across the Gilao, is Tavira's most recognisable landmark. Despite the name, its current form dates from a 17th-century reconstruction, though Roman foundations are visible at low water. On the hillside above, the walls of the Moorish castle enclose a peaceful garden planted with bougainvillea and offer views across the rooftops to the lagoon. The Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo, built on the site of the town's former mosque, contains the tombs of seven knights killed during the Christian reconquest, and the adjacent Igreja da Misericordia has one of the finest Renaissance doorways in the Algarve, carved from local sandstone.
The town sits on the edge of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, and ferries run regularly from the quayside to the Ilha de Tavira, a barrier island with an expansive sandy beach stretching for over 11 kilometres. The western end of the island, reached by the ferry, has beach facilities and restaurants; walking east, the crowds thin quickly until the sand is effectively deserted. On the mainland, the Camera Obscura in the old water tower offers a rotating live panorama of the town and its surroundings. The mercado municipal, refurbished in recent years, houses food stalls and small restaurants alongside the traditional fish and produce vendors.
Tavira has a quieter, more cultured atmosphere than the resort towns further west. The salt pans on the river flats, still commercially worked, attract flamingos and other wading birds. The railway connects Tavira to Faro in around 40 minutes and to Vila Real de Santo Antonio at the Spanish border in roughly 25 minutes. For those seeking an Algarve experience rooted in Portuguese life rather than resort culture, Tavira is the natural choice.
Highlights
- Roman bridge and 37 historic churches including Santa Maria do Castelo and the Misericordia
- Ilha de Tavira barrier island beach stretching 11 kilometres
- Moorish castle gardens with panoramic views over the tiled rooftops