The castle
Rooftop views.
Alexkom000 — CC BY 4.0 · Alexkom000 — CC BY 4.0 · Alexkom000 — CC BY 4.0 · Alexkom000 — CC BY 4.0 · Alexkom000 — CC BY 4.0
Tavira is a town in the eastern Algarve in southern Portugal, on the Gilão river near where it meets the Atlantic, about 28 km east of Faro. It is one of the prettiest and best-preserved towns in the Algarve. Tavira's origins go back to the late Bronze Age, many civilisations passed through, and in the Middle Ages it prospered as a port for tuna fishing and trade. Its old town is filled with white houses topped by the region's distinctive sloping tiled roofs, many churches and a castle whose ruins stand on a hill in the middle of town. An old stone bridge that locals call the Roman Bridge links the two banks of the river, although its present structure is more recent. From the castle walls and garden there is a view over the white rooftops and the river to the sea. Boats take visitors from town to Ilha de Tavira, a long sandy island with a wide ocean beach. Exploring the town and castle is free. Tavira is calmer than the resorts of the western Algarve, and it represents Portugal in UNESCO's listing of the Mediterranean Diet as intangible cultural heritage.
Rooftop views.
Over the river.
Sandy beach.
Tavira, Algarve, Portugal
By boat to Ilha de Tavira.
About 28 km.