Tavira is called 'the prettiest   town' in Portugal by the   Portuguese. Located 25kms   from Faro and 20kms   from Spain, it is a firm favourite for discerning visitors.

The city has since been rebuilt with many fine 18th Century buildings along with its 37 churches. A 'Roman' (actually Moorish) bridge links the two parts of the town across the River Gilao. The church of Santa Maria do Castelo, built on the site of a Moorish mosque holds the tombs of D Paio Peres Correia and his knights. The church dates from the 13th century and the clock tower has been remodeled from the original Muslim minaret. A bust of Dom Paio Perres Correia who died in 1275 can be seen on the corner of the town hall. Its original economic reliance on the fishing industry has now passed due to changed migration patterns of Tuna and further silting up of the river Gilao. The population is in the region of 25,000 inhabitants(municipality of Tavira) supporting a military base whilst the surrounding area is still fairly rural and undeveloped. This is now changing due to the demands of the tourist industry and opening of golf courses in the near vicinity. The beach for this town lies past the salt pans and is reached by a ferryboat that takes the visitor to the sand-bar island known as Ilha de Tavira, part of the Ria Formosa. The island and beaches can also be reached from the nearby footbridge in Santa Luzia.

Wikipedia articles for Tavira

• Santa Luzia (Tavira)
• Santiago (Tavira)
• Tavira Municipality
• Gilão River
• Santo Estêvão
• Cabanas de Tavira
• Conceição de Tavira