by augusto gomes

The History and Beauty of Tavira Portugal

The coast of the council of Tavira is famous for having some of the most beautiful beaches of Algarve and of Portugal, all of them included in the Natural Park of the Formosa river. The beaches of the council are Lacem, Cabanas de Tavira, Ilha de Tavira e Praia do Barril. Lacem and Cabanas de Tavira belong to the island of Cabanas. The beaches of Ilha de Tavira and of Barril are integrated at the island of Tavira.

But the council has also a great historical side.

One of the points with larger tourist interest in Tavira is the Castle of the Moors, besides the Walls, Medieval Bridge and the Palace of the Gallery. The municipal district invite their visitors to visit the House of Irene Rolo, as well as the old Municipal Market, Viewpoint of Alto de Santa Maria, Monument to the Deads of the First World War and the busts of Antonio Cabreira, Isidoro Pires and Augusto da Silva Carvalho.

Other monuments as the Tombstone of Eduardo Pavia of Magalhaes, Statue to Bishop D. Marcelino Franco and Monument of the Antonio Padinha are also a very good place to visit in Tavira.

Tavira has a vast religious patrimony. In the council you can see the Church of Santa Maria of the Castle, Church of Sao Tiago, Church of the Mercy, Convent of Carmo, Church of Nossa Senhora das Ondas, Church of Sao Jose of the Hospital, Church of San Francisco, Church of Sao Paulo, Church of Carmo, Church of Santo Antonio, Church of Santa Ana, Church of Nossa Senhora do Livramento and the old Convent of Bernardas.

The House of the Craft is one of the most original places in Tavira. The space offers live ateliers, with the intention of demonstrating the techniques used in the execution of the manual weaving, the ceramic and the artistic glaze tile, the production in leather, incomes and painting on woven, the work of the wood, the croche by hand, the art of the palm, the traditional bread, the honey, the medicinal and aromatic plants and the full figs.

The objective of that House is to publish the artisans’ of the council, in an initiative of the Association of Arts and Flavours of Tavira.

The freguesias Cabanas de Tavira, Cachopo, Conceicao, Luz de Tavira, Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo, Santa Luzia, Santa Maria, Santiago e Santo Estevao are part of the municipal district of Tavira.

Cabanas de Tavira and the blue of the sea

Nowadays, the freguesia of Cabanas de Tavira continues to dedicate to the fishing, contributing to the enrichment of the local gastronomy, with products as the tuna, lingueirao, the conquilhas and ameijoas. Strongly linked to the fishing art, the freguesia has an area of 3.480 hectares and a population of 1.106 inhabitants.

However, Cabanas also live of tourism, being one of the freguesias of the council of Tavira that more visitors attract along the year. The importance of the tourism grew starting from 1973, when Cabanas saw to be born its first hotel unit: Aldeamento Pedras da Rainha. The construction of this infrastructure allowed the tourists’ arrival to that town, also making possible the creation of a high number of workstations.

But it is in the marginal one that we can find one of the most worked points of Cabanas, the beach.

By boat we go through Ria Formosa to the Cabanas-Mar beach. The long sand dune provides beautiful walks and an unbelievable perception of the beauty of the sun.

If you prefer to appreciate more about the town, Ria Formosa is a destiny of natural excellence, accompanied of the crystalline blue of their waters.

The lovers of the golf can relax. In Cabanas de Tavira we have one of the best golf courses of Algarve. The golf course Quinta da Ria is located in a scenery where the green of the fields is mixed with the blue of the sky and of the sea, in a beautiful encounter with the nature.

Nossa Senhora do Mar is the patron of the freguesia. The church is evidence of the people’s of Cabanas devotion.

But if the past attracts your attention, it is obligatory to walk for the fortress of Sao Joao of Barra that today is private property. The fortress was built in 1556 by Val de Reis count and rebuilt in 1793.

To take advantage of the gastronomy of the area, some clues are to visit the restaurants Principe, Cabanas Park, Ideal and Monteiro, among others of a lot of quality in Cabanas.

Hope to meet you soon in Tavira and its beautiful islands!