Tavira region holiday apartment: Tavira

In October 2008 and again in September 2009 we rented this excellent property. It is spacious, comfortable, exceptionally clean, well-appointed, and in a terrific location. I can’t recommend this flat more! The open plan of the dining and living area gives the flat a spacious and uncluttered feel. The kitchen is very well stocked and roomy. The bathroom is large, very clean, and fitted out with a great shower and bidet along with ample places to dry towels. The bedrooms are also generous, and the clothes storage/hanging space is much greater than one needs for a holiday. Off the main bedroom is a small balcony where we enjoyed our tea every morning, as we watched local people arrive at the coffee shop across the street down below. The front entrance also has a large balcony and, being at the end of the block, privacy is assured. The afternoon sun drenches the balcony there, so one can enjoy the sun even after returning from the beach. Ample books, magazines, & some CDs are provided, along with a somewhat limited Sky TV subscription for channels particularly of interest to British visitors. My only disappointment is that the mattresses in the flat are a bit less firm than I’m used to. But this is the only downside among so many positive attributes.

The location is so central to Tavira that one can arrive at the local shops with only a couple minutes’ walk. The huge daily fish and veg market is also nearby, as are all the local businesses: have a haircut, shop for groceries, buy a memento, eat at any one of a large number of local or more touristy restaurants. The flat is in a secure development of a few dozen dwellings, and only a few were in use when we visited, making the visit private.

The flat also has parking, if you hire a car. We used the flat as a base to explore all along the Algarve as well as a day trip to Seville, about 2 hours away (don’t forget there is a time change in Spain). The flat is only a few minutes’ walk from the boat which leaves for the beach almost hourly in summer months (end Sept); the alternate boat is a longer walk or short drive. Across town is new shopping mall.

The people of Tavira are very friendly, many speak English. The streets are well-maintained, and it looks like the central square was recently renovated. Tavira is a thriving town, is not developed as a gaudy tourist trap as are some of the towns along the Algarve. I highly recommend the town (a gem in the Algarve), and especially this rental flat.

For ourselves this was as close to the ideal holiday accommodation as I think it would be possible to get. Advert descriptions probably didn't do it quite justice. The apartment was both stylish and incredibly well equipped with everything a family would need for an enjoyable stay. Immaculately clean, extremely spacious with the added bonus of the superb games room - which provided hours of fun for children both young and old !
Air-conditioning was in every room - great for cooling us down after all those hot days on the beach. Apartment's location within the complex is also quite private being the last on a row. Swimming pool was very clean and in a nice secluded spot.
Site was very secure and safe despite benefitting from being right in the heart of Tavira. You are literally a short walk from shops, restaurants, the riverfront and the huge fruit/veg and fish market is just round the corner. There's a good supermarket and taxi-rank closeby too. Whilst the ferry for Tavira island's enormous sandy beach is 5 minutes away.
Tavira itself is an attractive untouristy place but with plenty to occupy you in terms of old buildings, sites, interesting shops and excellent (but reasonably priced) restaurants.
Beaches on Tavira island and surrounding coast (Cabanas and Fuzeta) are excellent for children being wide, sandy and having warm/shallow water. For a change I'd recommend a trip to Villa Real de St Antonio and the crossing over the river into Spain.
We didn't hire a car and found the local train service excellent for getting up and down the coast. The station is about half a mile from the apartment.
There's a good choice of restaurants in Tavira, with a consistently high standard of food. Our favourite was probably Bica, the tuna steak tavira style was the stand-out dish. I'd also recommend going to the fishing village of St Luzia for an evening meal. Octupus dishes are a speciality here.
Overall really memorable stay. We'll certainly be recommending to family and friends and I'm sure we'll be making a return journey in the not too distant future.

Beautiful, clean and big apartement with everything you need, in a quiet area but close to "everything" in Tavira; restaurants, supermarkets and the ferry to Ilha de Tavira.
We were five adults who stayed for nine night, and we all just loved the apartement!
The service from the owner Ivor couldn't been better, he was very helpful at all times.
The beaches at the Ilha the Tavira is just fabulous!
We went to Seville after Tavira, which was only three hours by bus.