Tavira town is one of the most attractive and unspoiled towns in the Algarve but the town council takes the tourist business very seriously and organises a comprehensive portfolio of entertainments during the season, street theatre, fairs, exhibitions, folk dancing, live music, markets, a film festival, etc.
Wining and dining, particularly fish, is one of the major attractions of Tavira. Prices generally are very competitive but you can also splash out at the Pousada (Portugal's equivalent of a parador). The nearby 11km of beaches on Ilha da Tavira are some of the best in the Algarve, there is even a remote, secluded nudist beach. An old train straight out of a kids cartoon is one of the ways to get to the beaches, otherwise take the ferry or a water taxi. The surrounding Ria Formosa Nature Park offers peaceful walks, rambling, bird watching, cycling, horse riding, etc. not to mention an astonishing ariety of flora, fauna, lepidoptera, etc.
An excellent commuter train service connects all the coastal towns of the Algarve with a frequency of 1 train per hour during the day and also connects Tavira with the twice daily Faro-Lisbon express. Tavira, unlike many towns on the Western Algarve or on the Spanish Mediterranean coast, has a distinct shortage of disco bars and lager louts, but there are two highly regarded discos in town!
For golfers, there are three courses within 10 minutes drive (Benamor, Quinta ca Cima, Quinta da Ria) while 20 minutes will bring Quinta Vale, Monte Rei, Castro Marim and Maragota within range. Almost all of the well known courses of the Algarve are within one hour's drive -- also the Spanish courses of Isla da Canela, Islantilla, etc. The nearby Guadiana Valley(the border with Spain) has several old walled towns (a reminder of the past rivalry with Spain) and many Phoenician remains. The town of Tavira itself is rich in Roman, Moorish, Crusader, and medieval Christian remains. It boasts about 30 churches (some built on the remains of Moorish mosques and, thanks to a vibrant fishing industry, even more excellent restaurants. Tavira is surrounded by the Ria Formosa Nature Park, risch in flora, fauna, lepidoptera, etc. There you can go bird-watching, horse riding, wandering, etc.
Golf:
Seven golf courses lie within 5 to 25 mins drive (including Quinta da Ria, one of the best in the Algarve, and Monte Rei, one of the most expensive!). The attractions of Seville are 90 mins away by car, a little longer by the twice daily express bus. The Guadiana Valley, 15 miles away, offers fantastic sightseeing. You can visit the many old walled towns which are a hangover from the historical animosity between Spain and Portugal -- a great way to do this is to take a boat trip up the Guadiana calling at the various towns and stopping for a decadent lunch en route.
Other Activities:
Ria Formosa Nature Park
