What to do in Tavira Algarve, Portugal?

Hi guys and welcome back to To Algarve. Today we're going to film the stunning town of Tavira but first of all we're going to check out its waterfall which is about a 10-minute drive from the town. First one I've seen. Let's go check the waterfall out and it's really rather a nice waterfall. There are a number of these amazing natural waterfalls in the Algarve. This is actually the first one I've been to and I have to say super, super impressed. This really is a great little spot. There's nothing here at all, no facilities, just orange trees and orange grove. So now we're going to take about a six, seven-minute walk back to the car, jump in the car, five-minute drive down to Tavira and get a beer but you've got to come here. Tavira is another one of those great little towns where it's got a lot of history, a lot of little interesting buildings which I like to check out. Come and have a look at this. We always recommend you just wander around and take a left turn or walk into a random building and here we are. The old pumping station, cute little building, little exhibition all around it and absolutely fascinating. So we're down in Tavira. We're on the Roman bridge which in fact isn't a Roman bridge. The bridge dates back to Moorish times so it's a Moorish bridge but it's right in the centre. You've got all the bars and restaurants around it. Let's check out this fabulous little town. This has the prize for the best knockers. You've got to hand it to them, that's a great knocker. So you saw the bridge which means it's on a river and being on a river in the case of Tavira you've got two sides to the town, the east side and the west side. Welcome to the east side. Most of the promenades, as you would imagine, are pedestrianised and on both sides of the river leading away from the main bridge and that's where you're going to find some great little cafes, some great street food and a lovely place to chill out all year round. I'm getting the feeling it's my first time in Tavira or my first proper time in Tavira and I'm getting a feeling it's a lot of it's about the river and you can walk along both sides of the river and you're really going to see the best of this town and you're going to be surrounded by little bars, little restaurants and this is another one of those towns that's going to be open all year round, so well worth a visit. You've only got to walk about 50-100 meters down from the bridge towards the coast to see just how important this river must have been to this town. It leads right down to the sea and to the island where they've got nice beaches as well but it's still immensely important. You've got all these beautiful boat trips, water-based activities and if you want to book some of them take a look at our links, we've got some great deals on there. Now guys once again I have to tell you you need to sometimes just go a little bit off the beaten track. We just went into this massive building at first I thought it was just a restaurant but no you get inside and I'm guessing it used to be the marketplace but just look at this place right on the banks of the river, beautiful architecture and just just just like a lovely space isn't it and I bet it has some great concerts and markets and things here at certain times of the year. You've got to explore, you've got to explore. So I actually got talking to a couple of people and I have to say I was right this was the old market until about 20 years ago when they built a new market so now what they do they use this for like events, parties, beginnings, ends of cycle races that sort of thing. Come over to the west side of the town, walk about 100 meters on this side of the river and you'll come almost to the end of the old town. This is where you're going to find the tickets and the boats that take you over to the islands and apparently we've not been there yet but we're going to go in another episode so keep watching and apparently the islands are absolutely beautiful. Jump on the boat 250 off to a beach with the family, magic. Culinary wise famous for octopus you've got octopus trips and one of the best octopus restaurants in the Algarve, octopus anywhere you want it and at the octopus restaurant I'm with Eduardo he was so friendly I had to stop and say hi. Now here you're famous for what? Goat, cheese, grilled fish. And you do octopus right? Yes. What about lamb? Do you do any lamb? No lamb. Any beef? Yes we do. Beef? Yes. Really? I thought you just did octopus. No. So come over to the western side of the bridge and you've got the main republic square which is really spectacular square definitely the largest square in Tavira and it's surrounded as you can see by beautiful historic buildings places where you can chill out have a coffee and enjoy the square. One of the things I really like about these traditional squares is they're pedestrianized and very often they'll shut the square off they'll shut the roads off the adults can sit around the outside having a lager shandy or a glass of wine and the kids can run around completely safe. There's a little auditorium here there's plenty to see there's even a little water feature it's just a nice place for families to come in the evening on a hot evening and chill out. Another one of these fabulous churches of the Misericordia this one built in 1541. Portugal of course is famous for its fado music and right behind me beside the church there's a lovely fado session playing right now and you can hear it it's beautiful. Typical of these old historic towns but these lovely cobbled quiet streets and if you're going up a cobbled quiet street it's probably going to lead to a castle and on the way up to the castle you've got the town museum it's a great little museum at the moment they've got a roman exhibition on and if you've got the time check that out as well. As we've come right up to the top of the town it's almost like the climax of Tavira on my right you've got the castle ruins in front of me you've got the church of the castle maria of the castle and to my left you've got one of the best hotels in the area the convent hotel and like most of these great local hotels you can book them through booking.com via our link click here it helps you and it helps us for the best hotels. So it's worth coming up to the top of the castle where you're going to get an amazing view not just of the churches the town the entire area it's a castle but it's a great castle you don't have to pay to come into it it's right at the top of the town behind me i've got the rio famosa in front of me i've got the churches to my right i've got a restaurant with a rooftop bar this is perfect the castle itself dates back to the 10th century although the guidebooks say it's in ruins there's quite a lot to look around and inside you've got a beautiful courtyard and i would say it's well worth coming up here definitely the right spot to come and take a photo and capture the best of Tavira well guys Tavira what a fabulous little town i really hope you've enjoyed watching this video as much as we've enjoyed making it don't forget to click like subscribe meanwhile i'll see you next time