This post is a bit of an everything bagel. You could call it a guide, but really it’s more of a messy collection — crumbs and seeds scattered everywhere. So, what’s inside?
🏠 Tavira: Happy Places • Churches • Museums
🥾🚴 Trailheads & Insteads: Trails • Leisure Parks • Reservoirs • Hidden Pools
🗝️ Treasure Hunts: Swings • Rotundas • Moinhos • Megaliths • Ruins & Relics
🏘️ Towns & Towers: Algarve Towns • Algarve Castles • Beyond Algarve
🏠 Tavira
Tavira is a charming town in the Eastern Algarve, full of history and everyday rhythms. For a glimpse of its past, see The Style of Tavira. And almost every Saturday, you’ll find us at the Mercado on Market Day filling our bags with fresh produce.
Happy Places
Here is a collage of some of my happy places.
Churches
There are so many churches and chapels in town, and I have visited 16 of them. Some are open to the public and some aren’t.
Here is a summary but be sure to see these blog posts for more details: Church Starter Pack and No Church For You.
Open to the Public: Igreja Matriz de Santiago, Igreja de Misericórdia, Igreja de São José, Igreja de São Paulo, Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Ondas, Ermida de São Sebastião, Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo (was open to public on Good Friday)
Not Open to the Public: Igreja de San Francisco, Igreja do Convento de Santo António, Ermida de Santa Ana, Ermida de São Brás, Ermida de São Roque, Capela de Nossa Senhora so Livramento, Capela de Nossa Senhora da Piedade, Capela de Nossa Senhora da Consolação.
December 2025 update: we were able to visit Capela de Nossa Senhora so Livramento on a special tour, this is written up in A Presépio Pursuit.
Museums
Tavria has wonderful museums, but they are easy to walk right on past. The two must see museums are: Núcleo Islâmico and Palácio da Galeria. See the Chuva e Museus blog post to learn about these.
🥾🚴Trailheads & Insteads
Many adventures begin at a trail marker — some days it’s about lacing up for a hike or hopping on a bike, other times it’s an “instead”: a shady leisure park, a quiet reservoir, or a place to pause and wander without a set path.
Trails
🥾 Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos
This is a famous hike/walk where you have absolutely stunning views. We also went to the town of Carvoeiro and I recommend going back to explore the Algar Seco. I wrote about this near the end of the Easter in the Algarve blog post and the Cinco Meses blog post.
Leisure Parks
Any laser parks? Not quite. But there are parques de lazer scattered around, with picnic tables, deer wandering through, small lakes, and hiking trails. They’re low-key but perfect for a pause while Driving the Backroads.
Reservoirs
They may not be the Algarve’s most glamorous spots, but reservoirs are part of the landscape here — quiet stretches of blue tucked into the hills. We’ve visited two so far, Beliche (excuse me) and Odeleite, and each offered its own backroad detour worth the stop. See Driving the Backroads.
🗝️ Treasure Hunts
We’re on a mission to find them all — panoramic swings tucked at viewpoints, hilltop moinhos catching the wind, mysterious megaliths scattered across the countryside, and timeless ruins and relics that connect today to the ancient past.
Swings
Where are the swings? Funny you ask, these giant wooden swings you see at scenic spots in Portugal are called baloiços panorâmicos (panoramic swings). We have discovered 5 swings by sheer chance.
- Alcaria do Cume is the highest point in the municipality of Tavira. It is a nice drive and gives you a great view. Nearby on the way down the hill, there is a swing. I wrote about this in the Easter in the Algarve blog post.
- Ameixial is in the Serra do Caldeirão, bordering the Alentejo region to the north. We found this swing when we explored near Cachopo. I wrote about it in the Vindima blog post.
- Cerro do São Miguel is ridge of hills off the A22 near Olhão. It has a swing at the top and views of the Atlantic ocean. Scroll way down in the Detour Ahead blog post.
- Miradouro de Vale Covo is located in Serra do Caldeirão we found when driving CM 1231 heading toward the town of Mértola.
- Odeleite is a town that has a reservoir of the same name. There is a swing here and I wrote about it in the Driving the Backroads blog post.
- Quarteira lies on the central Algarve coast, west of Almancil, where long beaches meet a relaxed, walkable promenade. The swing is located on Praia do Forte Novo! See Artfully Adventurous.
Rotundas
In February 2026, we started seeking out the artwork living inside of rotundas. Here is what we found. See In Orbit and Artfully Adventurous.
Tavira & Santa Luzia
Central & West Algarve
Moinhos
We are always on the lookup for a Moinho (windmill) — different that molho which is the portuguese word for sauce. Recently, we went up to look at Moinho do Bengado. See Driving the Backroads.
Megaliths
A megalith is a term for any large stone structure made by prehistoric people.
- Anta Grande do Zambujeiro is a “megalithic dolmen”-type monument just outside of Évora. I wrote about it in Peafowls blog post.
- Menir do Padrão is a megalith we found during our Adventure Day: Burgau to Ingrina.
- Palheiro (prehistoric round barn). In searching for Megalithic Antas and we found a palheiro; read more in the Vindima blog post.
Ruins & Relics
Estoi – Milreu Roman Ruins. Small village with roman ruins and a Palacio to visit. See the A Whole New World blog post.
Monumentos Megalíticos de Alcalar. Just inland from Portimão, the megaliths of Alcalar include stone burial monuments more than 5,000 years old. See Artfully Adventurous.
Hidden Pools
Away from the coastline, Portugal has hidden places to swim that feel worlds apart from the beach. Pego do Inferno is the best known, but we’ve also come across rustic outdoor pools in the countryside — quiet, refreshing spots that feel like secret finds.
Pego do Inferno. A 10km bike ride from Tavira gets you to a beautiful waterfall. See the Pego do Inferno blog post for how to get there.
For a nice relaxing dip in a river inlet, visit Praia Fluvial De Alcoutim (map). See the August Heat blog post to learn more.
One day we found two pools: Fonte Férrea (map) and Fonte da Seiceira (map). See the Vindima blog post for more details.
SPA Salino is a working salina turned spa in Castro Marim. Here you can soak in saltwater then slather yourself in mud. Definitely a late spring, summer activity. Read about it on Sous and Cima.
🏘️ Towns & Towers
The Algarve isn’t just coastline — it’s full of character-rich towns and commanding castles. Wandering their streets and climbing their towers brings the history of the region into sharp focus.
Algarve Towns
There are so many great towns in the Algarve, and I’ll list the ones we have visited. How about if I do it alphabetically?
- Albufeira is a beachfront town in Western Algarve. It is cute but it looks like it is gearing up for a busy tourist season. See Detour Ahead blog post.
- Aljezur is a cute little town in West Algarve. It is known for its surf culture. See Tavira Day.
- Alcoutim is riverside town in the northeast Algarve, perched on the banks of the Guadiana River right across from Spain. It has the Festival Do Contrabando in the Spring and we found a nice place to swim just outside the center at Praia Fluvial De Alcoutim (see the August Heat blog post).
- Cacela Velha is a small little village just east of Tavira. This is a beautiful location and an easy bike ride from Tavira. A couple times of year they have a market with artisan foods and crafts. I wrote about this town in the Caminho dos Pombais blog post.
- Cachopo is a mountain village about 30 km north of Tavira. It’s tiny and remote, with fewer than 1,000 residents. I wrote about this town in the Vindima blog post.
- Monchique is a mountainous region of the Algarve, north of Portimão, and known for thermal springs, amazing views, and medronho liquor. See Adventure Day.
- Monte Gordo is a beachfront town in East Algarve. It has a spacious beach that has a boardwalk and lots of restaurants — many with rooftop seating. See the A Whole New World blog post.
- Porches – Capela da Nossa Senhora da Rocha. This picturesque West Algarvan town has an old church overlooking the sea. It also has a lot of ceramic / pottery places. I wrote about it in the Cinco Meses blog post.
- Quarteira – Just west of Almancil, Quarteira stretches along the Algarve coastline with wide sandy beaches. See Artfully Adventurous.
- Sagres is the most south-western point in Portugal (and Europe). It is known for it’s amazing cliffs and views. See Tavira Day.
- Santa Luzia is a fishing village next to Tavira. I wrote about this town in the Caminho dos Pombais blog post.
- Vila Real de Santo António. You can’t get more Eastern Algarve than this town often known as VRSA for short. We visited a few times, see Semana Dois, Third Week, and Seasonal Traditions.
Algarve Castles
The Algarve is dotted with fortresses that once guarded its coasts and hilltops. Some are grand ruins, others are watchful towers, but together they trace the battles and borders that shaped the region.
Seven Castles
The seven castles on Portugal’s flag are said to honor the Algarve fortresses whose fall marked the final victories over the Moors and secured the kingdom’s southern frontier.
They are:
- Albufeira was once a Moorish harbor, later a crown jewel of conquest — haven’t seen yet.
- Aljezur is a strategic hilltop castle overlooking fertile valleys and coast. We visited this on an adventure day in June — see the Tavira Day blog post.
- Cacela Velha is a coastal fortress controlling access to the Ria Formosa — see Não Gelato em Janeiro.
- Castro Marim is a frontier guardian standing tall on the Guadiana River. It was one of the first places we went once we got a car — see the A Whole New World blog post.
- Estômbar is a riverside stronghold watching over the Arade valley — haven’t seen yet.
- Paderne are red-stone ruins that still echo Portugal’s Reconquista. A drive up a dirt road brings you to the ruins — see Detour Ahead blog post.
- Sagres is a cliff-top fortress where the sea meets legend — — see the Tavira Day blog post.
So far we have not visited Estômbar, and the castle of Albufeira is hard to get to (we think it is just a ruin in a neighborhood).
More Castles to Explore
Not every fortress made it onto the flag, but several others remain central to the Algarve’s story. So far, we have visited:
Loulé Castle has partial walls and towers still standing in the old town — see Três Meses.
Silves was the capital of the present-day Algarve. It is a must-see castle to visit and has a medieval festival in the summer — see But First, Storks.
Tavira Castle is a medieval fortress built on Phoenician and Moorish foundations, overlooking the town and salt pans — see O Castelo de Tavira.
Beyond Algarve
Sometimes our exploring takes us farther afield — from riverside cities to inland escapes — where Portugal’s layers of history and landscape stretch well beyond the Algarve. Here are the places we explored outside of the Algarve.
- Alcácer do Sal is a picturesque town in the Alentejo on the Sado river. I wrote about this in my Peafowls blog post.
- Alcobaça lies in central Portugal, inland from the Silver Coast, and is best known for its monumental monastery. See Pencil Plans.
- Alte is a small inland village in the hills of the central Algarve, part of the municipality of Loulé. It wrote about it in Novem-bem.
- Caldas da Rainha is famous for its ceramics, particularly the legacy of artist Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro. See Pencil Plans.
- Castelo Branco is located in central Portugal near the border with Spain, about halfway between Lisbon and the northern city of Guarda. It is known for embroidered linen, it’s castle, and it’s garden, Jardim do Paço Episcopal. See Happy Meal.
- Castro Verde is a vila in the Alentejo, best known for its basilica, its role in the Battle of Ourique, and its long connection to pilgrimage routes crossing southern Portugal. See Pencil Plans.
- Évora is a beautiful medieval city just 1.5 hours from Lisbon. See the Peafowls blog post.
- Leiria is a small city in central Portugal, crowned by a hilltop castle. See Pencil Plans.
- Mértola sits in the Alentejo region of Portugal, in the district of Beja, rising above the Guadiana River. See Stone Walls & Market Stalls.
- Nazaré is known for its powerful Atlantic waves reaching over 50 feet. See Pencil Plans.
- Óbidos is a must-see medieval town encircled by stone walls, with narrow cobbled streets and colorful houses. See Pencil Plans.
- Ourém is a small hilltop town with a medieval castle. See Pencil Plans
- Porto is in northern Portugal, along the Douro River, and it’s the country’s second-largest city. It’s known for port wine,Francesinha sandwich, lively riverfront and river tours featuring its six bridges. See Detour Ahead.
- Queluz is a town in the Sintra district famous for its palace. See Pencil Plans.
- Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated in a lush environment with popular sites such as Pena Palace and Monserrate. I wrote about it in my Call Me Rita blog post.
- Tomar is best known for its Templar history, also the Convento de Cristo, the castle, and the Aqueduto dos Pegões. Every 4 years, Tomar has its Festa dos Tabuleiros (the next one is July 2027). See Pencil Plans.
- Viana do Castelo is a coastal city in northern Portugal, about an hour’s drive north of Porto. It is known for traditional folk festivals & costumes, filigree gold jewelry, and Basilica of Santa Luzia. See Detour Ahead.
🎉 Seasonal Algarve Events
The Algarve has a rhythm all its own, shaped by festivals and traditions. Each season brings its own character — winter coziness, spring blossoms, summer celebrations, and autumn gatherings.
Winter Events
Seasonal Traditions – Presépios (Nativity Scenes) and Holiday lights are everywhere. Check out Seasonal Traditions and my Third Week post. Here is a list of things to check out in December:
- Presépios – Tavira has a great Presépio at the Bomberios (fire department). There is a smaller one in little chapels around the town. Not too far from Tavira, in the town of Vila Real de Santo Antonio, is a Presépio that is simply superb. Must see. As a 2025 update, check out A Presépio Pursuit.
- Holiday lights – visit towns in the evenings to see their holiday light display.
- Musical events – the old Mercado and the churches hold concerts practically every week.
- Santa’s arrival – this occurs in multiple towns, and in Tavira it includes a cheerful parade.
Any sports going on in Winter? As a matter of fact…
- Car Rally. In November 2024, Tavira hosted a car rally. This happened on our second week in town, so don’t know much about the event. See Semana Dois.
- Tour of the Algarve. In 2025, this ran from Feb 19-23 and stage 3 ended in Tavira. I wrote about this in the Caminho dos Pombais blog post.
Spring Events
Sure it might still technicall be winter but it feels like Spring. In Feburary or Marc h look for Carnaval parades throughout the Algarve. We saw them in Tavira, Loulé and Moncarapacho. Read about it in the O Carnaval em Algarve and the Pego do Inferno blog posts.
There are many events related to Easter, Lent, and Holy week.
- Procissão Do Triunfo occurs on Palm Sunday in Tavira.
- Procissão da Enterro do Senhor happens on Good Friday in Tavira.
- Flower Torch Festival happens in São Brás de Alportel on Easter Day.
- Mãe Soberana Festival in Loulé takes place 15 days after Easter.
The Algarve Bike Challenge. Look for this event in early spring. In 2025. it was scheduled for March but was rescheduled to April due to rain.
Early April – Festival Do Contrabando (Smuggling Festival). During this event, you can walk across a floating bridge to Spain and back. See the But First, Storks blog post.
April 25 is commemorated annually. May 1st is Dia do Trabalhador (Labor Day) and when Maios appear around town. See Detour Ahead blog post.
Summer Events
A lot of celebrations happen around summer solstice, but make sure to look for the less flashy events happening too.
June 10th is Dia de Portugal (see Pieces of Peace for more info about Portugal Day).
Corpo de Deus is celebrated the Thursday following Trinity Sunday (which is 60 days after Easter). Intricate flower carpets and processions are the way this holiday is celebrated. We saw flower carpets in the town of Aljezur and the town of Ponte de Lima (east of Viana do Castelo) has some very beautiful elaborate floral carpets and a procession.
June 21-24th was when Dia de Cidade and Santos Populares festivities were celebrated in 2025. Dia de Cidade is celebrated throughout Portugal. See Tavira Day to read about it.
June is the start of Sardine season! During Santos Populares festivities, sardines are served as street food. Delicious and a must try!
Verão em Tavira (summer in Tavira)
Tavira is known for its themed fairs (feiras temáticas). This popular tradition took place from July 11th to September 7th in 2025
- Os Dias do Vinho. July 11-14 from 6pm to midnight is a wine tasting event and for
- Feira do Livro. July 17 – August 3 is the book fair.
- Feira dos Ofícios. August 6-14 is the craft fair.
- Feira de Antiguidades e Velharias. August 16-25 is the antique flea market.
- Feira de Stocks. August 28-31 are focused on local merchants.
- XI Feira da Dieta Mediterrânica: September 4-7 is the Mediterranean diet event.
Medieval Fairs
August brings the Algarve back in time with Medieval Fairs in Silves and Castro Marim. Costumes, jousts, music, and markets transform the towns into lively medieval scenes.
Noite Branca
The White Night in Loulé is a popular Algarve tradition that closes out the summer each August. The city transforms into a glowing stage of light, music, and art, where everyone dresses in white. Concerts, street performances, art installations, and local gastronomy fill the streets, creating a festive atmosphere that celebrates both urban culture and Algarve creativity. It’s the official farewell to summer—done in style.
Autumn Events
September sparks up in Tavira with the Youth Festival (Festa da Juventude). Three nights of energy take over the city: Friday kicks off with all-night concerts from 10 pm to 6 am, Saturday offers a “quiet” dance party where the music pumps through headphones, and Sunday winds down with food trucks serving street eats under the stars. It’s Tavira’s way of welcoming autumn with a burst of music, movement, and flavor.
More Portugal
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