Beach on the Ilhe de Tavira in the morning light, Tavira, Algarve, Portugal

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Praia da Ilha de Tavira

The Algarve


This huge white-sand beach at the island's eastern end, opposite Tavira, has operators for water sports (such as windsurfing and kitesurfing), beach bars and a campground in summer. Outside the peak months of July and August, it feels wonderfully remote and empty.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Algarve attractions

1. Arraial Ferreira Neto Museum

0.73 MILES

Quaint displays at this tiny tuna-fishing museum include a diorama of the complex tuna-netting system, mannequins in period dress, model boats and black…

2. Quatro Águas

0.78 MILES

You can walk 2km east along the river, past the fascinating, snowlike salt pans to Quatro Águas. The salt pans produce tip-top table salt and attract…

3. Biblioteca Municipal Álvaro de Campos

1.73 MILES

Architecture buffs should pay a visit to Tavira’s municipal library, which was originally the town prison. Architect João Luís Carrilho da Graça…

4. Porta de Dom Manuel

1.97 MILES

Built in 1520 when Dom Manuel I made Tavira a city, this stone archway is one of the few surviving sections of the former city walls.

5. Praça da República

1.97 MILES

For centuries this town square on the riverfront served as a promenade and a marketplace, where slaves were traded along with fish and fruit. Today a…

6. Núcleo Islâmico

1.98 MILES

Built around the remains of an Islamic-era structure, this small 21st-century museum exhibits impressive Islamic pieces discovered in various excavations…

7. Igreja da Misericórdia

1.99 MILES

Built between 1541 and 1551, this church is the Algarve's most important Renaissance monument, with a magnificent carved, arched doorway. Inside, the…

8. Ruínas Fenícias de Tavira

1.99 MILES

Astonishing archaeological remains found on this site just below the castelo date from the 8th century BC through to the 18th century AD. Digs have…