Architecture buffs should pay a visit to Tavira鈥檚 municipal library, which was originally the town prison. Architect Jo茫o Lu铆s Carrilho da Gra莽a sympathetically converted the former prison鈥檚 facade and cells into a modern, harmonious cultural space in 2005, which hosts occasional exhibitions.
糖心传媒's must-see attractions
17.56 MILES
The centrepiece of the Cidade Velha, the s茅 was completed in 1251 but heavily damaged in the 1755 earthquake. What you see now is a variety of Renaissance鈥
Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo & Capela dos Ossos
17.36 MILES
One of the Algarve's most dazzling churches, this twin-towered baroque masterpiece was completed in 1719 under Jo茫o V. After the 1755 earthquake, its鈥
Igreja de S茫o Louren莽o de Matos
20.14 MILES
This baroque masterpiece was built on the site of a ruined chapel after locals, while digging a well, implored Saint Lawrence for help and then struck鈥
13.31 MILES
Encased in azulejos, this beautifully maintained museum occupies a former cork magnate鈥檚 mansion, which retains its original kitchen. It displays an ever鈥
14.28 MILES
Situated 900m west of Est贸i, these Roman villa ruins are so large and grand they were originally thought to have been a town. The villa, inhabited from鈥
20.74 MILES
On the Ilha de Faro, 9km west of the centre, the town's beach has sweeping sand, windsurfing and kitesurfing operators, and a handful of cafes. It's鈥
13.11 MILES
Castro Marim's huge castle has an intriguing borderland history. Much of the area was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, but the ruins of the main fort are鈥
1.73 MILES
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鈥
Nearby Tavira attractions
0.28 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.
0.28 MILES
Built around the remains of an Islamic-era structure, this small 21st-century museum exhibits impressive Islamic pieces discovered in various excavations鈥
0.28 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鈥
0.29 MILES
Built between 1541 and 1551, this church is the Algarve's most important Renaissance monument, with a magnificent carved, arched doorway. Inside, the鈥
0.29 MILES
Tavira's ruined castle rises high and mighty above the town. Possibly dating back to Neolithic times, the structure was rebuilt by Phoenicians and later鈥
0.3 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鈥
0.3 MILES
Just south of Tavira's castle is the whitewashed 17th-century Igreja de Santiago, thought to have been built where a small mosque once stood. The park鈥
8. Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo
0.3 MILES
Built in Gothic style over a mosque, then rebuilt by an Italian neoclassicist following earthquake damage 500 years later, this church by the castle鈥