Tavira It is a beautiful little island off the Portuguese coast, in the no less beautiful region of Algarve. It is only eleven kilometers long and now that we are very close to summer holidays we can take it into account because it owns spectacular beaches.
It is part of Ria Formosa Natural ParkHas Blue Flag beaches and beyond the typical accommodation for the tourist it has a wide camping area so you can go with your tent in tow and enjoy nature.
Tavira Island
To the island you can only get there by boat, boats that leave from the port of Quatro-Aguas and from the center of the city of Tavira. The main options to cross are the Aqua-Taxi or the Ferry and the crossing is only a few minutes.
The ferry between Tavira and Quatro Aguas runs all year round except when the weather is bad. Out of season its hours are between 9 am and 5 pm but from July 1 to September 5 the first boat departs at 8 am from Quatro Aguas and at 12:30 from the island, round trip.
There are also Water Taxis but they have more restrictive hours outside of the summer season. If you go in summer, you will have no problems. A water taxi from Quatro Aguas to the island can cost around 8 euros and costs an extra 25% at night.
As we said above the island of Tavira is only eleven kilometers long but its width varies between one kilometer and 150 meters. Many believe that its beaches are the best in the Algarve region as they combine nature, nudism, flamingos and birds.
It is a very touristy island in summer but luckily it is well organized to receive visitors, so, as the boats arrive, everything is accommodated in the parking lot, which is quite large. The beaches have restaurants and public baths in the summer season and it is the main beach that has the Blue Flag due to the quality of its waters, its cleanliness and its environmental care.
Lovers of going out camping find in Tavira an ideal destination since the camping park is great: it offers capacity for 1550 users in its 35.00 square meters of surface with many pine trees that provide shade, security cameras and good services.
The beaches are calm, with white sands and crystal clear waters although not very warm. You can take a boat ride along the coast to see the local flora and fauna, especially the aquatic and migratory birds in the area. The first beach that you find when you get off the boat is the most popular and the one with the most people. You reach it after walking about 400 meters through a pine forest, with beach bars and restaurants around it. If you keep walking you will reach the other beaches that tend to be quieter with people.
Then, on the island of Tavira everything revolves around walking and the beach. The further you walk, the calmer you will be. Even there are parts of some beaches that are nudist. For example, if you walk about 40 minutes you will arrive at Praia do Barril, a former fishing village turned into a tourist destination. It is big, long and wide and has a very popular nudist sector.
Summarizing, the island has four beaches: the first is Praia Tavira, then comes the Terra Estreita Beachafter the Barril Beach and finally the Naked Man Beach.
If you kept thinking about him nudismYou must have two beaches in mind: Barril Beach and Naked Man Beach. They are your best destination. The first is almost an extension of the island itself. The old fishermen's houses were converted into restaurants and cafes and in general there are not many people and if you go a little further, about two kilometers, you arrive at the nudist sector.
Now, if you continue your walk you get to the other beach and there you can also take off your clothes without problem. Naked people, soft white sands, blue waters but very cold!
Nudist people came here in the mid-80s, especially Germans and Dutch. In the following decade the nudist aspect of the coast was settling and then it began to appear in the tourist guides LGTB. For a while now it lost some popularity for some neighboring beaches such as the Spanish Nueva Umbria or Cabela Velha but it still exists. Of course, there are no services, facilities or life guards.
Few people live in Tavira, so there are few houses. The vast majority were built in the 40s and there is a ban on building new ones and these cannot be sold either. There are supermarkets, bars, restaurants and ATM. The campsite is only open from May to September, not to forget.
Let's say that visiting the island is just enjoying nature, a day at the beach, the water and the sun. Nothing more. A day trip lovely from the town of Tavira.