Quote from LonelyPlanet: “On the South East Portuguese coast, this city has a magnificent beach that goes for several miles. And the best of all is that you catch a boat to get there”

Other stories about this topic can be seen at USA Today or Yahoo News.

UPDATE:
If you want to take note, here is the Lonely Planet list with the top 10 beaches:

1. COSTA DEL SUD, Sardinia, Italy
2. COTTESLOE, Australia
3. DURBAN, South Africa
4. KARON BEACH, Thailand
5. KAUAI,Hawai, United States of America
6. AITUTAKI, Coo Islands
7. NOOSA, Australia
8. TAVIRA, Portugal
9. SAYULITA, Mexico
10. SANUR, Bali, Indonesia

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Tavira among World’s Best Beaches

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Possibly if you have been to the Algarve you heard about “Folclore Algarvio”. Here is a video/slideshow of Tavira with typical folk music in the background. It’s almost like you are there… if you understand what they are saying you’ll have a good laugh :)

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Folclore Algarvio

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These two types of population result from two specific types of ownership and different production systems which, in turn, lead to different forms of integration in the landscape. On the mountain, the settlements mainly correspond to a highly cut up tenure system, with the exception of few larger estates which chiefly belong to wealthy landowners. On the shoreline, where the settlements are more scattered, to each lot usually corresponds a single family house, in support to the estate.

In any case, the implantation of the farm houses and other buildings, whether it is on the mountain or on the shoreline, is directly related to the characteristics of the territory that is explored and on which it is based, the determining location factors being the slope, the orientation, the climate, the soil, the structure of the estate and the socioeconomic conditions of the place.

The traditional rural mountain architecture is, just as on the coastline, a projection of the territory where it has been situated and an indisputable architectonic evidence of the landscape.

As a general rule, the location of a farmhouse or village implied the existence of a number of prerequisites. The closeness to a brook was essential to the survival of the occupants, the water being used for human and animal consumption and for irrigation of the vegetable plots. The vegetable plots were located, with very few exceptions, next to the brook, in the fertile areas where earth had been deposited, while the houses were located further up, on sterile ground and on rock, on top of the hill. It is customary that such elevations are surrounded by other bigger ones, thus protecting the agglomeration of houses from the strong and cold winter winds.

Although it is not always obvious, you can see a certain logic in the location of the different functional valences of each farmhouse, particularly in the case of the smaller ones. In this way and taking as a representative example the Beliche de Cima farmhouse, on the Tavira Mountain, one can see that the houses have been built on the higher end of the agglomeration, with the rocky outcrop as a supporting base for the walls, thus keeping them dry and far from the waterlines. On a landing located further down you will find the barns and the arbours for the animals, which manure, used as fertilizer, is deposited on dunghills placed further down, very close to the vegetable plots that are located next to the brook. The pigpens have been sited more out of the way, thus sparing the village from the unpleasant odour. The hierarchy and functional organization of the implantation of this village is therefore very obvious, showing great intelligence in the utilisation and rationalisation of the space and of the existing resources.

In the larger nuclei, this organisation is not so perceivable and the different functions that initially emerge separated in small sub-nuclei, get more blended as the agglomeration grows, giving rise to more complex settlements.

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The Farm Houses of the Sotavento

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The scrubland is rich in plant life, with trees such as the maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) and the umbrella pine (Pinus pinea); the gum rockrose (Cistus ladanifer), and the tojo molar (Genista triacanthos), amongst others. The aromatic and medicinal plants such as French lavender and thyme colour and perfume their natural surroundings. Residents and visitors alike must take responsibility for protecting and preserving the Algarve.

Important Recommendations

• Never drop litter on the ground. If you go to the countryside or beach, take bag(s) for your rubbish and throw it in the appropriate bin later.
• Follow the trails in order not to damage the dune vegetation.
• Water is essential for animal life. Avoid polluting water with rubbish or detergents.
• Abandoned glass bottles can provoke fires when the sun rays hit them. Never dump bottles in the countryside or by the roadside.
• Never throw rubbish out of the windows of any form of transport, or leave it lying beside the bins.
• When shopping, choose products that have recyclable packaging.
• Give preference to green products. The European Eco-label ecologic label is a guarantee that the product causes little environmental impact during its life cycle.

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Take care of Tavira during your vacations

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Recent research carried out in Tavira’s Municipal Historic Archives brought to light new data on the history of the city. A document found in the archives reveals that another bandstand arrived in Tavira, prior to the current bandstand which can be seen in the centre of Tavira public Garden.

The bandstand that can be see today inside Tavira Garden, which has been the object of extensive studies and which is widely known, was part of the municipal executive’s plan for the construction of a public promenade along the right bank of the Gilão river, together with the purchase and setting up of a public lavatory, benches, street lamps and the respective columns. We further know, as far as the bandstand in the Picture is concerned, that it was commissioned to the Ouro Foundry and that it was transported by ship from the ironworks in Porto to Olhão, where it arrived at the beginning of 1890.

Years earlier, more specifically in the winter of 1882, the 4th Gunner Battalion, a military contingency force that comprised a musical formation, formally thanked the municipality, at the time headed by José Dionel da Franca Matos, for the financial contribution they had provided for the construction of a bandstand on the Constituição Square (Praça da Constituição). The contribution, amounting to twelve thousand réis, proved to be unnecessary for the execution of the work as, according to Manuel Cipriano Ribeiro, Commander of the 4th Gunners’ Battalion, the amount due had been obtained, in the meantime, through the support of private sponsors. The amount in excess was returned to the Municipality which, given the unexpected contribution, invested this amount in the setting up of street lamps. No other particulars regarding the artistic nature or physical structure have been found, as we only had access to the above mentioned document after the conclusion of the building of this recreational and cultural equipment in November 1882 on the Constitution Sq., today the República Sq. (Praça da República), although this does not mean that it was located on this square which is Tavira main square, as the designation of the toponymy was extensive to the former public promenade. The research has not been concluded, but we are led to believe, from recently gathered documentation, that the musical shows performed in Tavira in the 19th century, took place on more than one bandstand.

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Tavira old Bandstand

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THE OFFICIAL CELEBRATIONS WILL ALSO INCLUDE:

• Flying of flags at the Town Hall
• Awarding of Medals of Honour to personalities and well as medals of Good Services and Devotion to members of the municipal staff who have served the municipality for 20 and 30 years, at the Álvaro de Campos Municipal Library

INAUGURATIONS:

• Cabanas Parish Centre
• João de Deus Nursery School
• Calçada de Sta. Maria Parking Place
• Remodeling of the Meio Road
• Santo Estêvão Multi-sports Pavilion

Popular Saints festivities are long tradition events in Portugal, not only in Lisbon or Porto, but also in many Portuguese cities. The music, the “jumping over the fire”, the sardines, the dancing and the folk music gives a colorful and special meaning to the warm nights of June.

Post from: Tavira Guide

Tavira 24 June – day of the city

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Nevertheless I would also like to collect any feedback you may have and encourage you to share any kind of subject you would like to see in this site. Some of you might have preferences like:

“I never went to Tavira and I would like to know some nice spots to visit when I go…” or “I go to Tavira regularly and I would like to share…” or even “…I would like to go to Tavira at the local Festivals time, can you tell me when they usually happen?…”

So there… I just put out a few ideas, feel free to share or build up on those. Ah, yes and vote on the Poll, it’s just a click away in the far left column… over there –>

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Poll for Tavira tourists, residents and lovers

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The name itself comes from Moorish influences, initially called Tabira (“the hidden”), although there are many variations according to popular History: Tabira, Tavila, Talabriga (You will find some restaurants and bars with these names there).

Instead of Tavira, there are funny misspellings that lead people to this site, having a look at the visits log from Google, Yahoo or MSN, the most common ones are: Tavera, Taviera, Taveira, Tavaria, Travira

If you used to write it in another funny way, let me know in the comments :)

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Origin of the name Tavira

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UPDATE: I’ve been building an extensive repository for Webcams from all over the Algarve as I didn’t find any site with a complete collection, there you can see nice beaches like Salema Beach Lagos Webcam or Martinhal Beach Sagres Webcam in case you are interested you can see my collection of Algarve Webcams (I’m still building it, so please expect some breaks)

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Tavira Island Webcam

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From the beginning I had a Photo Section where I implemented a streaming gallery from Flickr. The difference now is that this is an internal gallery and I intend to keep it strictly with photos of Tavira. This (hopefully) will give you a very good overview of this beautiful city.

You can visit it from the link above or find the nice banner in the sidebar.

Have fun!

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Tavira Photo Gallery

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