Gorgeous expanse of sandy beach only reachable by boat. Tavira 'island' is in fact separated from the mainland by a lagoon. There are cafes and restaurants near the jetty but no roads or cars. In the summer you can get a boat from the centre of Tavira down the River Gilao (c.12mins), at other times of the year, the boats run from 'Quatro Aguas' (c.5mins), just a km or so out of town (its actually a really nice walk along the flat through the salt pans). The beach has something for everyone, parasols and lifeguards at one end but walk a kilometre and its it turns into one of Portugal's great naturist beaches. Its really popular with surfers too when the tide is right. For the energetic, you can keep walking until you get to Barril Beach (about 3.5km) from where you can catch a toy train across the nature reserve to Pedras D'el Rei (ocassional buses back to Tavira). Even better, do it the other way round when the tide is out, its a stunning walk (and you'll have the sun and teh wind behind you). Looking for somewhere to stay in Tavira? There's a campsite on the beach but also plenty of apartments and hotels in town, try http://www.stayintavira.com . read more

No visit to Tavira would be complete without at least one day spent on the lovely Ilha de Tavira. Despite the fact that neither B or I are really beach people we spent 2 out of 5 days on our recent mini break on the Ilha; it's a place I always look forward to visiting whenever I have the good fortune to be in town. If you are staying in Tavira itself, between June and August, you can take a short ferry ride to the Ilha from the centre of town. The pickup point is just beyond the old market and a return fare will cost you a couple of euros (we caught the last ferry of the season this year on Sunday the 1st of October). At this time of year they were running on the hour from the morning until early evening but there is more of a service in the high season. Alternatively you can catch a ferry all year round at Quatro Aguas which is a 20 to 30 minute walk away, or you can get a cab to the pickup point for round 4 euros. Aqua taxis are also available from both locations if you are feeling flush this is a good option for getting back if you want to stay late on the Ilha. The ferry ride is a pleasure in itself with plenty to see including a good view of the salt pans and if you are lucky flamingos and other wildlife I know a few folk who just take the ferry ride and never set foot on the beach. When you arrive you will have a short walk until you reach the campsite and the strip which has a number of café's and restaurant. There is plenty here to suit all tastes, from traditional Portuguese cuisine through to burgers and pizza. A couple of my favourites are Restaurante Ze Maria, which is great for a seafood feast, and the Sunshine bar which plays some nice tunes and is good for a beer and a snack. This area is very tasteful and nicely put together money seems to be spent every year keeping the place spruced up. Be warned that they shut up shop in early to mid-October and open again in April/May. Beyond you have the beautiful beach itself which is spotlessly clean and looks pretty smart with numerous tasteful loungers and umbrellas for hire. If you want to lie on the beach but don't want to pay for these facilities simply move along to the right for about 5 minutes or so and you will get to an undeveloped and unspoilt area. Go a bit further and you get to the area where you will be free to take off all of your clothes and soak up the sun as god intended. If you wander to the left you will find a small jetty with a lighthouse type structure on it; the waves break quite impressively here and it's home to the local surfing fraternity. During the high season there will be lots of activity on the beach football and volleyball pitches. My idea of a nice day out on the Ilha is to get a mid-morning ferry over and drop into the Sunshine bar for a drink, spending some time chilling with the papers and having a chat before heading onto the beach and turning right for a stroll along the wet sand to the nearby Barril Beach. The walk will take you a little over an hour depending on your pace and the strength of the sun (make sure you take some water and a hat). During the season there is a very nice beach bar situated half way along the walk where you can stop for a cold refreshment I think this is connected to one of the local hotels who transport their residents this part of the beach free of charge. Don't turn back here though because it's well worth pressing on to Barril where you will find plenty to occupy and amuse you for an hour or two. Barril beach is based around a collection of beautifully restored white washed buildings which in previous times were home to a tuna fishing community it's now a relatively quiet tourist hub although it seems to get busier every year. There are few restaurants come snack bars where you can take a drink and your lunch. There is a nice shady terrace outside one of the café's which is a good place to unwind with a cold Sagres while you decide on what you will have for your lunch. The tuna salad with a mixed selection of pulses is very tasty goes down very well after a walk and will not rest too heavy on the stomach on your return journey. If you are not in a rush there are a few shops you can wander around and when we visited there was a nice exhibition of photographs of the old tuna fishing community. If you are not in a rush you might also want to take a ride on the miniature train which is fun and ferries people from the nearby resort of Pedras D'el Rei to the beach. The walk back always seems a little bit further but you will have the sun on your back and there is usually a good breeze you to help you back to the ferry (if you are a kite flyer this is a great spot to try out some new moves without endangering the general public). If it's high season you might want to consider staying on the Ilha to have dinner and spend the evening hanging out on the beach where there will be camp fires and music . read more

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