For a relaxing day in a stunning part of the Algarve, make sure you visit Tavira Island when you go on holiday to this picturesque Portuguese region. It's hard to beat the island's soft pale sands and turquoise sea when it comes to idyllic coastal scenery, giving you the perfect backdrop for a day in the sun.
Sitting just off the mainland, Tavira Island is a beautiful sandbar that stretches for over ten
kilometres along the coast. You can take a ferry from Tavira's town centre, or from the Cais das Quatro Águas, which is a couple of kilometres outside the centre towards the coast.
There are plenty of ferries to the island, with departures every half an hour from Tavira during the peak season. Tickets only cost a couple of Euros for adults, and the journey takes around 20 minutes as it takes you through the scenic Ria Formosa Natural Park.
Getting off the ferry on Tavira Island, you'll have a short walk of around 400 metres through a pine forest to get to the beach. A long Blue Flag stretch of sand, there are plenty of sun beds with parasols where you can set up camp for the day. Or, if you'd rather have a more secluded experience, walk along the beach until things get quieter.
You might not want to go too far though, as you'll be moving away from the restaurants that serve cool drinks and nice lunches. If you have a picnic lunch with you, then you can eat this in the sand before settling down for a lazy afternoon.
After you've recharged your batteries on Tavira Island's beach, spend your next day in the Algarve having some fun at Aquashow Park. Or head to Praia da Marinha to enjoy more of the golden
Portuguese sunshine.
