The 3 best beaches in Tavira

The beaches in Tavira are well known for their beauty and diverse Caiçara culture. There is room for all tourists, from all over the world, even though each one comes with different tastes and expectations.

The Beaches in Tavira

Tavira is a village on the Algarve coast, between Fuseta beach and the village of Cacela. Its coastline is precisely where the Ria Formosa meets the Atlantic Ocean, at the mouth of the River Séqua, which is now called Rio Gilão in Tavira.

The Séqua is a Portuguese river that changes its name to Rio Gilão when it reaches the Roman bridge in the city of Tavira. The Séqua river originates in Serra do Caldeirão, resulting from the confluence of the Alportel, Asseca and Zimbral rivers. It flows into the Ria Formosa, at Sítio das Quatro Águas, forming a series of small peninsulas and long islands, such as Ilha de Tavira, which is home to the beaches of Tavira.

This curious geological formation means that the region around Tavira offers a series of beaches, some with services, and others very remote. Among the best beaches in Tavira are Cabanas beach, Terra Estreita beach and Homem Nu beach.

Cabanas beach

Cabanas beach is the first of the best beaches in Tavira that we present, but the only one that is not located exactly on Tavira Island. It is located a little earlier, on Cabanas Island. Its origins come from tuna fishing, and therefore it remains a community with many fishermen. The beach is well known for offering summer and nature activities such as Windsurfing and Sailing. Its local cuisine enchants and offers a very special charm.

How to get to Cabanas Beach?

To access Cabanas Beach it is necessary to use fishermen’s boats. The journey lasts 5 minutes, starting in the town of Cabanas. The cost to rent a boat to Praia de Cabanas is approximately €1.50 round trip. Availability times are daily, from 9am to 8pm.

Terra Estreita Beach

Terra Estreita beach is the second of the best beaches in Tavira. It has a 250-meter stretch of fine white sand. Terra Estreita beach is quite isolated, which provides a lot of tranquility for visitors. It has some support equipment for tourists such as restaurants, toilets and beach huts, which cost around €7 to rent.

How to get to Terra Estreita beach?

The journey to Terra Estreita beach depends on a ferry that departs from Santa Luzia Pier. Tickets cost €1.50 one way or €2 return. The schedules largely depend on the time of year the tourist travels.

Out of season, the boats start operating at 9 am with an interval of just 30 minutes. During the summer the boats leave from 8:30 in the morning with an interval of just 15 minutes.

There is also other transports available that takes tourists to Terra Estreita beach. So-called water taxis, operated by local people, are always available, but cost a little more, especially out of season.

Homem Nu Beach

Praia do Homem Nu is an oceanic beach located in Santa Luzia that made our list of the best beaches in Tavira due to its enormous natural beauty.

As it is an area that is difficult to access and quite isolated, it is expected that there will be many naturists there. Many say that, due to the practice of naturism, the beach was named Homem Nu (naked man). On the other hand, local residents report that the origin of the name comes from a legend of a crew member who survived a shipwreck and arrived at the beach without clothes.

It is important to know that Homem Nu beach does not have any support equipment and mainly does not have lifeguards watching around it. Because of this, tourists are likely to have to bring their own supplies.

How to get to Homem Nu beach?

To access Homem Nu beach you need to have your own boat or rent a private one. It is also possible to take water taxis directly from Fuseta beach, for a cost of €10 but it can be negotiated on site depending on the local operators.

Why travel to Homem Nu beach?

The Homem Nu beach is not very popular among tourists in general, especially as it is a place well known for the practice of naturism. Access is also not very easy, as it does not have as little infrastructure as others.

However, for those looking for a stunningly beautiful setting and enjoy (or don’t mind) the practice of naturism, it will be worth getting to know a little more about this, which is certainly among the most beautiful beaches in Tavira.