Self-Guided Tours

• Start Tavira
• End Tavira
• Length 149km; four hours

It’s a picturesque drive from Tavira north along the N397, which rises into the Algarve’s hilly interior. The sweet village of Cachopo is a typical highland settlement, with steep, pin-drop-quiet streets.

The flower-ringed, 14th-century castelo at Alcoutim has sweeping views. Inside the grounds is an excellent archaeological museum, displaying ruined medieval castle walls and other artefacts, and an exhibition on Islamic board games.

The Algarve might have 150-plus ocean beaches, but inland, Alcoutim’s cute little riverside Praia Fluvial is where it’s at. Languidly set on a bend in a narrow tributary of the Guadiana, it’s equipped with sand, a cafe, palm-leaf umbrellas and even a lifeguard! The setting is lovely, though it gets baking hot in summer.

Alcoutim has a handful of good places to eat, but O Camané, near the river in the heart of town, makes a top lunch stop. It’s a popular spot bursting with a range of Algarvian and Alentejan dishes, including porco preto (Iberian pig) and açorda (bread soup). There’s always a good selection of daily specials.

Established in 1975, the Reserva Natural do Sapal de Castro Marim is mainland Portugal’s oldest nature reserve, covering marshland and salt pans bordering the Rio Guadiana. Important winter visitors include greater flamingos, spoonbills and Caspian terns; in spring it’s busy with white storks. Walking trails with interpretive signs fan out from the park's headquarters, located 1.8km south of Castro Marim.

The huge castle complex dominating the small town of Castro Marim has an intriguing borderland history. Much of the area was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, but the ruins of the main fort are still amazing. Inside the walls is a 14th-century church, the Igreja de Santiago, where Prince Henry the Navigator is said to have prayed.

Staring across at Ayamonte in Spain over the Rio Guadiana, Vila Real de Santo António has become far quieter since the international motorway bridge opened. Designed on a grid pattern by the Marquês de Pombal after the town was destroyed by floods, the small pedestrian centre is architecturally impressive; it’s very pleasant to stroll around here and the nearby waterfront.

On the water side of the waterfront road in Vila Real, the Associação Naval do Guadiana has the best views in town. It does good seafood in the restaurant, but for an even better vista, head upstairs to the bar.

• Start Ponte Romana
• End Camera Obscura Tower
• Length 850m; two hours

Tavira's seven-arched Roman bridge, the Ponte Romana, may in fact predate the Romans. It's so named because it linked the Roman road from Castro Marim to Tavira. The structure you see dates from a 1667 reconstruction; it's been car-free since flood damage in 1989, but you can still cross it on foot.

Enduringly popular with its namesake tavirense (Tavira locals), Pastelaria Tavirense is the ultimate spot for Portuguese pastéis (custard-filled pastries), bolos (cakes), tortas (filled, rolled sponge) and sonhos (traditional doughnuts), along with strong coffee. You can dine onsite or take away.

The contemporary museum Núcleo Islâmico is built around the remains of an Islamic-era structure. It exhibits impressive Islamic pieces discovered in the area, including the Tavira vase, an elaborate ceramic work with figures and animals around the rim. On the top floor, temporary exhibitions have a local theme.

Built in 1520 when Dom Manuel I made Tavira a city, the stone archway Porta de Dom Manuel is one of the former city walls' few surviving sections. Beyond is the 16th-century Igreja da Misericórdia, whose restrained Renaissance arches contrast with the cherub-festooned baroque altar and enormous panels of azulejos (hand-painted tiles). There's a museum and regular fado (traditional music) performances.

Archaeological digs at the Ruínas Fenícias de Tavira site have unearthed part of a Phoenician wall circa 800 BC, an ox-hide altar from the 4th century BC thought to be Turdetanian (the pre-Roman Iberian civilisation), Moorish foundations from the 12th century AD and a 17th-century Portuguese mansion.

High above the town is Tavira's ruined castle. Plausibly dating back to Neolithic times, the structure was rebuilt by Phoenicians and later taken over by the Moors; most of what now stands is a 17th-century reconstruction. The interior contains an exotic botanic garden. Take care, as the ramparts don't have railings.

The 100m-high Torre da Tavira was formerly the town’s water tower and now houses a camera obscura at the top, accessed by a lift. A simple but ingenious object, the camera obscura reveals a 360-degree panoramic view of Tavira, its monuments and local events, in real time.