Santa Luzia

Tavira


The fishing village of Santa Luzia is effectively a district of Tavira these days, and it's a great place to wander to get a feel for typical Algarve life. Overlooking the channel that separates the mainland from the Ilha de Tavira, the village is famous for its polvo (octopus), which you can try in several restaurants. You'll often see fishers mending nets in their storage huts. Boat trips also leave from the waterfront here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Tavira attractions

1. Praia do Barril

1.22 MILES

At this glorious beach, you'll find several cafes and beach bars, and the remnants of a fishing settlement, with a poignant cemetery of anchors from the…

2. Biblioteca Municipal Álvaro de Campos

1.47 MILES

Architecture buffs should pay a visit to Tavira’s municipal library, which was originally the town prison. Architect João Luís Carrilho da Graça…

3. Igreja de Santiago

1.55 MILES

Just south of Tavira's castle is the whitewashed 17th-century Igreja de Santiago, thought to have been built where a small mosque once stood. The park…

4. Castelo

1.58 MILES

Tavira's ruined castle rises high and mighty above the town. Possibly dating back to Neolithic times, the structure was rebuilt by Phoenicians and later…

5. Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo

1.59 MILES

Built in Gothic style over a mosque, then rebuilt by an Italian neoclassicist following earthquake damage 500 years later, this church by the castle…

6. Camera Obscura Tower

1.59 MILES

Rising 100m high, the Torre da Tavira was formerly the town’s water tower and now houses a camera obscura at the top, reached by a lift. A simple but…

7. Ruínas Fenícias de Tavira

1.61 MILES

Astonishing archaeological remains found on this site just below the castelo date from the 8th century BC through to the 18th century AD. Digs have…

8. Palácio da Galeria

1.63 MILES

With oyster-grey baroque window mouldings and 16 hipped, terracotta-tiled roofs, this whitewashed, 16th-century palace now hosts a variety of exhibitions…