I’ve visited the island Ilha de Tavira in the south of Portugal many times and its beauty is breath-taking. It’s a tiny island; there are a few houses, a large campsite, no cars (except a couple of tractors) and a long beautiful beach.

Beach

The beach is amazing! You can go for long walks (there is a nudist section further away… I’m just saying… ;), go swimming in the wild ocean waves or have a bit of a rest under the (rentable) beach umbrellas. On the other side, there is a calmer shore which might be more suitable for the little ones.

Campsite

As you know, camping is my favourite, so I was very happy to camp on Ilha de Tavira. The campsite is big and very clean, with many toilet facilities (cold water is free), a shop and a bar, free Internet (near the reception area) and a small playground. And you can listen to the waves & cicadas and see the starts at night 🙂

Boats

There are regular boat services from the mainland and it takes around 20 minutes to get to the island from Tavira. You could also plan a little trip to the other islands, the Ria Formosa Natural Park or to go diving.

Which is your favourite Portuguese island? Share your recommendations in the comments below.

Written by Kinga Macalla