Dancing In Tavira At The Hotel Vila Gale Tavira

Tavira

“A unique opportunity to holiday in an authentic historic Algarvian town”

Jonathan Plumridge,

Managing Director

Hotel description

Vila Gale Tavira ****

4-star | Tavira

The 4-star Hotel Vila Galé Tavira has been skillfully designed to blend unobtrusively into its historic surroundings, successfully combining elements of local traditional architecture with modern facilities. Unusually for a town centre hotel it offers a full array of resort facilities, including a large outdoor pool and sun lounging area, and a spa facility incorporating a heated indoor pool. The charming historic centre of the town, featuring a delightful riverside park and a fascinating medley of Portuguese architectural styles, lies only a gentle 5-minute stroll from the hotel. Just beyond, a short climb to the remains of Tavira castle is rewarded with lovely views over the town and the River Gilão that runs through it. A scenic sandy beach, backed by restaurants and bars, can be reached by a regular shuttleboat service that operates from a nearby quayside that lies within easy walking distance of the hotel.

Rooms: 262 bedrooms with bath/shower and balcony. All rooms have telephone, hair dryer, heating/air-conditioning, satellite TV, radio, mini-bar, safe (small charge), 24-hour room service.

Other Features: Buffet restaurant, a la carte restaurant, pool bar, indoor bar, outdoor pool, health spa and indoor pool (extra charges), games area, occasional daytime and evening entertainment with quizzes, and occasional live music.

Wi-Fi: Free of charge in both the hotel's public areas and bedrooms

Tavira

Tavira is a charming well-preserved historic Algarvian town rather than a purpose built resort. There are intriguing old streets and alleyways, beautifully decorated Baroque churches and an elegantly laid out riverfront to explore. There are also authentic traditional Portuguese shops to enjoy and a fine selection of bars and restaurants. Tavira’s documented history as a town of significance dates back to Roman times when it began to develop around an important crossing point on the River Gilão. By the 16th century, as a major trading port, it could justifiably claim to be the most important town in the Algarve. A subsequent fall in importance however, due to the silting up of the river, forestalled any further development to its historic centre, bequeathed it to the future as an unspoilt historic monument.

The Eastern Algarve

Unlike the Western Algarve, which is largely characterised by sandstone cliffs, the far less visited Eastern Algarve is defined by lagoons, sandbanks and marshes, attracting large numbers of migratory birds in the spring and autumn. In terms of touristic interest it features the memorable frozen-in-time historic towns of Tavira and Vila Real de Santo Antonio, the highly picturesque fishing village of Cacela Velha, and the imposing Knights Templar fortress of Castro Marim. An unexpected and highly valued bonus for many visitors is the possibility of spending a day in the magical timeless Spanish city of Seville, a treasure chest of beautiful Andalucian traditional architecture and the scenic spiritual home of one of opera’s best-loved personalities, Bizet’s Carmen.

Optional Excursion Possibilities

Magical Seville (must be pre-booked): Enjoy a guided tour of the beautiful parks, squares, alleyways and historic monuments of Spain’s most romantic city before enjoying time at leisure to explore.

Historic Faro: Stroll the ancient streets of the old town, visiting the atmospheric Cathedral and the opulently decorated Carmo Church, before enjoying time at leisure for further independent explorations.

Into The Hills: A delightful jeep safari explores swathes of unspoilt Algarvian hill country, visiting orange, lemon, cork and olive groves, picturesque villages, and artisan outlets producing local handicrafts.