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Full Day Tour Eastern Algarve - Private Tour

5.01 review

  • 10 hours
  • Free cancellation up to 24h before
  • 3 languages
  • Instant confirmation

Highlights

As the capital of the Algarve, Faro will be the starting point of our tour. We then travel to Olhão where you can find the most famous market in the Algarve. n Vila Real de Santo António – the furthest Eastern town in the Algarve before arriving in Spain. Located on the banks of the Guadiana River, Vila Real de Sto. António is the city most similar to the architectural structure of Lisbon, as it was built in the same way, by the Marquês de Pombal, after the 1755 earthquake Enjoy the village of Cacela Velha with its famous whitewashed houses which is located in the area of the Ria Formosa Natural Park. We will end our tour in the city of Tavira is always one of the most important stopping points during the day, as we explore the castle and the various typical churches. Tavira has a Roman Bridge going up to the Castle where you can experience one of the most breath-taking views over the city. Enjoy this wonderful tour of our eastern Algarve.

Inclusions

What's included

  • Pick up and Drop off Service
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Experienced and Professional Guide

What's not

  • and other food and drinks
  • Entrance fees to monuments, museums and any other entrance fees

Itinerary

  1. Faro is a municipality, the southernmost city and capital of the district of the same name. With an estimated population of 60,995 Faro is biggest city and second most populous municipality in the Algarve and one of the biggest in Southern Portugal. Ria Formosa lagoon attracted humans from the Palaeolithic age until the end of prehistory. The first settlements date from the fourth century BC. At the time, the area was known as Ossonoba, and was the most important urban centre of southern Portugal and commercial port for agricultural products, fish, and minerals. After Portuguese independence in 1143, began an expansion and Christian repopulation into the southern Iberian territory which had previously been occupied by the Moors. In the following years, the town became prosperous, due to its secure port and exploitation of salt. Consequently, by the beginning of the Portuguese Age of Discovery, the town was well positioned to become a leading commercial centre.

    45 min

  2. Olhão is a city and municipality in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. Located near the regional capital Faro, it is a fishing port. Along with Faro, Loulé, and Tavira, Olhão forms a conurbation with the city of Faro, from the eastern and central Algarve. During the free time in Olhão, you will be able to visit the traditional fish market, one of the most famous in the Algarve Region, where hundreds on people come everyday, to do their shopping, or simply to admire the traditions of the little beautiful city. The local market is located righ in front of the Olhão Marina and facing the Nature Reserve on Ria Formosa.

    45 min

  3. Vila Real de Santo António is a city, civil parish, and municipality in the Algarve. Vila Real de Santo António was founded after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, and largely expanded in 1774 using the same architectural and construction techniques employed in the reconstruction of Lisbon after the disaster. You will 2h30m at Vila Real de Santo António, divided into 2 parts. The first part you will have 1 hour for lunch at a local restaurant, included in the price, and after lunch, you will have 1h30min free to walk and discover this amazing city. During your 90mins free you can visit: - Marquês do Pombal Central Square; - Vila Real de Santo António Lighthouse - Mother Church - The local Marina with views to Ayamonte in Spain.

    2.2 h

  4. Fortaleza de Cacela, located in Cacela velha will be out last stop before heading back "home". From the top of the fortress, and next to the local church, you will be able to admire one of the most breathtaking views in the Algarve. The view over the Nature Reserve of Ria Formosa, with its sand banks and crystal clear waters are just amazing and one of a kind. Make sure you still have battery and space on your mobile phone and cameras, as this will definatly be a place where you want the take photos and create memories from this place.

    45 min

  5. During your free time in Tavira, there are several thing you can see nearby where the bus will drop you off. 1. Tavira Castle 2. Ancient Bridge over the Gilão river 3. Republic main square at the heard of the city 4. Bandstand garden A Little bit of history and curiosities about the city: Tavira's origins date back to the late Bronze Age (1.000-800 BC). In the 8th century BC it became one of the first Phoenician settlements in the Iberian West. During the time of Caesar, the Romans created a new port, some 7 kilometres (4 miles) from Tavira, named Balsa. Balsa became a big town, in fact much bigger than Tavira, that grew, prospered and decayed in parallel with the Roman Empire. When the Moors conquered Iberia, in the 8th Century, Balsa was already extinct as a town. Tavira is one of the cities in the country with the highes number of churces, with a total of 37 churces.

    1.5 h

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

5.0

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Ratings come from 1 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

Pickup
Pickup is included for everyone.
Ticket type
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operated by
Mare Nostrum
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

How it compares in Portimão

  • Its from-price is 162% above the median of the 314 experiences we list in Portimão.
  • It is longer than most of them.
  • By number of reviews it ranks 220 of 314.
  • The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Portimão

Portimão is a river port and fishing town on the western Algarve, with sardine grills by the quay and the sandy bays and red cliffs of Praia da Rocha.

Portimão sits at the mouth of the Arade River, and its long history of fishing and fish canning shaped the town. The old cannery now houses the town's museum, which records that trade, and the riverfront quay has rows of grills where sardines are cooked in the open air. Across the water is Ferragudo, a village of white houses with the Santa Catarina fortress at the river mouth.

Top-ranked sights in Portimão: Museu de Portimao, Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.

See all 314 experiences in Portimão

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