Jo’s Monday walk : A back street tour of Tavira

Tavira’s new bridge

A change of pace today. I’ve managed to complete a circular walk around Calçadinha de Sáo Brás de Alportel , and also around the waterfall in my Christmas themed Loulé walk, in the last few weeks but restrictions have arrived. Having kept our head above water throughout most of the pandemic, numbers in Portugal rocketed after Christmas. So, for now, I’m back to local walks. It’s not a serious hardship. I took off one morning with a spring in my step, to check out a few nooks and crannies.

Gardens within the town are mostly of the patio variety, a simple courtyard with pots of colour. Here and there a bougainvillea creeps up a wall and a chair is strategically placed. Most often in the shade.

  • Just space for a table
  • New apartments in a grand setting
  • Up the hill, we look back down

Not everywhere is beautifully maintained. Tavira has its share of unloved and tumbledown. Cracks abound. But for every sad ruin there is a carefully nurtured home. And some of the doors are exquisite.

We’ve climbed to the oldest part of town now. The ancient water tower conceals a Camera Obscura within. A good way to observe the town in its entirety, it stands shoulder to shoulder with the Santa Maria church. Once both were enclosed by the town walls, whose remnants provide beautiful views across the salt marshes and out to sea.

A gentle descent, through a choice of back streets, will bring you to the Praca da Republica, the main square, overlooking the river. It’s unnaturally quiet here at the minute, used as I am to a friendly buzz of people sharing coffee, cake and life stories. I walk on through the riverside gardens, where even the terrapins in the bandstand pool seem to be avoiding me. The new bridge hasn’t yet had its unveiling but looks ready for action.

Fishing boats ride at anchor, the days’ catch waiting for takers. I approach the flyover, with its sweeping views. The river meanders out to meet the Ilha and I stop to watch the storks performing aerobatics. There are a couple in the nest and it’s fascinating to watch them glide through the air. I turn away discreetly when the noisy courtship begins.

It’s not a bad place to be marooned, is it? Hopefully the restrictions will be short-lived as numbers in the Algarve are already declining. We’ll beat this thing yet! And in the meantime, the bakers are still open. Naughty cake, anyone?

  • Raspberry and lemon cheesecake
  • Or chocolate Toblerone cake?
walking logo

A few shares this week, some of them looking very cold! I wish you could share the sunshine. Do visit, if you can! It’s nice to have a bit of company in these lonely times. Join me on Jo’s Monday walk whenever you like.

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Walk slowly to appreciate Inese’s wild Irish scenery! It’s in 2 parts :

Crotty’s Lake 1

Crotty’s Lake II

If you’ve never walked with Madhu you have a real treat in store :

Brussels – Exploring History Through Architecture

And just to remind us it’s Winter! Thanks, Rupali :

Weekend 113: A walk in fresh snow

Weekend 114: Winter settles in

Everyone knows the Canadians love snow, don’t they, Lynn?

Please come out & play

I love a coastal walk, but I do prefer blue skies, Anabel. I’m sure you do too :

Fife Coastal Path: Cellardyke to St. Monan’s

Fife Coastal Path: Cellardyke to Crail

Drake plays with nature and the wintery light :

Cool walk

Eunice has a love of street art. This is her latest collection :

Manchester street art 2020

For me, boats do it! Follow me to Norway with Cadyluck. It’s a bit cool though :

Haugesund, Norway: On the Waterfront

I’ll be back in a couple of weeks. Up north Spring is coming. It’s already here! Take care of each other, and keep walking!

120 comments

  1. Dear Jo,
    really great pictures – and we write this although we are not lovers of the South. But we had to live in Greece, Spain and Portugal for a while and see that you caught this southern atmosphere very well.
    Wishing you all the best
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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    1. I think I must be a southerner by inclination, Klaus. I hate the cold and I love the wonderful light here. It’s always a pleasure to welcome you to my world, and thank you for the kind words 🤗💕💕💕

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  4. Your home town. So there you are, after how little time. We’re extraordinarily lucky to have such beauty even in lockdown, you and I. I’m particularly fond of shadows your bright light produces. I do wish you wouldn’t keep tempting with cake though. My treat’s a biscuit and vegemite. Stay safe and stay well. No need to say stay walking.

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    1. Hello sweetheart 🙂 🙂 I’ve noticed you pop in from time to time, and every time I think I’ll drop Meg a line tonight! Good to know you’re still out there, and thriving on vegemite 🙂

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  5. Well it’s definitely not a bad spot to be locked down in! And those blue skies – could be summer. I’d be perfectly happy wandering around the town especially when you can still buy cake! We are in for another storm, rain and wind though I think Cornwall escapes the worst of it this time. I hope so. My conservatory still hasn’t been fixed.

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    1. Oh, that flippin conservatory! Yes, 16/17C by mid afternoon- almost an English summer. We’re wondering if the current restrictions will lift enough to let us do our traditional almond blossom walk at the end of this month. 🙂 🙂

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  8. What a delightful walk to participate in from a chair on my front porch in the sun. I see why local walks aren’t a problem. And there at the end was my favorite way to end one of your walks. Ahh, the joys of virtual calories. 🥰

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  9. It’s a lovely part of the world you live in. I think I like the older, less than perfect properties best. Even when I’m house hunting, I’m drawn to the fixer -uppers. Can’t go wrong with either of those cakes!

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  17. Portugal is a very long way from here, but I felt like I walked it, too. Loved the contrast between church walls and deep azure sky, but my favorite was the town square looking, as you said, ready for action.

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  20. A lovely walk with blue sky and sunshine to brighten up a dull rainy day 🙂 Great photos as always and so much to like but my favourite is the main square, it looks really lovely there 🙂

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