Tavira is known as the "Venice of Portugal" as it is bisected by a broad river, the Gilão, and has lots of bridges. The foundations of the low arched briege spanning the Gilão are roman in origin (see picture). It also has nearly 40 churches, the spires of which dominate the skyline, including the Igreja da Misericordia whihc is the Algarve's most important renaissance monument with its arched portal. There is a regular ferry from the Quatro Aguas distrcit out to the Ilha de Tavira the 10km long sandune of an island which serves as Tavira's beach.

Olhão is one of the busiest and most commercially sucessful fishing ports on the Algarve and has some very good seafood restaurants. There are also a lot of fish processing plants and many of the tinned sardines and fish products for sale in Portugal originate in Olhão. The houses in the town are typically cube shaped with flat rood terraces and external staircases reflecting the close trade links once enjoyed with moorish North Africa. There are ferries to many of the offshore beaches including the Naturist Ilha da Culatra.

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