Tavira Market Square – Tavira Salt Pans loop from Porta Nova

Hiking trails & Routes

Portugal

Algarve

Tavira (Santa Maria)

Tavira Market Square – Tavira Salt Pans loop from Porta Nova

Moderate

4.5

(88)

343

hikers

Tavira Market Square – Tavira Salt Pans loop from Porta Nova

04:21

17.0km

50m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The route includes a crossing by ferry. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 27, 2026

This route includes a ferry crossing

Tips

Includes a ferry crossing

Check ferry timetable.

After 3.46 km for 695 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

1.20 km

Tavira Market Square

Highlight • Settlement

Cozy place with many restaurants and English tourists.

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1.77 km

Tavira Salt Pans

Highlight • Structure

A lot of salt is extracted here and you can see huge piles at the processing halls (see photo).

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7.09 km

Praia da Terra Estreita na Ilha de Tavira

Beach

8.26 km

Beach

9.04 km

Seashell Beach on Ilha de Tavira

Highlight • Beach

At the Ilha de Tavira, shell seekers find their paradise. An incredible variety of shells and sea snail houses line in various sizes and color variations line the path along the beach.

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9.48 km

Anchor Cemetery, Praia do Barril

Highlight • Monument

The Anchor Cemetery is an impressive collection of over 200 rusty ship anchors on the beach of Praia do Barril, near Tavira, Algarve, Portugal. These anchors were once used in …

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9.68 km

Anchor Cemetery (Cemitério das Âncoras)

Highlight • Monument

The past of Barril beach is linked to tuna fishing. Here you can see the anchors, remains of the old fishing equipment. It is locally known as the "graveyard of anchors":

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9.69 km

Pedras d’El Rei Narrow-Gauge Railway

Highlight (Segment) • Structure

Take the train to the beach for €2. You can also walk.

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10.8 km

Salt Marshes at Pedras d'el Rei

Highlight • Natural

Salt marshes have also formed in the lagoon area of Pedras d'el Rei.

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16.2 km

Tavira Roman Bridge

Highlight • Bridge

It remains impressive, such a bridge that has stood the test of time and is still in use.

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17.0 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

5.89 km

5.09 km

3.16 km

2.16 km

695 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

4.86 km

4.71 km

4.52 km

1.67 km

1.30 km

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Tuesday 20 October

23°C

11°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 6.0 km/h

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Comments

May 20, 2024,Ilha de Tavira

After having already driven to Tavira twice for dinner, we took a closer look at the lovely place. A lot of renovation work is being done and although there are a lot of tourists here during the day, it is relatively quiet. We walk to the second ferry dock and then squeeze into the ferry with the other excursionists. The …

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October 18, 2024,🇵🇹Ilha de Tavira - Praia do Barril - Tavira - Santa Luzia Runde mit Zug, Muscheln und Schiff

1km by narrow gauge train to Praia do Barill and about 3km by boat from Ilha de Tavira into Tavira.

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October 2, 2022,03 Wanderung über die Ilha de Tavita durch Tavita & Santa Luzia nach Pedras d‘ El Rei

A top-class tour of the beach and salt flats!
We modified the Michael Rother Algarve Tour 32 a bit. Didn't walk back along the beach but passed the salt flats to the starting point Pedras d'el Rei.

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September 28, 2023,Bei lockeren ☀️ 30 Grad Algarve pur. Tavira ➡️ Ihla Tavira ➡️ Santa Lucia ➡️ Tavira

Of the entire tour, 3 km are by ferry and 1 km by small train. So 13.6 km on foot 🙂🙃.
Pure Algarve...you have to see it.
The beach is a dream.

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March 26, 2022,Portugal - Algarve - Tavira - Praia do Barril and Ilha de Tavira circular tour

Our Rating: 8.5/10 (massive Mercado, interesting salt pans, fishing village, long stretch of beach, little ferry, nice end with a fancy cocktail bar)

March 28, 2025,Santa Luzia - Tavira - Ilha de Tavira

The hike is essentially a triathlon, using public transport: bus, boat, and train. Thus, the hike is only 8 km.

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May 20, 2024,🇵🇹 Wanderung zur Ilha de Tavira

A very nice hike from Santa Luzia to Ilha de Tavira. You walk over a bridge and then you can take a narrow-gauge railway to the island and then you reach Praia do Barril. We walked... it's just as quick.
On the island we also started our app 🙃🫣
There are many old anchors in the dunes from the time …

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