Full Day Tour Eastern Algarve - Private Tour

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.