Tavira, Algarve

After a late night flight to Faro, we rented a car and drove 30 minutes along Portugal’s eastern Algarve coast to Hospedaria, a rural countryside hotel, nestled in between Tavira. This dreamlike boutique hotel is run by Rui and his team, who have managed to capture the pure beauty and spirit of eastern Portugal, while incorporating elements of vintage and French antique design into this humble abode.

Our room was just a short walk away. The rooms are minimalistic, with white walls, concrete flooring, eclectic furniture and contemporary art pieces.

We woke up to the sound of classical music and birds chirping. We were then welcomed by a breakfast spread. Each dish was brought out one by one, including a bread basket, fresh orange juice, yogurt, locals meats & cheeses, scrambled eggs, and a delicious slice of cake made of strawberry compote. The table was set with antiques and fresh sage.

After a leisurely start to the day, we set off to explore the southeastern corner of the Algarve. We drove all the way to Ayamonte, the charming seaside port city which borders Spain. On our way back, we past through the medieval town of Castro Marim. This town is known for its medieval castle as well as its natural salt reserve. If you make it to this town, make sure to stop in the gourmet shop Salmarim on your way out. You can learn all about how salt is harvested. After learning about how seawater is turned into salt, make sure to take back original Algarvian fleur de sel in a beautiful little cork container.

We then drove to Praia Verde. This is one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. It was completely untouched, despite the vast sandy beach and beautiful blue water.

After a couple hours we headed back towards Tavira. For a drink with a view, stop at Guarita, a modern beach bar perched on the top of the cliff overlooking the beach. Although we didn’t stop here, it has a really good atmosphere and is definetly worth checking out next time.

We then stoped at Cacela Velha. This picturesque town is perched above the vast Praia de Cacela Velha, what is considered the most beautiful beach in all of Portugal. Its wildly untamed sandy shore becomes less visible around 4pm, when the tide is high.

You can walk around this little town in about 5 minutes. Theres a small church, a restaurant, and what seem to be private homes. Its whitewashed walls look similar to some Greek islands.

For an aperitivo, stop at Casa da Igreja. This small establishment serves oysters and tapas. There's no sign but you really can't miss it. You'll most likely be the only non-locals/english speakers, but dont worry, just point to what the people sitting next to you have ordered and all will be well!

After slurping back half a dozen oysters and cold white wine from the Douro valley, we made our way back towards the hotel. We stopped at Pensao Agricola, the sister property to Hospedaria. It is just next door to Hospedaria, and very similar in design and atmosphere.

Rui recommended a seaside dinner spot called Noélia. With an extensive seafood menu, including Portuguese classics with a twist, we opted for a sea bass carpaccio, gazpacho, and a prawn & seafood soup as a main. We had this along with a bottle of local Portuguese white wine. The meal was full of flavour and vibrant colours.