Best of the East: Faro, Olhão, and Tavira
Faro, Portugal
- 9 to 10 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Embrace the magic of the East Algarve during a guided day trip to Faro, Olhao, and Tavira, leaving from select hotels in the Algarve region. This tour visits the charming Old Town in Faro, the elegant capital of the Algarve. Continue east to relish the mellow atmosphere in the fishing town of Olhão. Finally, explore traditional architecture at Tavira Castle, a ruin considered to be from the Neolithic era.
- Day trip to the East Algarve including the towns of Faro, Olhão, and Tavira
- Enjoy free time in Olhão, known for its distinctive cube-shaped houses
- Cross the 4th-century Roman bridge over the Gilao River
- Make use of a hotel transfer service that covers most of the Algarve region
What's Included
- Hotel pickup & drop-off: If pick up at your hotel is not available a near location will be provided
- Professional Multilingual Guided tour to Faro, Olhão, and Tavira
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- WiFi on board
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Admission Fees not included as we will be just visitng on the outside
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.9:00 am
Itinerary
Meet your guide at your Algarve hotel or the meeting point in Albufeira, and hop aboard your air-conditioned coach for your day tour of the east Algarve’s most beautiful coastal towns. Sit back and relax as you head to the capital of the Algarve, Faro.
Hop out of the car and stroll through its charming Old Town. Wind along beautiful cobblestone roads until you reach Arc da Vila. Hear how this medieval monument was erected as the gateway to Old Town after the disastrous Lisbon earthquake of 1755. Then, leisurely explore this town on your own and peek into shops for treats and souvenirs.
Continue to the neighboring town of Olhao, known for the largest fishing port in the Algarve. Venture through and see Olhao’s Moorish-style houses and learn about its commercial links with Africa. After a brief walk with your guide, grab a bite to eat for lunch (own expense). Feel free to request restaurant recommendations; your guide is happy to help.
Head to your next stop, the ancient town of Tavira. Relish the town’s impressive Renaissance churches and Roman bridges that border the Gilao River, leading to its nickname, the “Venice of the Algarve.” Then, stroll to Tavira Castle and see this partially ruined fortress thought to have been built during the days of the Neoliths. Enter this alluring monument (own expense), full of ramparts and ruins, and capture wonderful views over the surrounding park and town.
Finally, head back to the original departure point where your trip ends in the late afternoon.
Hop out of the car and stroll through its charming Old Town. Wind along beautiful cobblestone roads until you reach Arc da Vila. Hear how this medieval monument was erected as the gateway to Old Town after the disastrous Lisbon earthquake of 1755. Then, leisurely explore this town on your own and peek into shops for treats and souvenirs.
Continue to the neighboring town of Olhao, known for the largest fishing port in the Algarve. Venture through and see Olhao’s Moorish-style houses and learn about its commercial links with Africa. After a brief walk with your guide, grab a bite to eat for lunch (own expense). Feel free to request restaurant recommendations; your guide is happy to help.
Head to your next stop, the ancient town of Tavira. Relish the town’s impressive Renaissance churches and Roman bridges that border the Gilao River, leading to its nickname, the “Venice of the Algarve.” Then, stroll to Tavira Castle and see this partially ruined fortress thought to have been built during the days of the Neoliths. Enter this alluring monument (own expense), full of ramparts and ruins, and capture wonderful views over the surrounding park and town.
Finally, head back to the original departure point where your trip ends in the late afternoon.
1
Old Town Faro
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
Mercado de Olhao
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
3
Ponte Antiga
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Tavira
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 55 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
3.8
based on 28 reviews
patricia_c, Oct 2025
The guide did not wait for every one to get off the bus the guide was rubbish would not do this trip with that company again.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Patricia,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
We’re truly sorry to hear that your experience did not meet expectations. It’s very important to us that all guests feel supported and included throughout the tour, and we regret that you felt the guide did not wait for everyone to disembark properly.
Your comments have been noted and will be shared with our team to ensure better coordination and attention to detail in future tours. We’re committed to improving and providing a more enjoyable experience for all our guests.
Thank you again for your feedback.
Marjorie_F, Apr 2025
The sites visited i visited in Faro were fantastic. Shopping at the market in Olhao was great. Tavira was wonderful.
Hearing some of the history of these places were great. Best of all, Ana was a fabulous tour guide!
Cathy_W, Sep 2024
Good multilingual information provided on the bus allowed for maximum personal time exploring each location.
DIVYA_B, Mar 2024
Covered these three towns in a day and learned a bit about each, all of them having different histories and significance.
Judy_C, Feb 2024
Enjoyed the information and our guides knowledge of the areas wewere at. Shw was excellent
Tavira was a unique place and the fish/vegtable market at Olhao
Cheryl_G, Feb 2024
The drive and bus commentary were good and the highlights of Olhos and Tavira were also enjoyable. I was very disappointed as the final destination, Vila Real de Santo was dropped from the itinerary with no prior notice or announcement from the tour guide, so when I thought we were going to set off for San Antonio, I then realized that the trip was over and we were heading back. We felt that we only got 75% of what we paid for and that some credit ought to be refunded
Sylvia_W, Feb 2023
Tavira very pretty.Faro lovely to see storks nesting Proud etty villages and good market I last stop
JACQUELINE_W, Feb 2020
The pick up coach was 30 minutes late not informed it was going to be late and fobbed off with the excuse about a coach Had an accident the driver then drove like a maniac making us all feel very unsafe!!
Then the rest of the morning was rushed Faro only had enough time to look quickly at the Cathedral the next stop Olhio was a complete waste of time gave you enough time to look at the market which really was not interesting and then straight back to the coach would have seen enough just driving through the next 2 stops were much better although the last stop 1 1/2 hours would have been long enough and another 1/2 hour in Faro the wifi was not working and we had to sit right at the back very uncomfortable and hot trouble getting out of the seat as so cramped only fit for kids?
The Guide got off the coach leaving us behind as it took everybody so long to get off😡🙄 struggling to catch up and we are fast walkers would not recommend this tour especially after such a good tour a few days previous
artare04, Feb 2020
This was the worst tour I have ever experienced. We were joined to the tour late, the tour guide was rude to us and she made absolutely no effort to keep couples together on the bus by putting singles together. We were two couples that got split with other singles. The tour guide could have asked two of the singles to double up to keep us together but did not. She spent more time talking to the driver than talking about the sights and scenery. When we arrived at an interest stop all she did was drop us off and everyone was on their own. I was never so glad for a tour to çome to an end as I was this tour. I would never recommend the East Algarve tour from this company to anyone. It was a ripoff. They need to get rid of that tour guide. I was unable to split the star in half for the rating. One star is too much!
Sabita_V, Jan 2020
While the idea of the trip is good the actual trip was not that great. The tour guide did not speak in english much and often made comments about sites after we had passed them.
pierrelaplante48, Mar 2016
I found the stops too long.... It was nice to be able to see those places, and get a sense of them. The long lunch was also a nice experience -- and the food excellent. But that long lunch combined with the frequent and lengthy stops at each place made for a day that could have been shortened by 1/3 to 1/4, without reducing the effectiveness and pleasure of the experience. On another point: my 'guestimation' was that our group was about 50/50 English and German. What was a comment among the anglophones was that it was clear the German language portion was significantly longer than the English. The history I did hear was informative. But it left me wondering what was being said in German that took so much more time.
Petra B, Sep 2015
Nothing interesting,wery boring tour...and go to Spain was waisting time.
Nigel B, Apr 2015
Despite a cool and windy day the scenery, commentary and facilitation was very good. Only downside was having the same information given in four languages.
Sharon maclean r, Jan 2015
it was a great tour but we never got to Almancil to see the church and I was disappointed about that.
Elena C, Dec 2014
Horrible tour and horrible guide. Celia should resign - she spent whole day talking to the driver and didn't provide any, any info. Three hours to collect the guests! Unbearable day!
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Best of the East: Faro, Olhão, and Tavira
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