Road Trip to Faro and Tavira

Time to get into our car and explore some other towns in the Algarve.  We headed eastwards towards Spain to go and check out two places that are very different from each other.  The harbor city of Faro has been the capital of the Algarve since 1756 and Tavira a charming little fishing town.

Tavira is a pretty little town of 26,000 inhabitants that straddles the Gilao River with its historic old town on the south side and the more local-feeling district on its north bank.  The town was once a Moorish stronghold located two miles inland from the Atlantic. We parked on the north side and headed for the old town.

The Roman Bridge, which connects both parts of Tavira, may not be Roman but was here when the Moors came.  The current structure is from 1657, with parts rebuilt after the 1989 flood.

The Church of Santa Maria and part of the medieval wall.  The Church was originally a Mosque until is was transformed in the 13th century.  It was rebuilt after being destroyed in the 1755 earthquake.  

The former 16th century convent is now a luxury hotel

A cobbled lane leading past a church facade with a gold emblem of St. James showing the saint killing Muslims with his sword.  Tavira is the starting point of Portugal's Eastern Camino de Santiago Christian pilgrimage trail.

Faro has a population of 118,000 making it the largest city in the Algarve.  The historic center is encircled by its medieval walls located next to its harbor.  Faro was captured from the Moors in 1249 by Alfonso 111 and prospered until 1596, when it was sacked and burned by the Earl of Essex.  A new city rose from the ashes only to be damaged in the 1755 earthquake. 
 The Arco da Vila is the gateway into Faro's historic quarter

 The Cathedral of Faro was consecreted in 1251.  The Bell Tower has survived invasions and earthquakes and has not changed since its inception. 
 The view from the top of the Bell Tower looking down at the Bishops Palace and Largo da Se square.  In the distance is modern Faro and its Marina.
 Igreja do Carmo Church was built in 1713 but was severely damaged by the 1755 earthquake and took until 1878 to be completely rebuilt. 
 The Capela do Ossos (Chapel of Bones) is a small chapel at the back of the church, its walls and ceiling are lined with the bones of 1,000 deceased monks.  Built in 1816 using the remains from the friars' cemetery it was designed to be a stark reminder of the transience of human life. Amen.

















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