Tavira this summer Summer of 2012
So Tavira the sleepy little city in the East of the Algarve region of Portugal. It promotes itself as a City of Culture and this it certainly is. Sleepy it certainly isn´t especially in the summer months.
So Tavira the sleepy little city in the East of the Algarve region of Portugal. It promotes itself as a City of Culture and this it certainly is. Sleepy it certainly isn´t especially in the summer months.
This has been a particularly challenging year for Portugal and the impact on Tavira is no less than the rest of the country. If anything the fears have been greater. Tavira has an impressive history as a trading and sea-faring port. It has always been associated with the sea although this belies what goes on in the hinterland in places like Cachopo and Santa Catarina. Nowadays there is a fishing fleet but nowhere as big as the city down the road Olhão. Tourism is the bread and butter for this City and the council is fully aware of this.
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| Tavira Youth Orchestra |
Restrictions on budgets, both for the City and the Algarve region has impacted on direct financial support for the tourist industry. Draconian financial measures such as a huge increases in IVA (Vat) up to 23 percent have hit Restaurants and Golf courses alike. The despised tolls on the A22 motorway that runs from Spain and across the Algarve and the appalling way the central Government has managed the toll implementation all led to voices of doom emanating from every nook and cranny. The Portuguese like the British excel at drinking out of half full glasses.
So has all the predicted doom and gloom come to fruition? Probably too early to say until accurate statistics are available. But on the ground and living in this area my feeling is that after a slow start in Spring the summer months have been full to overflowing with tourists. The local restaurants seem to be doing well and occupancy rates in the apartments looks good. From the number of Spanish cars on the road the tolls have not deterred our neighbours from coming to this wonderful part of and this certainly was a big worry. The French seem to be here in big numbers as well although the number of French registered cars can be deceptive with so many Portuguese living in that country and coming back home for their holidays.
So has all the predicted doom and gloom come to fruition? Probably too early to say until accurate statistics are available. But on the ground and living in this area my feeling is that after a slow start in Spring the summer months have been full to overflowing with tourists. The local restaurants seem to be doing well and occupancy rates in the apartments looks good. From the number of Spanish cars on the road the tolls have not deterred our neighbours from coming to this wonderful part of and this certainly was a big worry. The French seem to be here in big numbers as well although the number of French registered cars can be deceptive with so many Portuguese living in that country and coming back home for their holidays.
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| Crowds watching an event in the Praça da Republica Tavira |
I think a great credit must go to the local Tavira Council and the surrounding Fregusia. There have been events throughout the spring and summer months to go to in Tavira itself and every village seems to be holding a fair or event every other week.To walk through the centre of Tavira on an evening is quite an eye opener. There are so many people milling about, looking at the various stalls at the Artisans and Antiques fairs or looking at the books when the Book fair was on. There has been Fado nearly every week somewhere in Tavira. The locals love their Fado and are very knowledgeable but the tourists also seem fascinated by this uniquely Portuguese form of music. And the performers are nearly all local.
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| Artisans Market in Tavira |
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| Suma Covjek Orkestar Playing at Cenas Tavira |
This weekend again there is a plethora of activities going on. Tonight, Friday the band Banda Hexágono are playing in the Praça da Republica in Tavira while at the club known as Cenas Tavira there is a tribute to the Portuguese jazz musician Sérgio Mestre. If you want some Fado, the local star of Fado, Márcio Gonçalves plays in the wonderful gardens at Pedras d´el Rei in Santa Luzia. And this is just Friday. So much happening so little time!! Long may it continue
For more information about Tavira and a listing of what´s happening in and around Tavira go to http://www.tavira-today.com. Anyone wishing to place their events on the listing please fill the form in on the right hand column.
