Venice’s winding canals and rich history are loved by tourists the world over, but you can find equally stunning waterways and fascinating culture in lesser-travelled parts of Europe too.
And given the Italian destination’s ongoing struggle with overtourism, now’s the perfect time to be checking out destination dupes for Venice.
Last month, the city’s authorities confirmed plans to double its entry cost for day trippers, meaning the current €5 (£4.20) price will increase to €10 (£8.30) for travellers who book less than four days in advance.
Fortunately, there’s a lesser-known town that promises a similar experience without the fee — but it’s not in Italy.
Tavira, in Portugal, is often referred to as ‘the Venice of the Algarve’ thanks to its picturesque plazas and meandering river.
But the town has its own unique identity that makes it an excellent base for exploring all the Algarve has to offer, from white sandy beaches to medieval landmarks.
Sign up to The Getaway newsletter
Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here.
Caroline Rowe, award-winning travel creator and founder of Pack the Suitcases, recently spent a month in Tavira.
She told Metro: ‘While Venice has its unique system of canals and a constant stream of tourists, Tavira is set on the banks of just one river, the Gilão, and it’s much quieter and more laid back.
‘But it has its own charm, with classic Portuguese whitewashed buildings and bougainvillea-lined streets. It’s a beautiful town to wander around, popping into museums, galleries and churches before finding a cafe to sit outside and watch the world go by.’
She recommends visiting the market on a Saturday morning to buy delicious local produce for a picnic by the river. ‘I also love that Tavira is on a railway line, so you don’t need a car to do some easy day trips to neighbouring places like Fuseta and Faro,’ she adds.
What to do in Tavira
Steeped in history and culture, the castle ruins, Roman bridge and several Gothic and Renaissance churches are just a handful of Tavira’s popular attractions.
Tavira Castle was built by King Dinis in the 13th century and is of Moorish origin. However, it was badly damaged by the Great Lisbon earthquake in 1755 and most of the structure visitors see today was rebuilt in the 18th century.
Climb the ramparts for panoramic views of the town and the castle’s gardens below.
Nearby is the Santa Maria do Castelo Church, a Gothic-style building and the main church in Tavira. It’s home to the tomb of the knight who conquered Tavira, and visitors can go up the bell tower for another spectacular vista.
Elsewhere, Praça da República is Tavira’s main square, with plenty of bars and restaurants to indulge in, as well as a nearby amphitheatre.
The seven-arch Roman bridge has become one of the main symbols of Tavira, connecting both sides of the town, and is a beautiful spot to watch sunset.
For beaches, Ilha de Tavira, more commonly known as Tavira Island, boasts soft white sand and a Blue Flag status, meaning it meets high environmental and quality standards.
Located three kilometres away from the centre, Tavira Island can be reached by boat — the journey takes about 20 minutes and costs around €2 (roughly £1.70) for a round trip.
Travel writer Jackie Steel, from Magic Guides, visited Tavira for five days in 2022 and fell in love with its ‘understated charm’.
Speaking to Metro, he said that the ferry to Ilha de Tavira was a highlight. ‘I had grilled octopus at one of the beachside restaurants, something I wasn’t sure I’d like but turned out to be incredible. The seafood everywhere in town is fresh, simple, and cooked just right,’ he explained.
One night, Steel casually ended up in a bar that was playing fado, a genre of traditional Portuguese folk music. ‘No big signs, no pushy waiters, just locals singing about love and loss. It felt like the kind of place that doesn’t need to try hard to be special,’ he said.
Elsewhere, Praia de Barril is a beach known for its Anchor Cemetery, where over 100 rusting anchors are scattered across the sand in a permanent monument to the abandoned tuna fishing community.
The beach can be reached by driving for 10 minutes to Pedras d’el Rei, and then either walking or taking the mini tourist train from the mainland to the shore.
For a taste of local food, visitors should head to the nearby village of Santa Luzia, also known as ‘the capital of octopus’, just a 10-minute drive away.
Tourists will notice the earthenware pots across the quayside, used by the fishermen to catch the octopus.
Polvo & Companhia Restaurante and A Casa are both highly-rated restaurants worth checking out, with TripAdvisor reviewers praising the grilled octopus at both establishments.
If you’re unlucky enough to experience a rare rainy day in Tavira, there’s a science centre, an Islamic Museum and an art gallery to explore.
But when the sun is shining, outdoorsy tourists can take a 10-minute drive to Pego do Inferno, a waterfall and lake that make for a picturesque swimming spot.
Steele, who visited Tavira as part of a two-week trip to the Algarve, told Metro: ‘My focus is usually on how places handle tourism — what the local infrastructure looks like, how walkable it is, food quality, and overall vibe. Tavira felt like it had kept a lot of its identity intact. That’s rare, and it’s what made the experience stick.’
How to get to Tavira
The closest airport to Tavira is in Faro, just half an hour’s drive from the town centre.
It’s also possible to travel directly from Faro International Airport to Tavira via bus, which takes around one hour.
Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and Jet2 offer return flights to Faro from airports across the UK, with prices starting at £28.
What’s the weather like in Tavira?
Tavira offers pleasant weather all year round, thanks to its location on Portugal’s southernmost coast.
Even in January, the coldest month of the year, it’s not uncommon for the Algarve to experience temperatures of 16°C.
The warmest month of the year in Tavira is July, when the daily average reaches 29°C. It’s also the driest period, averaging just 1mm of rainfall, and the sunniest, boasting 12 hours of sunshine per day.
But for those who want to visit in the quieter months, the shoulder seasons are still a great option.
April regularly sees temperatures of 21°C and October is even warmer, at 23°C.
And Tavira isn’t the only Venice-like destination worth checking out — it’s not even the only alternative in Portugal.
More Trending
Aveiro is known as ‘the Venice of Portugal’ for its picturesque canals, gondola-esque boats and stunning Art Nouveau architecture.
And believe it or not, there’s also a Venice-inspired town in Wales. Portmeirion, located on the north coast of Gwynedd, is a unique tourist attraction that was designed to look like a Mediterranean village.
Further afield there’s Vietnam’s Grand World, a Venice-like entertainment complex on the island of Phu Quoc.
Overtourism in Europe
Venice isn’t the only holiday spot struggling with overtourism.
Destinations all over Europe have seen locals take a stand against the overcrowding and soaring costs caused by increasing numbers of visitors.
Last month, an activist group known as the Robin Hood Band staged protests across Italy, fighting against the impact of platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo.
The vigilante group has targeted cities including Rome, Florence and Naples, where locals say tourism is driving up rents and pushing out long-term residents.
Elsewhere in Europe, thousands took to the streets of Madrid in October last year to protest extortionate house prices and the impact of holiday rental sites.
In the summer, protestors in Barcelona armed with water pistols demanded ‘tourists go home’, while tens of thousands protested in the city in November demanding lower house prices.
More recently, Málaga has taken action with a new three-year law that prevents the registration of new holiday rentals in some areas.
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
MORE: ‘Unrivalled’ playground with UK-first slide is £16 for two hours — but it’s not just for kids
MORE: The ‘Sea of Stars’ is a ‘magical’ natural phenomenon – and it starts in April
MORE: ‘Idyllic’ Spanish town with 17km coastline is a hidden gem that’s 22°C in April
