Tavira to Faro, Portugal, May 11, 2024

Up early for our last breakfast with our bicycling friends. Most left at 8:30. We stayed until 11:30 which gave us time to explore Tavira, including the riverfront the "Roman" bridge, which is a 1992 bridge located where a Roman bridge once provided a crossing over the river. A couple of tourist stores then a sign with an arrow that said "Castelo". Ever curious we followed the winding steep stairway up through buildings till we found ourselves in the midst of the ruins of an old Moorish Castle that was now a nifty botanical garden with labels, including jacaranda tree in bloom a fig tree (ficus), and lots of flowers. We climbed the steep stone steps to the top of the wall for a great view of Tavira before returning via a circular route through town to our hotel to catch our ride back to our lodging for the night at the Lemon Tree in Faro. Our driver had a bit of trouble finding the BnB due to the fact it was located on a pedestrian way rather than a street that accommodated automobiles. We headed over to the old town and had our last tourist dinner at the Cidade Vilho (old city) Restaurant - a fish stew with monkfish, prawns (the whole thing including the head) and mussels with rice. Very well done. Meanwhile the Lemon Tree, with its funky location, small room, bright yellow tile and terraces, after seeming rather odd and perhaps overpriced was growing on us.Read more