Tavira Island lies south of the town of
Tavira,
Portugal, just a few hundred metres off the coast. It is 11 kilometres long and varies between 150 m to 1 km in width. The island has 11 km of the best
beaches in the
Algarve, including areas where
naturism can be legally practised. It is part of the Natural reserve of
Ria Formosa. It is also popular among tourists, people that like to swim and bird watchers. Access to the island is by ferry from Quatro Águas, southeast of the city of Tavira, and also by a small floating bridge in the Santa Luzia/Pedras d'El Rei area, followed by a small train trip (operating during the summer months) or by foot in a footpath parallel to the railway line (c. 2 km).