Small, enchanting and cobbled, Cacela Velha is a huddle of whitewashed cottages edged with bright borders, and has a pocket-sized fort, orange and olive groves, and gardens blazing with colour. It’s 14km east of Tavira, above a gorgeous stretch of sea, with a characterful local bar, plus other restaurants, a church and heart-lifting views. From nearby Fábrica, you can get a boat across to the splendid Cacela Velha beach, which has a low-key LGBT scene in summer.
Unfortunately, there’s no direct bus from Tavira, but Cacela Velha is located only 1km south of the N125 (2km before Vila Nova de Cacela), which is on the Faro–Vila Real de Santo António bus route.
