Special Family Visitors II

Mark's sister, Karen, and her husband, Steve, visited us shortly after we returned from our Barcelona trip.  Karen's daughter, Lindsey, along with her two children visited us in May from their current home in Zurich.  Karen and Steve's first European trip since the pandemic allowed them to visit family in both Portugal and Switzerland.  We planned a full itinerary to introduce our guests to the attractions of the Algarve.

Introduction to Tavira via Tuk Tuk

Our current neighbor, Joao, owns the largest tuk tuk tour company in Tavira, so we thought this would be a great way to introduce Karen and Steve to our town.  Our niece, Lindsey, had enjoyed the tuk tuk tour in May, though this one was to be even more special as it combined a stop at our local artisanal chocolate shop.  We also toured the salt flats (salinas), a local oyster farm, and the hilltop historical area of Tavira.  

A Ver Tavira

In late October, Mark will have his 65th birthday, so Karen and Steve insisted that we celebrate while they were here.  We decided to go to A Ver Tavira, which is a one-star Michelin restaurant on the historic hill overlooking the city.  The food was delicious, and the setting was lovely.

Off to Seville

The Spanish city of Seville is less than a two-hour drive from Tavira, so we decided to take a quick jaunt to see this fascinating city.  Our two-night visit included a private tour of the Alcazar and of Seville Cathedral, a walk around the Plaza de España, a flamenco show, and dinners at some lovely Spanish restaurants.

On the Way Back to Portugal...

As we drove from Seville back to Portugal, we stopped off at the small Spanish town of Sanlúcar de Guadiana, which is on the east bank of the Guadiana River, separating Spain from Portugal.  A unique attraction in this town is a zip line which crosses the river, taking you from Spain and into the Portuguese town of Alcoutim.  It is the only cross-border zip line in the world, and effectively allows you to go back in time, since Portugal is one hour behind Spain.  The zip line is 720 meters and take about 45 seconds.

Safely on the ground in Portugal

Lots to Do in the Remaining Days

Over the remaining few days of Karen and Steve's visit, we tried to show them several different aspects of the Algarve.  Steve and Mark ventured off the coast of the Central Algarve to visit the renowned Benagil Cave, while Karen and Debra went shopping in Tavira.  We all went wine tasting at the Quinta da Tor winery.  And we had a grilled steak dinner at our apartment, a Portuguese tapas dinner at a waterfront restaurant in Tavira, and our final dinner at an intimate French restaurant in nearby Santa Luzia.  It was great hosting family, and we had a wonderful time showing them the reasons we love living in Portugal.

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We can't wait for Karen and Steve to return to Portugal.  Lisbon, Porto and the Douro Valley await!

Lunch in Ayamonte, Spain before their departure. Boa Viagem!