Tavira is such a special place.  It has the charm of old europe, the warmth of 300 days of sunshine and the friendliness of the locals.  Tavira is home to a large, active expat community from the US, UK, Canada, Brazil, Europe, South Asia and the rest of the world.

When I moved to Portugal, I knew there would be some cultural differences, language barriers, and challenges in adapting to a new way of life. But I wasn’t prepared for finding the most incredible new community I could ever hope for. We’ve made amazing friends, connected with local shop owners, and discovered a wealth of scattered information.

This information was collected over the past two years from that wonderful community. I hope it’s helpful to you.

This blog is broken down into the 5 categories below and in the right side panel.

• Culture & Language
  • Culture – History, Traditions, Values
  • Learning the Language – Apps, Tutors and More
• Everyday Life
  • Domestic Life – Banks, Mail and Local Tips
  • Shopping – Where to buy what, from groceries to gadgets
  • Transportation – Getting around town and beyond
• Government Services
  • Town Hall, Taxes, Motor Vehicles, etc
• Health & Wellbeing
  • Community Involvement – Volunteering & Civic Engagement
  • Health – Doctors, Pharmacies, and Self-care
  • Fitness – Gyms, Workouts and Recreational Sports
• Social Life
  • Events, Group Outings, Meetups, Day Trips, and Hidden Gems

“I can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything. Suddenly you are five years old again. You can’t read anything, you have only the most rudimentary sense of how things work, you can’t even reliably cross a street without endangering your life. Your whole existence becomes a series of interesting guesses.” – Bill Bryson