Pretty Travira in Portugal's Algarve is a quiet treasure in an area which fills with tourists in high season. But a short break in February to escape the London grey skies was peaceful and welcoming.. My favourite spot was the bridge overlooking the River Gilao before a glass of wine in one of the delightful bars near the water. Travira may be tiny but it has no less than 37 churches. The first you’ll come across is Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo. It’s bell towers and large white and yellow clock faces are easily recognisable from all over Tavira. The church was built on the site of a mosque and Moorish artifacts have been found inside following modern excavations. Like many historic buildings in the Algarve, it was destroyed by the great earthquake of 1755 and then rebuilt.
