In the leventy Algarve there is an Areal that is in one of the “wildest islands in the country” and is leaving the Spaniards ‘enchanted’. To get there, visitors cross a rail or can opt for a small tourist train and, before stepping the sand, are faced with a landscape marked by symbols of the old tuna fishing.
It is Barril Beach, located on the island of Tavira, in the middle of Ria Formosa Natural Park. According to the Spanish newspaper Faro de Vigo, this destination combines protected nature, vast sand and a unique cultural heritage, being one of the most sought after places by families and travelers in search of tranquility.
Track
Access is based on the village of Pedras d’el King, where a pedestrian bridge connects the continent to the island. From there to the beach is about 1.5 kilometers, which can be walked or aboard the well -known tourist train. According to the same source, the seven -minute route crosses Salinas and Humid Zones, closely revealing the Ria fauna, including the characteristic violinist crabs.
The train ticket costs about two euros per trip and is especially popular with children, turning the route into one of the main attractions of the experience. Writes the newspaper that the frequency is high, as two trains make the course continuously, intersecting only at a point of the line.
The anchor cemetery
Before reaching the sand, visitors intersect with one of the most striking images in the region: more than 200 rusty anchors arranged in the dunes. Adds the publication that this anchor cemetery was created in the 1960s, when the island’s fishing community declined with the end of tuna fishing.
It refers to the same source that this space acts today as a memorial to families who depended on the Almadrava, but also as one of the most photographed points of the Algarve.
EXTENSE AND SAFE Areal
After the beach access route is over, an beach is opened over 11 kilometers long. Explains the site that, although the central zone concentrates restaurants, cafes and bathing services, just walk a few minutes to find almost deserted spaces.
At the time bathing the beach has surveillance of salvator swimmers, which, according to, contributes to being considered one of the best options for families with children. The Southeast orientation protects the sand of the strong winds of the Atlantic, making the sea generally calm.
Barril Beach is an integral part of Ria Formosa, an area classified as a natural park since 1987. According to the same source, Tavira Island preserves a poultry -rich ecosystem characteristic of moist zones, while keeping the memory of old fishing communities alive.
The result is a destination that combines bathing leisure with natural and historical heritage, attracting not only Portuguese tourists but also foreign visitors, in particular Spanish, who highlight their most authentic character in other zones of the Algarve.
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