Praia da Terra Estreita

Coordinates (research)

• Used: CM Tavira’s published location 37.098150, -7.641890 — the municipality’s own pin (what it marks is not stated). [CM Tavira beach page, read 2 Oct 2026]
• ABAE 37.09774, -7.64123 (74 m); pt-Wikipedia 37.09791, -7.64084 (97 m); APA sampling point 37.0977, -7.6406 (125 m); OSM way 78432429 centroid 37.0985006, -7.6397546 (193 m); all straight-line. [ABAE; pt-Wikipedia rev 2022; APA 2026; Nominatim 2 Oct 2026] → conflict slot below.

Access (research)

• Boat from Avenida Eng.º Duarte Pacheco (Santa Luzia waterfront). [CM Tavira]
• Parking: free, on-street only. [CM Tavira]
• Scheduled boat (Terra Pequena Lda, sold as Passeios Ria Formosa), 2026 timetable: 23 May to 30 September only. Late May about 10 departures a day from Santa Luzia, 09:30–17:00; 13–30 June about every 30 minutes, 08:30 from Santa Luzia to 19:10 from the beach, no boats 13:00–14:00; July and August about every 20 minutes, 08:30 to 20:10 from the beach, every 30 minutes over lunch (12:30–14:30); 14–30 September 12 departures, 09:45–17:45, last back 18:10. Adult €2.00 single / €2.60 return. Nothing scheduled is published for October to mid-May; water taxis (dearer) run on request. Check the current timetable before you go. [Passeios Ria Formosa, Horário 2026, read 11 Oct 2026; praiadaterraestreita.pt, read 11 Oct 2026]
• An earlier blog gave 2025 figures (€1.50 / €2, boats until mid-October). [Lugares Incertos blog, 28 Jul 2025]
• Aqua-taxi (Titus Boat Tours): Santa Luzia ↔ Terra Estreita €15 per trip; Tavira → Terra Estreita €40; 4 Águas → Terra Estreita €20; +€5 between 20:00 and 08:00. [titusboattours.pt, 2 Oct 2026]
• Passeios Ria Formosa’s 4-hour Tavira tour includes a 30-minute stop here. [passeios-ria-formosa.com, page modified Aug 2024]

What the sources say (research)

• East of Praia do Barril where Ilha de Tavira narrows to a strip about 50 m wide; a long, less-visited sand with sea daffodils (narciso-das-areias); CM Tavira describes the water as calm and warm. [CM Tavira]
• Services: beach bar, first-aid post, WC; concession; marine-tourism activities; not adapted for reduced mobility. [CM Tavira]
• A wide concession with sunbeds and umbrellas (from €7), restaurant and WC; the whole structure is built at the start of the bathing season and dismantled in autumn. [Lugares Incertos, Jul 2025]
• Water-quality profile: beach with restricted use associated with sensitive natural systems; PNRF, Natura 2000, Ramsar; frontage 210 m; tidal range 3.4 m; mean wave 0.5 m; wind E/SE; macroalgae proliferation ‘common’; 0 days with bathing advised against or prohibited due to short-term pollution in 2025. [APA profile PTCQ9T, v1/2026]
• Água balnear and praia de banhos (lifeguards assured), 1 Jun–30 Sep 2026. [Portaria 204-A/2026/1]; AMN list 1 Jun–30 Sep (no year printed). [AMN]
• Blue Flag 2026 (code PTCQ9T); Época Balnear and Época Bandeira Azul both 01/06/2026–30/09/2026. [ABAE 2026]
• CM page labels: Bandeira Zero Poluição 2025, Bandeira Qualidade de Ouro 2025. [CM Tavira]
• Santa Luzia, the departure village, calls itself the octopus capital; 1,589 inhabitants (2021). [pt-Wikipedia Santa Luzia, rev 2025]

Open questions