Autumn in Tavira

Charm of the Season Part III: October, November & December

The charm of the season…

Every week I get the same question: "But isn't it all over in autumn?" And honestly, I understand why people ask, because the word 'autumn' conjures up images of grey skies, wet leaves and thick coats. But let me take you along for a moment into what we experience here in the Eastern Algarve as autumn.

A different kind of autumn

After months of drought, the first rain falls in October. And that first rain is an event in itself. Within days you can see the fields come alive, as if nature flicks a switch. While we in Northwest Europe are used to dying browns and falling leaves, here we roll straight from summer into a kind of spring. The fields turn a vivid green, wildflowers shoot up and the air smells different — fresher, earthier. It's one of those things you have to experience to truly understand.

The weather

October in the Algarve is still very much summer for those who want it. Temperatures of 22 to 26 degrees during the day are perfectly normal, and the sea still holds the warmth of the summer months. November cools down gradually, but 'cold' is a relative concept: during the day you're comfortable in a light jacket, or sometimes without one at all. December brings the shortest days but also those typical mild, sunny winter days that the Algarve is famous for.

What does change once the sun goes down: the coolness of the ocean is unmistakable. Where in October you can still sit outside comfortably after dinner, by November you notice that the warmth quickly leaves the evening the moment the sun casts its last rays over the Gilão river. And that in itself has a certain beauty.

The atmosphere: authentic and local

The summer tourists have left. Not that you'd ever be walking over each other's heads here in summer, because the Eastern Algarve is never truly overcrowded. But you do notice that the local population has reclaimed a bit more of their town. At the market in Olhão, in our favourite restaurants, in the little pastelerias on the corner. Those bakeries, which simply keep running in summer but operate somewhat in the margins of tourism, are once again the real gathering spots for the neighbourhood. Locals come for a bica and a pastel de nata, for a chat, for the rhythm of daily life. As a guest, you experience in a completely different way what it's actually like to live here.

There's something truly wonderful about sitting in the autumn sun, watching the sun go down over the Gilão river in Tavira, a good glass of Portuguese wine in hand, catching up with friends on the terrace in the last of the day's warmth. For us, it's one of the most beautiful moments of the year.

Long lunches, cosy dinners inside

Because the evenings cool down, this is the perfect season for long, lazy lunches in the sun. In the evening you seek out the warmth of one of the local restaurants — dining cosily indoors, with the kind of atmosphere only a Portuguese restaurant in the off-season can offer. Many of our guests also choose to head back to the Quinta after a long lunch out, use the fully equipped kitchen to put together a light evening meal, and end the day quietly with a game or a book. That's the Quinta at its very best.

Nature

The Ria Formosa, the beautiful nature reserve that stretches from Cacela Velha all the way past Faro and lies practically on our doorstep, is in full swing as a bird paradise during this season. Migratory birds arrive, winter visitors settle in, and anyone who takes a little time to walk along the lagoon will see and hear things that simply get lost in the busyness of summer. In our own orchard, the oranges are now hanging full and ripe, and the first lemons are beginning to turn yellow.

At our B&B

It's the off-season, and that means peace, space and attractive room rates. The underfloor heating keeps things wonderfully warm when the evenings turn cooler. On beautiful sunny mornings — and there are plenty — guests simply have breakfast outside. For those who want to stay longer or work remotely: the internet is excellent and we're happy to arrange a comfortable workspace. The combination of lower room rates and affordable flights during this period makes October through December a surprisingly attractive option for anyone looking to escape the grey north for a while.