Praia do Barril is one of my favourite beaches in the eastern Algarve. The sand is soft and white, the sea is calm and clear, and the whole stretch of coastline has a quieter, more laid-back feel than the busy resort beaches further west. If you are looking for a beach day near Tavira, Barril should be at the top of your list.

What makes Barril unusual is its history. The beach sits on the site of a former tuna fishing community that was abandoned in the 1960s when industrial fishing wiped out the local bluefin tuna stocks. The old fishermen's huts have been converted into cafés, restaurants and shops, and in the dunes behind the beach, hundreds of rusting anchors have been arranged as a memorial to the community and its lost way of life. This is the Cemitério das Âncoras (Anchor Cemetery), and there is nothing else quite like it on the Algarve coast.

Barril is reached by a 1.3km walk (or mini-train ride) through the sand dunes of the Ria Formosa nature park, which adds to the sense that you are heading somewhere a little removed from the usual tourist trail. The beach is well suited to families, with calm water and lifeguard cover in summer, and there are enough restaurants and facilities that you can comfortably spend a full day here.

This guide covers everything you need to plan a visit to Praia do Barril, from the history of the anchor cemetery to practical details on parking, transport and what to expect when you arrive.
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The Cemitério das Âncoras: hundreds of rusting anchors arranged in the sand dunes behind the beach, marking the spot where the fishing community once hauled their boats ashore. The anchors were placed here in 1964 when the community was finally abandoned, and they have become one of the most memorable sights along the Algarve coast.

Beach: Soft white sand and calm, clear water, typical of the sheltered beaches along the eastern Algarve. The sea here is shallow and gentle, making it a good choice for families with young children, and lifeguards are on duty during the summer months.

The Mini-train: The mini-train runs 1.3km from the mainland across the sand dunes to the beach. It originally carried supplies to the fishing community and hauled the tuna catch back to the village. Today it saves visitors the walk in the heat, and when we took my young nieces (aged 3 and 6), the train was almost the highlight of their day.

Sand dunes: The sand dunes of the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa stretch behind the beach and are home to over 200 bird species and the elusive Mediterranean chameleon, which has its only Portuguese population in the scrubland and dunes of this coastline.

Barril beach sits on the Ilha de Tavira, roughly halfway along the island's 10km seaward coastline. It is the only part of the island connected directly to the mainland, via a footbridge from the village of Pedras d'El Rei. From the bridge, it is a 1.3km walk through the sand dunes to the beach, or you can take the mini-train (covered in detail later in this guide).

There is a large car park near the footbridge (€10 for a full day). Some visitors park on the surrounding roads to save money, but these spaces fill up quickly in summer. A limited bus service runs from Tavira on weekdays only, but Uber is a much better way to travel here without a car.

The beach itself has good facilities for a full day out. There are three restaurants (Snack Bar Ancoras, Blue Beach Bar and Barril Beach Café), several shops, and clean public toilets. Parasols can be hired for €12 per day, though during the peak summer months they sell out and are worth booking in advance.

Praia do Barril faces southeast, sheltered from the Atlantic winds and waves that hit the western Algarve beaches. The sea is calm and shallow, and lifeguards are on duty during the summer. This makes it a good choice for families with young children, but it is not a beach for surfing or bodyboarding.

The sheltered position also means Barril rarely gets the strong sea breezes that can make other Algarve beaches uncomfortable on windy days, so it tends to feel warmer and more settled.

The former fishermen's huts have been converted into cafés, restaurants and shops - ideal for a leisurely day on the beach.

The calm and clear sea waters of Barril beach

In the sand dunes behind Barril beach lies the Cemitério das Âncoras. The 248 rusting anchors were placed here in 1964, when the tuna fishing community at Barril was abandoned after their livelihood became unsustainable. The anchors now stand as a memorial to the community, to the traditional fishing methods they practised, and to the bluefin tuna that once filled these waters.

The number of anchors is surprising until you understand how the fishing worked. They were not used to moor boats, but to hold in place the complex net structures required for the traditional "armação" (also known as "almadrava") fishing method.

This technique involved anchoring an intricate series of nets to the seabed, creating a maze of chambers that funnelled migrating bluefin tuna into an enclosed area while allowing smaller fish to escape. Because it targeted only adult tuna during their seasonal migration, the method was considered sustainable, allowing younger fish to mature and reproduce.

During the May to September fishing season, Barril was home to around 80 fishermen and their families. But from the mid-20th century, industrial fishing fleets devastated bluefin tuna populations across the Atlantic. Eastern Atlantic stocks fell by over 70% in just a few decades, and the less invasive armação method could no longer compete. The community at Barril was one of many along the Portuguese and Spanish coasts that simply ceased to exist.

The story has taken a more hopeful turn in recent years. Following an international recovery plan introduced in 2007 and stricter enforcement of fishing quotas, eastern Atlantic bluefin stocks have recovered significantly. Bluefin tuna are once again being caught off the Algarve coast, though not at the scale that once sustained communities like Barril.

A vast number of anchors were needed to secure the bluefin tuna nets

A miniature railway connects the mainland to Barril beach, running 1.3km across the sand dunes of the Ria Formosa. A single ride costs €2 (€4 return), the journey takes around 15 minutes each way, and children under 4 travel for free. You will need cash to pay for tickets.

The railway was built in the 1920s to serve the fishing community living on the island. It carried fresh water and supplies to the 80 or so families based at Barril, and hauled the tuna catch back to the village of Pedras d'El Rei. Today the train has been styled to look like a small steam engine and is the easiest way to reach the beach, particularly for families with young children or anyone who would rather not walk in the heat.

The alternative is the 1.3km footpath through the sand dunes, which runs alongside the tracks. It is a pleasant walk on the way out, but can feel like a long slog at the end of a beach day. If you do take the train, be aware that the queue for the return journey builds up quickly in the late afternoon as everyone leaves the beach at once. It is worth heading back a little earlier to avoid the wait.

Children will love the mini train, and it saves a long walk!

Santa Luzia is a small fishing village a short distance from Praia do Barril, and many visitors combine a trip to the beach with lunch here. The village is known throughout the Algarve as the capital of octopus, and the waterfront restaurants have perfected the art of cooking it.

Octopus fishing in Santa Luzia still relies on a traditional method using "alcatruz" clay pots. Fishermen string the terracotta pots together and lower them to the seafloor, where they exploit the octopus's natural instinct to seek shelter. The traps require no bait and catch only octopus, making them one of the more sustainable fishing methods in the region. The village has built on this tradition with a collaboration between local fishermen and marine scientists to monitor and protect octopus stocks along this stretch of coast.

The harbour is still a working one, lined with the blue and red wooden boats of the octopus fleet, and the catch lands just metres from the restaurants that serve it. The most well-known of these is Casa do Polvo Tasquinha, which has been recognised by the Michelin Guide and serves over ten different octopus dishes. The polvo à lagareiro (roasted with garlic and olive oil) and the octopus carpaccio are among the most popular. If you are visiting Barril beach, it is well worth arriving early or staying late to eat in Santa Luzia.

Low tide at Santa Luzia

The Praia do Barril lies within the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa. These saltwater mudflats, tidal lagoons and sandbar ecosystems are an important habitat for birds and small aquatic life. The region is populated with numerous wading birds (Egrets, Ibis and Spoonbills) and is an important resting point for birds migrating between Europe and Africa.

The waterways are home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of seahorse (long-snouted and short-snouted seahorse), and there are even rare Pond Turtles. Protected species include the breeding grounds of the Purple Gallinule, while the barrier-sandbar islands are one of the few native locations of the European Chameleon.

The “natural park” designation also safeguards traditional methods of shellfish fishing, and limits the extent of tourist development along the coastline.

To the untrained eye, the landscape of the Ria Formosa can seem sparse, particularly the mudflats and salt marshes. But visit at low tide and you will see them busy with crabs, wading birds and the small marine life that makes this one of the most important wetland ecosystems in southern Europe.

The Ilha de Tavira has over 5km of unbroken beach stretching northeast from Barril to Praia de Tavira, and the walk between the two is one of the nicest coastal walks in the eastern Algarve. The route follows the shoreline the whole way, passing the quiet Praia da Terra Estreita along the way, with nothing but sand, sea and dunes for the entire stretch.

At Praia de Tavira, a ferry runs back across the lagoon to Tavira town, making it possible to walk one way and take the boat back. It is worth checking the ferry timetable before setting out, as the last departure can be earlier than you might expect.

For a longer day out, you can walk from Tavira to Pedras d'El Rei via Santa Luzia, take the mini-train or footpath across to Barril, then follow the beach all the way to Praia de Tavira and catch the ferry back. This makes a scenic loop of around 11km, covering the fishing village, the sand dunes, the anchor cemetery and the full length of the island's coastline.

Praia da Terra Estreita

It is 5km from central Tavira to the footbridge at Pedras d'El Rei, where the walk (or mini-train ride) to the beach begins. There are several ways to make this journey.

The easiest option is an Uber or Bolt, which takes around 10 minutes and costs €6 to €8. Be aware that there can be very high demand at the end of the day when everyone is leaving the beach at the same time. A taxi will cost considerably more, and it can be difficult to flag one down for the return journey.

There is a bus service from Tavira, but it is limited. The Vamus number 105 runs from Tavira bus station (on Rua dos Pelames) to Pedras d'El Rei, with only six departures per day, Monday to Friday, and no service at weekends. The journey takes around 15 minutes and a single ticket costs €2.85. For timetables, see the Vamus website: vamusalgarve.pt
Another option is to cycle. There is a cycle path along the M515 road from Tavira through Santa Luzia to Pedras d'El Rei, and the route is flat the whole way.

The bridge which connects Praia do Barril to the mainland

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