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EBU Congress Algarve
8 days from £950pp
Your Tour Includes
- 7, 8 or 9 nights half-board accommodation
- Return airport transfers between Faro Airport and the hotel
- Bridge fee for the EBU Congress
- Services of an EBU-qualified director and friendly hosts
- Green and Blue Masterpoints awarded
- Sponsored drinks reception and prize giving
- Complimentary safe box and tea and coffee-making facilities in your room
- Welcome drink
- Excursions and entrance fees
Your Team
Holiday Overview
The winter 2025 Green and Blue pointed EBU Congress will take place in Tavira, a historic coastal town brimming in Portuguese culture and Algarvian charm. The Moorish influence can be found in its pretty cobbled streets and whitewashed buildings with their colourful tiled walls and quaint, steeped rooftops that symbolise the importance of water conservation. Tavira also boasts some of the finest churches in the Algarve – in fact, it has more than 20 in and around the town! Beautifully situated on the Gilao River that flows into the Ria Formosa Lagoon, you can stroll across the Roman bridge that spans the river and soak in the views across the town, or walk up to the Castelo de Tavira for spectacular vistas of the unique coastline with its sandbar islands.
Offering pleasant average temperatures, Tavira is a perfect winter holiday destination! It is open all year round and has a great selection of shopping, including a food and a craft market and many attractive boutiques and shops. You can even visit Ilha de Tavira, a nearby tropical island accessible by water taxi. Here, you will find the town's island beaches and 7kms of golden sand.
We stay at the elegant Hotel Vila Galé Tavira, ideally located in the centre of the town. It is just 100m from the nearest shops, tapas bars and restaurants and close to the stunning Ria Formosa Natural Park. The highly rated hotel is built in traditional Portuguese style and offers excellent facilities including indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a spa, making it an ideal location for a winter bridge congress. The large, excellent golf courses of Quinta da Ria and Quinta da Cima are only 11kms away, and public transport stops are located directly in front of the hotel, making it easy to reach the courses and explore the Algarve.
Image Gallery
Itinerary
Please choose your preferred 8 day itinerary
Please Note: Flight-inclusive packages are available at an extra cost, with flights from London Gatwick and other regional UK departure airports and one piece of checked-in luggage included.
For guests arriving on the 1st or 2nd of February, you will enjoy free time prior to the start of the EBU Congress.
With our flight-inclusive package, you will board your flight to Faro Airport. From here, you will be transferred to the Hotel Vila Galé Tavira.
If you have booked our join direct package, meet us at Faro Airport and transfer to the Hotel Vila Galé Tavira.
Today: Monday 3rd February
Bridge Sessions
7:45pm – 11:00pm – Pre-Congress Pairs
Included Meals
- Dinner
Bridge Sessions
10:00am – Welcome Meeting
2:00pm – 5:15pm – Swiss Pairs Session 1 (3 8-board matches)
7:45pm – 10:00pm – Swiss Pairs Session 2 (2 8-board matches)
Included Meals
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Highlights
- Bridge
Bridge Sessions
2:00 – 5:15pm – Swiss Pairs Session 3 (3 8-board matches)
7:45pm – 10:00pm – Swiss Pairs Session 4 (2 8-board matches)
Highlights
- Bridge
Join us on a full-day included tour to the unspoilt Ria Formosa this morning. We visit Olhao, the largest fishing port in the Algarve and built under Arabic influences. Spend time in the waterfront markets and explore the old quarter on our guided walking tour. We include a private boat tour to the remote islands, a large network of barrier islands and inlets created by shifting sandbanks, and a breeding ground for oystercatchers, cranes, ibis and flamingoes. The Ria Formosa has traditionally been an area of oyster and salt farming, as well as fishing and shellfish harvesting.
We continue to Faro, the capital of the Algarve and a city rich in historical heritage. Our guided walking tour will take us under the Arco da Vila, the entrance to the old town, and we will see the beautiful 13th century cathedral with its stunning interior and Portuguese ceramic tiles. There will be free time to stop for some lunch in one of the many cafes in the old town on along the vibrant marina.
We return to the hotel around 5pm, in good time for dinner and evening bridge.
Bridge Sessions
7:45pm – 11:00pm – Pivot Teams (single pivot)
Highlights
- Ria Formosa and Faro
- Bridge
Bridge Sessions
2:30pm – 5:45pm – Open Pairs
7:45pm – 11:00pm – IMPs Pairs
Highlights
- Bridge
Bridge Sessions
2:30pm – 5:45pm – Swiss Teams Session 1 (3 8-board matches)
8:00pm – 11:15pm – Swiss Teams Session 2 (3 8-board matches)
Highlights
- Bridge
Bridge Sessions
1:30pm – 3:30pm – Swiss Teams Session 3 (2 8-board matches)
4:00pm – 6:00pm – Swiss Teams Session 4 (2 8-board matches)
The bridge sessions are followed by a sponsored drinks reception and prize giving.
Highlights
- Bridge
If you have booked our join direct package, we include your transfer to Faro Airport. From here, you will make your own way home.
With our flight-inclusive package, we include your transfer to Faro Airport. From here, you will board your return flight home.
Included Meals
- Breakfast
Accommodation
You will stay for 7, 8 or 9 nights on a half-board basis at the Hotel Vila Galé Tavira.
Hotel Vila Galé Tavira
The Hotel Vila Galé Tavira is beautifully situated in the historical Moorish town of Tavira, along the banks of the Ria Formosa. Built in 2002, this popular hotel offers 268 rooms over 3 floors, beautifully centred around its large outdoor pool and gardens. The elegant rooms are decorated with dark wooden furniture and tiled floors, all featuring large windows and balconies, and the hotel décor embraces the local Portuguese charm. The hotel's facilities include a heated indoor and an outdoor pool, a spa, and a restaurant serving traditional Portuguese dishes as well as international cuisine.
Hotel Facilities
- 4 Star
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Room Service Available
- 24 Hour Front Desk
- Indoor and Outdoor Swimming Pool (Seasonal)
- Laundry Service
- Sauna or Steam Room
- Gym
Room Facilities
- TV
- Tea and Coffee Making Facilities
- Hairdryer
- Safe Box
- Air Conditioning
- Fridge
- Telephone
- Free Wifi
- Balcony
Single Room Supplement from £175.00
