3rd – 10th February 2025, Vila Galé Tavira, Tavira, Portugal
Algarve Congress
- an overseas congress to Portugal's beautiful south coast, glorious sandy beaches, picturesque fishing villages and a glorious climate!
Vila Galé Tavira, Tavira, Portugal, 3rd - 10th February 2025
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.
To enter
8 days from £950pp
Bookings should be made with First for Bridge. The price of the bridge is now included with your booking.
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MON 3 | Arrival from UK | ||
| 19:45 | 23:00 | Pre-congress pairs | |
| TUE 4 | 10:00 | Welcome meeting | |
| 14:00 | 17:15 | Swiss Pairs session 1 (3 8-board matches) | |
| 19:45 | 22:00 | Swiss Pairs session 2 (2 8-board matches) | |
| WED 5 | 14:00 | 17:15 | Swiss Pairs session 3 (3 8-board matches) |
| 19:45 | 22:00 | Swiss Pairs session 4 (2 8-board matches) | |
| THU 6 | 09:30 | Included all-day tour to Ria Formosa and Faro. | |
| 19:45 | 23:00 | Pivot teams (single pivot) | |
| FRI 7 | 14:30 | 17:45 | Open pairs |
| 19:45 | 23:00 | IMP Pairs | |
| SAT 8 | 14:30 | 17:45 | Swiss Teams session 1 (3 8-board matches) |
| 19:45 | 23:00 | Swiss Teams session 2 (3 8-board matches) | |
| SUN 9 | 13:30 | 15:30 | Swiss Teams session 3a (2 8-board matches) |
| 16:00 | 18:00 | Swiss Teams session 3b (2 8-board matches) | |
| Followed by sponsored drinks reception and prize-giving. | |||
| MON 10 | Departure to UK |
Venue and Tariff
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.
Please note: Most hotels cannot guarantee check-in times earlier than 3pm.
Flights
We are pleased to advise that a lot more regional flight schedules have recently been released for the Algarve. Flights are now available from Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Find a partner/team mates
If you are looking for a partner or team mates for this competition, please use the new Partnership forum