The Faro Holiday Experience
Faro City
The city of Faro is the administrative center of the entire Algarve region and due to this characteristic the city is oftentimes used as starting point by visitors to the region. Just like most other cities or towns in the region, Faro’s population is relatively small, barely topping fifty-five thousand, however it is one of the more larger towns in the region.
Faro – Popular Travel Locations
Algarve Faro Portugal
It is true that many visitors use Faro as a type of a gateway for the rest of the Algarve, this is likely where they’ll be landing and the city is situated in such a manner that it provides easy access to other resorts in the region, so it’s not difficult to understand this approach to Faro, but the city can be a very interesting holiday destination in itself.
Similar to the entire region’s settlements, Faro features ruins from both the Roman and the Arab eras and one of the most popular attractions of the city is its “old city” or Cidade Velha part which is still surrounded by its original 9th century protective walls.
Inside these walls, on what was once the site of the Roman Forum, you’ll find a 13th century Cathedral that faces an 18th century Episcopal Palace, and also nearby you can see the 16th century Convent which now is the home of the local Archaeological Museum.
Keeping with the theme of religious-related buildings, Faro is also home to the Nossa Senhora do Carmo church which is one of the best examples of gold-leaf woodwork in the country but it has another claim to fame, a more macabre one. Its chapel is lined with the bones of over a thousand two hundred monks who lived there during the centuries.
Faro is home to a small maritime museum which on the other hand boasts a collection of small replica boats as exhibits, so this might be an interesting place to visit for any boating enthusiasts.
A large chunk of modern Faro is made up of apartment buildings and attractive shops and eating establishments, this means that you can get a complete experience while visiting Faro, getting a sample of the old and a taste of the new.
Faro’s beach, Praia de Faro, is about seven kilometers long, yes you read that right, seven kilometers of gently sloping sand so this practically guarantees that you’ll always find a spot that is not crowded.
As mentioned earlier, Faro is usually considered the starting point for an Algarve holiday because it is surrounded by many other destinations in the region. To the North there’s the inland village of Estoi where you can see some remarkable Roman ruins of a villa which will astound you when you see the comforts that its owners enjoyed about two thousand years ago.
To the West you’ll find the well known holiday resorts of Quinta do Lago and Vale de Lobo, both of them being five star resorts featuring golf courses, tennis court, riding schools and many more things that will surely make your stay there enjoyable.
Faro Related Link List
- CarHireFaro
- Find cheap and quality Faro car hire services.
- Portugal Low Cost Transfers
- Cheap and quality Portugal airport transfers.
- Portugal Car Hire
- Get cheap and quality Portugal car hire services.
