A large majority of travelers to the Algarve will pass through Faro because this is where the local airport is situated, and Faro Airport transfers are available to reach a wide number of Algarve locations.

There are however those who choose to stay awhile around Faro and they are rewarded with the discovery of a charmful town, with an interesting history, and the feel of an actual Portuguese fishing port.

While the city definitely has an industrial feel to it, keep in mind this is a working city, not an Algarve resort, there are definitely sightseeing opportunities to be had here, especially in the Old Town or Cidade Velha.

One enters this part of Faro through an 18^th century gate, which sets the mood for the area which is still enclosed by the remnants of the medieval walls which protected it in centuries past from attackers and raiders. Within the Old Town you will find possible the city’s most famous and by far its most macabre attraction, the Chapel of Bones, which can be found at the Igreja do Carmo. The chapel here decorated with the bones of more than 1,200 monks who lived here throughout the centuries, it is macabre and intriguing at the same time.

One other major sight that you must not miss if you stay in Faro for a few days, is the Ria Formosa Natural Park, which is near the city and also located a short distance away you can find the peaceful village of Estoi which features a strikingly pink Roccoco palace and Roman ruins which date from the 1^st century.

Of course considering the fact that this is the Algarve, a wonderful beach won’t be far away, in fact only a few miles away a long sandy spit of beach awaits for you, across the bridge close to the airport. Reaching all of these places will be considerably easier if you choose to employ some Faro car hire services.

Faro Shopping

The city’s main shopping area is located right in the heart of town, better said it is located along the Rua Santo Antonia and the Rua Francisco Gomes. If you’re interested in mingling with the locals and trying out some of the local fresh produce, there’s a produce market on the Largo do Mercado open every day. Faro is also the place where you can get plenty of holiday buys such a traditional clothing, various handcrafts and local wines.

Faro Restaurants

There’s a huge variety of restaurants and good food in Faro, the pedestrianized Rua de Santo Antonio which features a large number of eating establishments caters to all tastes and more importantly to all budgets. But you can’t stay in Faro without tasting the local seafood, especially since this is a port town; you should head for the Dois Irmaos, the city’s oldest seafood eatery where they only use the fresh catch of the day for their products.

Faro Nightlife

Considering the fact that we are dealing with a university city, Faro has an extremely frenetic nightlife, fueled by the student population. The place to be at night is along the Rua do Prior and in the narrow alleys around Rua Conselheiro Bivar and Rua Infante Dom Henrique. The dance clubs here start around 11PM or even midnight and they will be open till morning. The bars on the other hand are open from about noon until the early hours.

When talking about visiting Faro it’s impossible to create a complete Faro guide because there are many things to talk about, and many more that will get left out.

In a nut-shell, the main tourist attractions of the town can be found in its old town, where holidaymakers interested in architecture and history can brush up on those notions. On the other hand there are quite a few solid museums in town as well, ideal for the culture vultures. However what has to be taken into consideration is that Faro Portugal isn’t an Algarve resort, it’s a working, bustling city, and thanks to the presence of the airport here, it is the gateway to the Algarve.

While a good beach is accessible, for more specified fun with sea and sand activities you have to travel to the more touristy coastal resorts.

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.

Faro – Algarve – Portugal – Weekend trip