So you’ve grabbed a cheap flight that lands you in Faro to start your scenic drive up to Lisbon. You’ll need a car and also you’ll need some tips on how to get through the wide range that Portugal has to offer, but wait! Don’t overlook visiting Faro!
Don’t completely overlook the city you’re landing in with its cobbled streets and its architectural wonderland. Take these tips with you to keep you in with the locals and seeing the best this destination has to offer.
Visiting Faro, Even if It’s Just for One Day
Located in Algarve, in southern Portugal, Faro is a great destination for summer vacations. The city has a lot of charm and tradition but due to being a popular tourist destination, it has become a place visited and frequented by thousands of tourists throughout the year.
In addition, Faro airport is the only airport in the southern region, making the city the only entrance to this region of the country.
Faro also borders the Ria Formosa Natural Park, which has several saltwater lagoons and many marshes, making it a refuge for migratory birds and a large amount of wildlife.
If you are thinking of traveling there, below are some very useful tips. They will save you a lot in all the trip planning and for when you are there.
Your trip to Portugal is going to be cheaper than you imagined and you can take advantage of your trip even more. Then discover everything about the city Faro in Algarve.
Faro Center
Faro is a very quiet city, despite its touristic atmosphere that lasts all summer. Therefore, it is ideal for those who wish to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the south of the country.
The city center has beautiful and historical monuments. The Manuel Bívar Garden is a very charming square where older people play cards, checkers and chess.
There are many trees and a lot of shade, which can be essential on warmer days. The Portão Arco da Vila was built in the 19th century and is located in front of the city walls.
Other interesting tourist points are the Sé de Faro Cathedral and the building of the Municipal Chamber of the city. When you go to the Sé, be sure to go up to the clock tower, where there is a viewpoint to see Faro and the Ria Formosa National Park.
The Capela dos Ossos in Faro is a macabre but fascinating little chapel. You can find it at the back of the Igreja do Carmo church.
The chapel is lined with the bones of over 1,000 skeletons and that decorate the walls and ceilings in ghoulish geometric patterns.
Festa Season
If you head for the end of July or late August not only will the prices be cheaper but also you will be surprised by the life of the town during Festa Season.
With everything on the taste palate from the Ria Formosa Seafood Festival (July 26 – August 5th) where Paella’s and Octopus salads from the locals are displayed till they’re gone, FolkFaro (August 20th – 28th) key is in the name and the festival attracts upwards of 300 artists that play venues under the sun and behind closed doors and Faro Tango Fest (Jan – Changes) filled with performances and workshops to get your heart and feet bopping.
Be comfortable, although the city is a short walk from side to side it’s still a tough one on the knees with all the wobbling of cobbled streets.
Pack yourself some comfortable walking shoes, then once you have seen the sites of the old town and hopped across the rooftops then you can hike up into the bell towers and churches.
Getting to Town
Faro airport is around 6kms from the city center which is of course just a short cab ride but why use that money on a cab when you could be ordering two Madeira’s by the coast in 15 mins for under three euros.
Take the bus although you’ll need to rush as they’re not overly frequent.
Where Else Will You Go?
Visiting Faro as a spot to see the rest of Portugal is a great idea as Portugal is not so popular to stay in because it’s hard to find reasonable accommodations.
If you jump onto another destination, Enjoy Car Hire and book yourself a competitive deal, they are a comparison site that also has a fair fuel policy.
Grab a bargain, there are countless restaurants and bars throughout the beautiful city grounds but as any other great city provides so does Faro in its Municipal Market.
Here a plethora of stores that house the freshest and most traditional treats and ingredients any traveler is after.
Visiting Faro is a trip that is constantly looked over and shouldn’t be, take the time out of your beach haven trip to jump into the culture and support the locals by buying up everything you can carry.
