5 Things to do while in Faro, Portugal

 

Time of Year Visited: August 2017

Weather: very hot, dry and sunny

Flights: £93.00 pp

Accommodation: £36.00 pp

Currency: Euro

Getting Around: Local taxis, uber and rental cars. Most destinations can be reached by foot or you can also rent a bike.

5 Things to do while in Faro:

1. Take a walk around the Old Town. With Faro having cute cobbled back streets and historic buildings, you can get lost walking around during the summer evenings. Important monuments such as Largo Da Sé, São Pedro Church and Arabesque Arco de Repouso just some of the spots that can be explored. From the Old Town it is just a short walk to Castelo de Tavira, which is a small castle giving great views from the top of the town and the sea. It is free entry and there are no time limitations, I would recommend! A few points to note: the steps to the battlements are very steep so be careful and wear sensible shoes, there are usually buskers during the day so have some change handy, there are toilets on site and the gardens are well maintained so any hay fever sufferers be aware.

2. Visit Faro Cathedral. Located in the heart of the Old Town, the Sé was built back in 1251 over the remains of a Roman temple. The Cathedral has a small museum upstairs which contains paintings, statues and a small ossuary (a room with human skeletal remains) and a choir room with an amazing 1716 pipe organ. For views of Faro you are also able to walk up the narrow winding staircase (roughly 65-70 steps) to the Cathedral’s rooftop; it is beautiful from the top and you can get up close to the church bells, these ring roughly every 15-20 minutes and can be very loud but it is worth it. The entrance was €3.50 (adults), €2.50 (students, seniors and young people) and it is open from 10:00AM- 6:00PM. During the summer months I would suggest once done with the Cathedral to sit in the small café on-site as it is reasonably priced and has orange trees that provide shelter from the sun.

Views from the top

Views from the top

The Organ

The entrance

3. Take a trip to Albufeira. We took a day trip from Faro to Albufeira, we wanted to go to the beach and have a change of scenery. Unfortunately, the bus was sold out, so we opted to get the train; we ended up getting the slower train as it was cheaper and was leaving sooner. Tickets cost €6.70 adult return and the journey took 30- 35 minutes. From Albufeira station we got a taxi into the town/ beach. I would not recommend the train unless the bus is unavailable- the distance from the station to town means you will need to get another bus or taxi in, also with trains being so infrequent/ unreliable it is hard to time leaving town successfully. We had to wait around an hour for the last train back to Faro- the timetable said the last train was 7:40PM but it ended up arriving at 8:50PM. A local even told us sometimes they don’t arrive at all.

While in Albufeira we booked a private boat trip to the Benagil Caves and secret beach, this cost us €30 each and included drinks, pictures and time to stop off and swim. We did not see any dolphins on our trip, but this varies for everyone depending on the time of year.  

4. Visit the National Park Ria Formosa and Deserta Island. Take a stroll down to the marina and you will find catamaran boats running tours to both the National Park and Deserta Island, it’s a great way to kill a few hours with bird watching (pink flamingos), sand dunes and beach lazing. Our trip cost us €12.00 pp and lasted 3 hours. I would highly recommend for nature lovers as the National Park is home to so much flora and fauna, you can really get caught up in chasing animals in the waters, in the sand dunes and on the beach.

 

5. Eat a seafood dinner & grab dessert by the marina. I would suggest eating at A do Pinto, the food is delicious, the staff are so lovely and welcoming, it is centrally located and reasonably priced. While not directly in view of the marina the restaurant has such a lovely atmosphere, outdoor seating and it is close enough for an after-dinner stroll. After dinner, if you are interested in getting something sweet, I would highly recommend Choc & Nut Faro. Think fresh fruit, chocolate, nuts, cream and ice cream- everything your heart could desire Choc & Nut can make it happen 😋. 

Overall:  Faro is a great chilled spot for a relaxing break away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The quiet and laid-back atmosphere makes this a great destination for families, older couples and anyone who just wants a quiet break with no real plan of doing anything.

 If you are looking for more of a nightlife and party atmosphere, I would suggest staying in Albufeira.