About...
Faro GUIDE
The provincial capital of the Algarve, Faro is a modern, lively city with attractive shopping precincts, good restaurants and a frenetic nightlife. Thousands of travellers pass through the city en route to and from the resorts of the Algarve. Those who choose to linger awhile will find a town full of charm and colour with an interesting history and the feel of a true Portuguese fishing port.
There are some sightseeing opportunities, mostly centred in the Old Town or Cidade Velha, which is entered through an 18th century gate and enclosed by the remnants of medieval walls.
Faro’s most famous attraction is a macabre one at the Igreja do Carmo, which features a chapel whose walls are decorated with the bones of more than 1,200 monks disinterred from the neighbouring cemetery.
Another worthwhile attraction near the city is the Ria Formosa Natural Park, and a short distance to the north is the peaceful village of Estoi, boasting a pink Roccoco palace and Roman ruins dating from the 1st century. For the beach, one has to travel a few miles. A long sandy spit lies across a bridge near the International Airport.
Activities
Faro’s main attraction is its quaint old town, where visitors can wander and enjoy some architectural sightseeing and brush up on their history.
There are some worthy museums in the town, too, like the archaeological Municipal Museum housed in a former convent and a maritime museum displaying a collection of model ships and boats.
The city offers a taste of the traditional old Portugal for visitors making a stopover en route to an Algarve resort.
Those who want to try out the local beach will find it to be a clean stretch of golden sand where umbrellas and sunbeds can be hired and all sorts of watersports undertaken.
Night Life
Being a university city, Faro has a vibrant student population who ensure that nightlife keeps pumping.
It all happens along the Rua do Prior and in the narrow alleys off of Rua Conselheiro Bivar and Rua Infante Dom Henrique.
Dance clubs get going around 11pm or midnight, while bars are open for business any time from noon until the early hours.
The Upa Upa Café and Bar at 51 Rua Conselheiro Bivar draws locals and tourists.
The nightclub, Dux, is the place to party until the early hours and the trendsetters should head for the Fashion Kaffe.
Shopping
Faro’s main shopping area is in the heart of town along the Rua Santo Antonio and the Rua Francisco Gomes.
There is also an interesting, colourful produce market on the Largo do Mercado open every day where visitors can mingle with the locals.
Good buys in Faro are the local handcrafts, like basketware and embroidered goods,local wines and traditional clothing.
Also sought after are locally made ceramic tiles decorated with traditional motifs.
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Faro Airport - Airport Code - FAO
Faro Airport is the gateway to the Algarve.
The airport is split into two different areas: the arrivals hall and the departures hall. There are also a reasonable collection of shops at the airport and if you live on the Algarve and want to leave your car at the airport or you are going there to collect someone please check out our advice on the various car parks.
We have also compiled a directory of telephone numbers should you ever need to contact the airport about anything.
Faro Airport Transport
There are not any trains at Faro Airport but you do have a choice of whether to catch the airport bus, take a taxi or pre-book a private airport transfer.
The bus at Faro Airport runs into the City center where you are able to catch the buses to the various towns and resorts along the Algarve. You can find the taxis directly outside the arrivals terminal and it may be worth reading our section which list the tariffs.
If you don't fancy driving then our recommended mode of transport from Faro Airport is by pre booking your own private airport transfer. You will often find that private transfers work out cheaper than traditional taxis and they can accommodate up to 50 people!
Faro Airport Car Hire - by Algarve car hire - Low cost car Faro
We have found 8 different companies that offer car hire at Faro Airport. all of them offer a wide range of cars and they all run various special offers from time to time. We have written quite a detailed report on each company within our Faro Airport Car Hire section.
For us hiring a car whilst holidaying on the Algarve is both the simplest and most cost effective way of getting around this beautiful part of Europe. Overall we have that the rental cars at faro Airport offer excellent value for money.
Flights To Faro
If you are looking for flights from the UK to Faro then you are almost spoilt for choice.
All the main low cost airlines fly to Faro from the UK along with the larger companies such as British Airways and the Portuguese National Carrier TAP Portugal.
It may surprise you to find that these last two airlines offer some really good deals.
Algarve Tourist Information
The Algarve is hugely popular with tourists from all over the world. This is partly to do with the wonderful Algarve Temperatures which produce mild winters and hot summers.
You will find a good selection of shops on the Algarve together with some great Algarve Theme Parks, and in my opinion some of the best beaches in Europe. There is also some fantastic golf courses and of course a huge range of places to eat and to just sit and watch the world go by.
Our favourite resorts include Vale Do Lobo, Vilamoura, Portimao and Albufeira.
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