Faro
Faro is a city in the Algarve region of Portugal.
Understand
Faro is the southernmost city in mainland Portugal. During summer, Faro is a popular destination for sun-seekers from northern Europe and the UK, especially due to the presence of its international airport. It also enjoys a reputation as being more friendly than many other parts of the region.
Outside of summer, the beach-goers are mostly gone, but it is still a base to explore the more remote areas of the Algarve, a convenient stop between Lisbon and Seville (or Spain in general), and what it loses in partying outside summer, it gains in peacefulness, reverting to a quaint and charming small city.
Get in
By plane
- Faro Airport (FAO IATA), [1]. Many package tour and discount airlines arrive from the UK and Ireland, mainland Europe and Canada. There is a large group of Car hire agencies if you turn right after the main exit.
Get to the city by busses 14 or 16, departing roughly every hour. The price is €2.22.
By train
- The Alpha Pendular - a high-speed train, runs at least twice a day to and from Lisbon. About 2,5 hours, €20 one way, €25 on first class. The Inter City trains run more frequently but take a little longer, with more stops - about 3.5 to 4 hours.
There are also regional trains along the Algarve coast to Lagos.
By car
Car hire is an option for visitors. You can arrange car hire at the airport, however, as with many tourist locations it is wise to arrange your vehicle hire prior to arrival - this can save both money (the airport car rental desks can be far more expensive) and disappointment as availability during peak season may be very limited. Organising it from home before you arrive is now a very simple process with numerous companies specialising in pre-booking car hire in Faro.
Roads can be quite busy, but if you want to see a bit more of the city and indeed the Algarve region then driving by car is an easy option. Driving in the Algarve region is far easier than in the rest of Portugal, there are more non-toll roads and road-signs are plentiful and relevant.
By bus
There is a daily bus service to and from Lisbon and Porto in the north of Portugal, as well as to and from Madrid and Seville in Spain. A fare from Lisbon to Faro costs either €18 (for a "Expresso" connection takes about 4 hours, stopping in Albufeira, Vilamoura and Quarteira) or €19 (for a "Expresso Qualidade" direct connection which takes just over 3 hours and includes a movie projection, a stewardess, and a mini-bar service) and can easily be bought at the bus station just before boarding. This bus station in Lisbon is next to a subway stop called Jardim Zoológico.
By boat
Main harbours: Portimao, Faro.
Get around
By bus
Urban buses are run by the Eva company, that also connect Faro with other cities in Algarve and Andalusia.
The bus station is located next to the Hotel Faro.
Buses 14 and 16 go around the city, to the airport and to the beach of Faro. Tickets can be bought from the driver.
By car
It can be difficult to find a parking slot in the center. Most of the parking stations near the restaurants and shopping malls are payable. However, there is a free car park located along side the bus station which is close to the Hotel Faro and a huge free car park located behind the old town heading in the direction of Olhao.
On foot
Downtown is small - and transport convenient: The train and main bus station being within 150m of one another. Walking is very viable for most visitors.
See
- Capela dos Ossos (Bone Chapel) (Within easy walking distance of downtown - get a map at one of the tourist offices.). Within Igreja do Carmo church, this chapel is almost completely made of bones taken from a former monk graveyard. ~2 EUR.
- Centro Historico (Old town). A well-preserved section of town off the harbor with cobblestone streets and 18th century Portuguese and Moorish-influenced architecture. It is great place for a peaceful and almost private walk back in time in an area that has been virtually untouched by modernity.
- Se (Cathedral). Within the old town, the view from the tower over the old town and the Rio Formosa is a highlight. €3.
Do
- Ria Formosa - Take a boat trip into the Ria Formosa - a nature reserve that stretches along the tip of Portugal into Spain. A two and a half hour trip costs €20 (in 2007) and includes a 40 minute stop-over on an island. The boat leaves from a jetty by the Centro Historico. Birdwatchers may enjoy a walk along the Ria in the saltmarshes of Ludo between the beach, the airport and the golf courses of Quinta do Lago.
The nautical activities centre at the beach proposes kayaking tours on the Ria Formosa.
- Praia de Faro - This beach is several kilometers long and so should never get crowded, even in the height of summer. Most of the beach is gently sloping though it can take a sudden dip in places. There are the usual beach-side stalls and a public lavatory, but no showers. Praia de Faro is just past the airport, the airport bus stops there and costs €1.90 (in 2012). A lot of people with early check-outs and late flights seem to go there on their last day.
- Faro Jewish Heritage Centre, Rua Leao Penedo (In front of Faro Hospital), ☏ +351 289829525. 9.30-12.30 and 14.00-17.00. Oficially established in 1851, the Faro Jewish Cemetery is the only remaining vestige of the first post-Inquisition Jewish presence in Portugal. It served as a burial place for a thriving 60 family community (also known as "Little Jerusalem"). The Jews of Portugal fled the Inquisition from the end of the XVth century and settled in Gibraltar and North Africa. After the devastating 1755 Lisbon Earthquake their descendants have been invited by the Marquis of Pombal to help rebuild the economy. Although the community is long gone, the Cemetery still remains to remind citizens and travellers of its former glory. The Faro Jewish Heritage Centre features over one hundred graves in Sephardi style, with beautifully engraved slabs instead of headstones. Although the land has been purchased by the Jewish community in 1851, the first burial, that of Rabbi Toledano, dates back to 1838. Apart from the Cemetery, there is also a museum, housing many objects linked to the history of the Jews of Faro, like the furniture from one of the two non-existent synagogues of Faro or the facsimile copy of Gacon's 1478 Pentateuch in Hebrew - the first book ever printed in Portugal! free.
Buy
Eat
- A Tasca, 38 Rua do Alportel, Faro, ☏ +351 289 824 739. This is a typical Algarvian restaurant serving typical regional cuisine at average prices. They do not accept Credit Cards.
- Camané, Ilha de Faro, Faro, ☏ +351 289 817 236. A swanky beach restaurant with upmarket Portuguese cuisine. It's popular with business people and the richer Algarve socialites. They accept credit cards and are closed on Mondays.
- Dois Irmãos, 20 Largo Terreiro do Bispo, Faro, ☏ +351 289 823 337. Found in an old small corner house located in the square opposite the Cathedral. International cuisine. They accept credit cards.
- Hotel Monte do Casal, Estrada de Moncarapacho á Estoi, ☏ +351 289 990 140. A charming converted manor house in a comfortable rural hotel set back from the coast. The restaurant is run by a Michelin trained Chef called George who provides an exciting menu. Credit Cards accepted.
- O Costa, Ilha de Faro, ☏ +351 289 817 442. Located on Faro Island to the south of the airport, O Costa serve well presented cuisine prepared by chef Fabienne Costa who does credit to traditional Portuguese Algarvian dishes with a touch of finesse.
- Le Marquis, Monte da Palhagueira, Santa Barbara de Nexi, ☏ +351 916076540. Wonderful building and position, inside decor traditional in style but table settings and modern food. A very personal experience from Helma and Vincent. The menu was impressive, something for every palette.
- Adega Nova, 24 Rua Francisco Barreto, 8000-344, ☏ +351 289 813433. A unique restaurant in the middle of Faro that appears like a pub from northern Europe. Busy and lively restaurant with smoking and non smoking areas. Attentive, professional staff. Reasonably priced
Drink
- Bar CheSsenta, Rua do Prior 34. On the Rua do Prior which is the main bar / cafe street in Faro, this small bar is decorated with many photos of Che Guevara and attracts a 20s-30s crowd with reasonably priced drinks. They do karaoke on some nights also.
- Conselheiro Bar, Rua Conselheiro Bívar 72, Faro, 8000-255, ☏ +351 966488531. A one-stop place, which is very well known and always full. It is divided between three distinct areas: The main (as you enter) has a very wide bar that attracts the older clientele, in the next room is the dance floor and a well equipped bar, an ideal place for the more rowdy nights and a chill out room over two floors, ideal for relaxing, playing pool or video games.
- Bora Bar, 1 Rua do Compromisso. 4AM close. Located next to the Hotel Faro in the hub of nightlife of Faro, Bora Bar attracts a younger crowd and the staff are welcoming and friendly. Friday is ladies night and there are drink offers every night of the week.
- Upa Upa Café Bar, 51 Rua Conselheiro Bivar. Very popular with both the locals and tourists, Upa Upa draws a rich mixture of people. Tables overflow onto its spacious patio. It's a great place to have a drink while mixing with the locals and other tourists.
- Dux, Rua do Prior 38 8000, ☏ +351 289282468. This nightclub is popular amongst the younger crowd and is frequented by both the locals and tourists. If you're looking to party until the early hours of the morning, this is the place to go.
Sleep
Faro has a thriving trade in both package deal hotels and short-term apartment rental. If that fails, locals have become very comfortable renting out every scrap of space in their homes to desperate travellers. Book months in advance for the high season and note that many places are closed during the low season.
- Hostel Casa d'Alagoa, Praça Alexandre Herculano, 27, Faro, ☏ +351 289 813 252, booking@farohostel.com. First Hostel in Faro, Algarve, Portugal, is centrally located near Faro "Old Town", just a 5 minute walk from the marina and to some of Faro's most important monuments and museums. And remember the only deserted beach during the Summer in the Algarve is just 30 min. away by boat from Faro! 24 Hour Reception, BBQ Area, Breakfast,Common Room, Internet Access, Guest Kitchen, Linen Included, Luggage Storage, Outdoor Terraced Area and Bike Rental.
- Low Cost Inn. Rua Teófilo Braga nº38,40,42. The guest house is in the city centre, in a renovated 18th century building. The facilities consist of 22 spacious rooms and a dorm with 22 beds (with free internet and WiFi, common room, private bathrooms and shared bathrooms).
- Pousada de São Brás de Alportel - São Brás, Charming Hotel, 8150-054 São Brás de Alportel, ☏ +351 289 842 305, +351 289 842 306, fax: +351 289 841 726, recepcao.sbras@pousadas.pt. A charming hotel located in the Algarve mountain range, only half an hour from the coast and near the most famous beaches in Portugal, this has and still maintains the most genuine characteristics of the region's culture. Near this charming Algarve hotel are some golf courses, such as the Monte Rei, the Benamor and the Quinta da Ria golf course, these are some of the best greens for the practice of golf in Algarve.
- Hotel Eva is a 4-star hotel overlooking the harbor and the Cidade Velha. It is walking distance from everything and is well worth the few extra euro.
- Hotel Faro, Praça D. Francisco Gomes N2 Faro, ☏ +351 289 830 830, fax: +351 289830829, reservas@hotelfaro.pt.
- Hotel Ibis Faro, E.N. 125 Pontes de Marchil, ☏ +351 289 893 800.
- Hotel Mónaco, Rua João Baptista Severino Urb. Monte da Ria - Montenegro 8005-237 Faro (From all directions take directions to Faro/airport. Once on the EN125-10 (airport road - dual carriage way) take exit signs (Montenegro/Universidade), on the flyover roundabout follow the exit towards Faro and sign Hotel, descending from the roundabout, take the immediate right turn. Hotel is 100m away.), ☏ +351 289895060. Check-in: After 2PM, check-out: Before noon. Hotel Mónaco is the nearest hotel to Faro airport, Algarve University and Algarve Stadium. Low/High: €45/55 (single), €52/70 (double or twin).
- Faro Lounge Guesthouse, 72 Av. da Republica Sao Pedro, ☏ +351 969 989 369. A cheap guesthouse in Faro. They offer dorms for 12 and 16 people. I booked it well in advance and paid a deposit. A few hours before I got to Faro I received an email message telling me my reservation is canceled due to overbooking. I still haven´t received my deposit back.
- Pensao Tivoli - Guest House Tivoli, Praca Alexandre Herculano, 6 (from the Arch of the Old City head along Rua da Misericordia then Rua Alexandre Herculano, after 5 minutes you come to the Praca and the Tivoli is the corner building on your left), ☏ +351 289 829 825. A beautiful building with classic decor with restored antique furniture in most of the rooms. Clean and bright.
- Hostel Faro - Hostel 33, Rua Miguel Bombarda 33, Faro, ☏ +351 96 972 13 60, info@hostelfaro.pt. Hostel 33 is in a building full of history in Faro, Algarve, Portugal, is centrally located in the old town area of Faro, 10 minutes from Faro Airport by taxi, 2 minutes walking distance from the bus station and only 40 metres from the Train Station, offer accommodation in 4, 6 and 8 bed mixed dorms and we also have twin rooms available, each with a private bathroom and balcony, 24h open reception desk, Full Wi-Fi coverage, Guest kitchen, Outdoor terraced área.
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