There are surprisingly a lot of fun activities that tourist can engage in when visiting the coastal Portuguese city of Faro. Whether spending time during a short stay or passing time during a long holiday, one has a variety of options ranging from visiting historic sites, sampling Portuguese culture and cuisine, taking a cruise or doing some shopping. In this article, we are going to explore the top five most interesting things tourist should try while visiting Faro.
Exploring the town
One of the greatest tourist attractions in Faro is the town itself. There are numerous well-preserved historic monuments, buildings and other structures scattered all over this old town. The Cidade Velha arch serves as a gateway to Faro’s old town which is totally different from the rest of the city. Some of the sites to see here include the Faro Cathedral that was built back in 1251 shortly after Faro was reconquered from the Moors. This beautiful monument is open to the public, and one can scale it to have an aerial view of Faro’s streets and lagoons. Standing on the waterside gateway is the magnificent Arco da Vila that was designed by the Italian architect Francisco Xavier Fabri in 1812. The Igreja do Carmo is a beautiful church built in the 18th century and is one of the most important landmarks in Faro.
The Praia de Faro beach is the closest and the most accessible beach with regular bus services from the city center. Plenty of social amenities are available here, including cafes, restaurants and holiday homes. Other beaches are farther away from the city center and are accessible by boat.
CidadeVelha
Arco da Vila
Faro Cathedral
Arco da Vila
The Igreja do Carmo
The Praia de Faro beach
The Ilha Deserta
To get a nice quiet time, you can travel to Ilha Deserta, which means the deserted island. Being in one of the remote islands to the south, this beach is only accessible by boat. Very few people come here and social amenities such as hotels are notably absent. Cabo de Santa Maria, Portugal most southerly point, is found on this island. Sea debris can be seen along the shoreline, but between the harbor and Cabo de Santa Maria is a nice 2.5km long, clean, quiet and peaceful walk.
Between Faro and the islands is the Ria Formosa nature park. Here you will find small marine life and some migratory birds. Small fishing communities who use traditional fishing methods can also be found here.Boat tours are organized for visits to the park from Faro Marina. Kayaks are also available.
Ria Formosa nature park
Shopping and Cuisine
The best place to do some shopping and sample a bit of Portuguese cuisine is along the pedestrian streets around Rua de Santo Antonio. The open-air restaurants and cafes provide an excellent eating environment. Japanese dishes can also be found at Diamond Sushi near the bus station.
The pedestrian streets around Rua de Santo Antonio
To sum up, one can never run out of fun activities to engage in on a tour of Faro. If you wish to drive yourself to some of the sites that are far from the city, there is car rental in Faro airport at your service.Visit Car Site to get the best deal possible on your next used cars.
