EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT A HOLIDAY IN FARO, ALGARVE
Looking for a vacation location, for November, with good weather for exploring and staying outside as much as possible, Faro came my way. The flights were among the cheapest, and I was surprised that the other things related to planning a trip: accommodation, food and car rental, were equally affordable. If I add up that there were no tourists, that we had almost the entire Algarve region "just to ourselves" and that we had 20 degrees every day, I think that we made the best choice.
With a quiet and relaxed air, with many pedestrian streets, parks, green areas, a long beach with fine sand and a gorgeous delta, Faro can be put on the list of ideal vacation spots that can satisfy any type of tourist.
Although we visited almost the entire Algarve area, in this article I will only tell you about the city of Faro, being also the town where we stayed and where we spent the most time during our vacation in this region of Portugal. About the complete experience and the places that can be visited read the post about our vacation in Algarve.
HOW TO GET TO FARO:
Faro has its own airport that has flights from most of European cities. For flights outside Europe, Lisbon airport is more popular and it's about 2 hours and a half away of Algarve.
There are buses that run regularly from Faro airport to the city. There is also the option of taxi or private transport, the prices being similar. For private transfer book here.
If you arrive in Faro, you will definitely want to visit more of the Algarve area, so I recommend renting a car. It is the most accessible option, considering that public transport is not very well developed, especially in the wilder areas, with beautiful beaches, which you should not miss. Parking in the Algarve area was mostly free, and road tolls must be charged by the rental company, depending on how far and where you went.
WHERE ARE YOU STAYING IN FARO?
We chose to stay at the Ibis Hotel, which was among the cheapest options at that time. The hotel is not right in the city, I only recommend it if you rent a car, otherwise it will be difficult to get to the Faro's center or the beach.
Other accommodation options:
- 5 star hotel: 3HB Faro.
- 4 stars hotels: Hotel Faro & Beach Club, Roots Hotel.
- 3 stars gotels or less: Best Western Hotel Dom Bernardo, Hotel Sol Algarve by Kavia.
For those who chose to rent a car, they can enjoy a hotel a little further from the center, but with many more facilities at a much better price: - 5 star hotel: Real Marina Hotel & Spa, Pousada Palacio de Estoi,
- 4 stars hotel: Quinta dos Poetas Nature Hotel & Apartments, Solar Alvura Wellness Retreat ( all inclusive);
- 3 stars hotels or less: Pure Formosa Concept Hotel, Loule Jardim Hotel.
WHAT TO VISIT IN FARO
Praia do Faro is the only beach of the city, 5 km long, which means that it is spacious enough, so that you have the distance between towels, even in summer, when it is the most crowded. The entrance to the water is smooth, without stones, with fine sand. The ocean water is somewhat colder than the Mediterranean Sea, even in summer, so take this into account, especially if you are planning a vacation for swimming and snorkeling. It has free parking and showers, and there are bars and restaurants in the area. During the summer, part of the beach is equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas. In 2022, the price in July was 15 euros for two sunbeds and an umbrella. The whole beach area has a relaxed air and along the beach there are cabins for rent. Also along the beach is a bicycle path.
If you do not rent a car, it is good to know that the beach is outside the city, at a distance of approximately 9 km from the center. You can cover the distance, both by taxi and by public transport. Buses 14, 16 and 17 run frequently to Praia de Faro. Another option to get to the beach is with a rented bicycle. Be careful, however, that the rules are strict, and in areas where there are no tracks (on most streets there are) you have to ride on the street, cycling on the sidewalk is not allowed.
Ludo Trail
The Lodo Trail is a path located in the Ria Formosa National Park, being the ideal place to enjoy nature and birds. The path can be done both on foot and by bike and crosses the delta formed by the São Lourenço River.
The hike on the Ludo Trail, looking for Flamingo birds, was definitely the activity I liked the most from my vacation in the Algarve. I have to admit that I didn't know about the existence of this route, I discovered it while looking for Flamingos. It is not a trail with differences in level, it is easy to do and I recommend it to wildlife lovers.
The entrance to the route is between Faro and the bridge on the Ria Formosa. If you arrive there by car, you can park at Parque de Estacionamento de Praia de Faro, a free parking, which you can find very easily with the help of the sat nav. There is no entrance fee for the route, and Flamingo birds can be seen between November and March. With a little luck, you can see them even in the summer months.
If you don't want to hike, but want to see the birds, you can book a boat tour, tickets here.
Igreja do Carmo If I were to make a list of the strangest churches that I have visited, Igreja do Carmo would certainly not be missing. The exterior is built in baroque style.
In the main part of the church, both in the area of the altar and on the architectural details of the walls, you can admire gold-plated works. During the construction of this building, Portugal brought a lot of gold from the colonies in Latin America, a small part of which was kept right in this church.
Passing the opulence of the first hall, there follows a somewhat more modest but equally spectacular area of the church, this time the star material being wood, very meticulously worked.
The last part, which I have to admit, I didn't like, is a chapel that has human bones glued to the wall. I have visited such a church in Milan, I liked that one, but this one did not convince me. The purpose of this type of "decoration" of the wall is to emphasize the ephemerality of life. I would say that it is a little in contrast with the gold on the walls...
Arco da Vila and the historic center The Arco da Vila building represents the entrance to the historical center of the city. This arch has existed since the medieval era, but the earthquake of 1755 seriously damaged it, and the building that can be admired and visited today was built in its place. A few storks made their nest right on the roof of the building. These birds can be observed in the Algarve in an impressively large number and they do not leave the region in the cold season.
Passing the arch, in the historic center you can admire both newer buildings, built in the same period as the Arco da Vila, after 1812, as well as older buildings, such as the Faro Cathedral.
The Cathedral of Faro was built in the 13th century on the ruins of a mosque and a Roman temple. Nowadays, the location can be visited. Both the interior of the cathedral and the tower are open to tourists. The view from the tower is amazing.
Not far from the old part of the city is the Port of Faro, which can be an option for a short promenade. There are small stalls in the area, where you can buy souvenirs and traditional, handmade items. It is not a luxurious port, where expensive yachts are displayed, but rather a "park" of boats. You can also take a picture with the name of the city here.
If you do not want to rent a car, but want to explore other areas of the Algarve region, there is the option of day trips: - trip to the most famous beach in Portugal, Benagil, reservations here. - trip by catamaran to 4 islands on the Ria formosa, reservations here. - boat trip, in search of dolphins, reservations here.
CONCLUSION ABOUT FARO: Both Faro and the entire Algarve area pleasantly surprised me and I'm glad I made the decision to travel there in November, although I am convinced that it is a superb location, which is worth visiting in any season. I recommend the months of October - November, if you plan to visit a lot and don't necessarily need beach time.
The prices were decent and seemed to me to be among the lowest in Europe. Although I don't like to give details about the prices, because we are different and have different expectations from a holiday, to give you an idea, I spent two people, 800 euros (4 nights' accommodation, rented car with full cover insurance , food at the restaurants, flights and others). Obviously, the time of the year in which we went was very important, for sure, in the summer the prices are higher. Portugal is not known as the cheapest country, but Faro is a budget-friendly city.
Read also about other locations in Europe, better known and less known: Genoa, Veliko Tarnovo, Oslo, 3 places to visit in Andalusia, or Dublin.
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