How it works🇳🇱NL

Flight price per month

Per person in euros: cheapest direct return flight for 2 to 4 nights. Select a month for flight times, hotels and things to do.

65jan64feb76mar103apr92may123jun152jul144aug107sep79oct64nov99dec

Discover Faro

Ria Formosa, Faro
Ria Formosa
Faro, Faro
Faro

City guide

About Faro

Faro rests along Portugal's southern coastline as the administrative capital of the Algarve. The city overlooks the tranquil saltwater lagoons, mudflats, and sandspits of the protected Ria Formosa Natural Park, a world-class sanctuary for migratory bird species.

Unlike the bustling package resorts elsewhere along the coast, Faro retains its genuine Portuguese identity. Behind the ancient defensive ramparts of Cidade Velha lie serene cobblestone lanes and orange trees, while storks build massive nests atop medieval bell towers.

Best time to go
April through October provides the best weather, with abundant sunshine and highs between 22 and 28°C. Summers are comfortably warm, tempered by coastal lagoon breezes. Winters are mild and bright (around 16°C), offering great conditions for nature lovers and birdwatchers.
From the airport
Faro Airport (FAO) sits just 4 kilometres west of the city. Local bus lines 14 and 16 run regularly to the central bus station and marina in roughly 15 to 20 minutes. A taxi or ride-hailing car costs between 10 and 15 euros.
Getting around
The historic city centre is compact, level, and best traversed on foot. Regular passenger ferries and water taxis leave from the Porta Nova pier to reach the pristine barrier islands of the Ria Formosa, including Ilha Deserta and Ilha do Farol. The regional railway connects Faro smoothly to coastal towns from Lagos to the Spanish border.

What to see in Faro

  • Cidade Velha and Arco da VilaThe walled medieval old town entered through a monumental neoclassical gateway where storks nest, opening onto quiet cobblestone lanes and shaded squares.
  • Faro Cathedral (Se de Faro)A 13th-century cathedral in Largo da Se featuring decorative tilework and a bell tower that rewards climbers with sweeping views across the town and lagoons.
  • Ria Formosa Natural ParkA vast 60-kilometre labyrinth of barrier islands and tidal channels, easily explored via guided boat tours departing right from the marina.
  • Carmo Church and Bone ChapelAn 18th-century twin-towered baroque church housing the macabre Capela dos Ossos, lined with the skulls and bones of over one thousand Carmelite monks.

Neighbourhoods

  • Cidade VelhaThe peaceful walled historic quarter of heritage museums, orange-scented plazas, and traditional whitewashed townhouses.
  • Baixa de FaroThe lively pedestrian shopping area paved with Portuguese black-and-white stone mosaics (calcada), lined with boutiques and open-air cafes.
  • Doca de FaroThe central marina fronting the lagoon, filled with recreational yachts, boat tour piers, and outdoor seafood terraces.

Food and drink

Order a traditional cataplana de marisco: a seafood stew of clams, prawns, and seasonal fish slow-steamed in a hinged copper clam-shaped vessel with garlic, white wine, and fresh coriander. Savor grilled fresh sea bass or sardines, and finish with dom rodrigo, a sweet confection of spun egg threads, sugar, and almonds.

Questions about Faro

Does Faro have its own beach?

The city itself fronts the lagoon, but Praia de Faro on the barrier island is just 20 minutes away via local bus 16 or ferry, offering kilometres of soft Atlantic sand.

Is Faro a practical base for exploring the Algarve?

Very practical. Faro has the region's main train station and bus terminal, allowing affordable, scenic day trips west to Lagos and east to the historic town of Tavira.

Month by month breakdown

Fotocredits (3)
  • Faro Cathedral door Abrget47j, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Ria Formosa door Ricardo Oliveira, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Faro door Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons