The Portuguese city Faro is like a little brother compared to Lisbon and Porto, but it certainly doesn’t fall behind in anything. It is located in the beautiful coastal area of Algarve, which offers breathtaking views, beaches with turquoise water, and hidden caves. The individual places are connected by tourist paths, so you can combine beach relaxation with hiking. Its proximity to the African continent has brought a mix of European and Arab culture.
Detailed Google map with attractions
Summary of prices per person
Flight price: €50 | Flight duration: Vienna – Faro: 3h 30min (follow cheap flights) Accommodation: €30 / 3 nights | Car + petrol: €30 | Food and drinks: €100 | Total per person: €210
Practical information:
- Accommodation – through booking.com starts from €10 / night, in November it’s already cooler and since they don’t have radiators, check if the accommodation at least has air conditioning.
- Faro Airport – is only 7 km away from Faro. Buses 14 or 16 run from the airport for €2.25 or you can rent a car. There is a lot of competition among car rentals, so prices are pushed down, for example, we paid €30 for 3 days including insurance (Guerin company through Ryanair car hire website).
- Parking in Faro – there is a large free parking lot at the end of the city behind the walls, so feel free to book accommodation without parking, it’s just a few minutes walk away.
- Toll roads in Algavre – the highway is toll-based, if you want to drive on it, you need to rent a toll device when renting a car (it cost €1.85 per day). We skipped this and took the slower roads through towns.
Chill Faro
The city of Faro is the largest city in the Algarve region. The historic center is rich in interesting architecture – remnants of the city wall from Roman times, 18th-century churches, or the Teatro Lethes theater from the 17th century. We recommend taking a guided tour of the city, where a guide will tell you the long history of the city’s settlement as well as many interesting tidbits. For example, you’ll be warned about the sourest oranges on the main square, which will further provoke you to taste them. And what a surprise, we haven’t had such contorted mouths in a long time 🙂 If you want to have good food, there are many great restaurants here, which we chose according to Tripadvisor. We tried local Portuguese, Mexican, and even Indian food. If you want to enjoy a drink in style, we recommend the rooftop of the Faro hotel with a panoramic view.
1. Praia de Faro
A short distance from the airport lies the long sandy beach Praia de Faro, located in the natural park Parque Natural da Ria Formosa. It is perfect for watching the sunset or you can visit one of the seafood restaurants.
2. Faro walking tour
Explore the city, but especially the ancient center, best done with this free walking tour. The tour takes place every day, meeting at the entrance gate to the city walls Arco da Vila.
3. Faro Cathedral
Hhistorical cathedral in the main square with massive bells, where you can also climb the tower. From the terrace, you will have a view of landing airplanes. Don’t forget to taste the mentioned sourest oranges in the world in the square 🙂
4. Faro Marina
MEstonian harbor where you can take a photo with the sign “I love Faro”. Beautiful panoramic view of the harbor is from Hotel Faro, where you can enjoy a coffee or a pastry.
Enchanting Algarve
The Algarve region is the southernmost and most attractive region of Portugal, as it stays pleasantly warm even in the fall. The charming coastline, beautiful beaches, and majestic viewpoints will invite you in even on postcards. The name comes from the Arabic word al-garb – west. Be sure to rent a car to explore as much of this beauty as possible. Paths along the coast lead from one beach to another, allowing ample opportunities for sightseeing. A good starting point is Praia de Marinha.
1. Praia de Marinha
This beach regularly ranks among the most beautiful beaches not only in Portugal but in the whole of Europe. The yellow sand is surrounded by sun-kissed cliffs that hide numerous caves and rock formations. Coastal hiking can be done in both directions from this beach.
2. Benagril Cave
A photogenic cave that you can find on every postcard. A boat trip from Lagos takes about 30 minutes, but the weather must be nice and the prices can be steep. A much better solution is an easy hike from Praia da Marinha, where you will encounter stunning views of cliffs and rock formations along the way.
3. Praia do Camilo
These are two beautiful beaches separated by a rocky tunnel. You can descend to the beach by 225 wooden steps, where you’ll find hot sand lined with colorful cliffs adorned with local flora. In November, the water temperature is around 16 degrees, so for those who want to cool off 🙂 We didn’t make it this time, but a short distance from this beach are other iconic cliffs of Ponta da Piedade.
