Faro, Portugal

A few months ago on a cold, blustery, rainy day at home in Normandie, we decided to take a trip to a warm, sunny location, as soon as possible. We considered several cities in Spain, but after looking into destinations with direct flights from CDG, we decided on Faro, Portugal. We booked a flight, train to and from Paris, hotels, and looked forward to getting away from the rain and cold in just a few weeks.

Faro is located in the Algarve region on the southernmost point of Portugal, and is surrounded by the marine park, Ria Formosa. Dating back to the 8th century B.C., it was an important commercial center at that time due to its location. This beautiful city with moorish architecture, inviting beaches, water sports, and delicious food is a perfect spot for a sunny holiday.

The Old Town is a good place to start your visit. Before you pass through the Arabic Door, which dates back to the 11th century, look up to see the massive stork nests on the top of the building. We learned on our bird watching tour that storks return to the same nest annually, adding on a bit each year. The taller the nest, the older it is.

After passing through the gate, you’ll head up a cobblestone street that opens onto Seminary Plaza where Faro Cathedral is located. Completed in 1251, and rebuilt in 1755 after being destroyed by an earthquake, it was once the site of a Roman temple. There is a small fee to visit the cathedral grounds which include a courtyard, chapel, garden, and bell tower.

Also in the plaza is Faro Story Spot, an interactive, multimedia museum and tavern. I learned much about the history of Faro here, and the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. I have a degree in food science and nutrition, so this was particularly interesting to me. The tour ended with a taste of some delicious bread, local olive oil, and a glass of wine.

Capela dos Ossos (Bone Chapel) is another church that should be on your itinerary, unless you’re squemish. This small chapel located on the grounds of Igreja do Carmo Church, was constructed using the exhumed bones of the monks who served at the church. Apparently, the cemeteries were overcrowded in the early 1800s, so they found another use for the bones of over 1200 skeletons. I would not have wanted to be involved in that project!

The Jardim da Alameda is another inviting place to visit. It is the largest garden in Faro and includes a wide variety of plants, a playground, cafe, exercise stations, and much more.

We found Faro to be warm, welcoming, and quite pretty as well. Like most cities and towns in Portugal, it has beautiful and creative tiles everywhere you look.

We stayed at Root Hotel near the old town. We had a clean, quiet, comfortable, one bedroom apartment with a deck for only €750 per week.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Faro, and I have much more to share about this lovely town in the coming weeks, most importantly, the delicious meals we enjoyed. Click here to check out Terry’s post on eating in Faro.

Wishing you grand adventures,

Tricia