Faro is the southernmost city in the Algarve region of Continental Portugal. It is a popular destination for sun-seekers from northern Europe and the UK, with a reputation as being an overrun party beach town for much of the year. In winter, it is a beautiful, peaceful corner of Southern Europe with plenty of sun bleaching the white-washed town with Iberian and Moorish-influenced architecture.
It is located next to the Ria Formosa lagoon, a nature reserve of over 170 square kilometers and a stopping place for hundreds of different species of birds during the spring and autumn migratory periods. The beach is roughly seven kilometers from the city, and consists of a long sandy spit reached through a bridge.
Things to See & Do
* Old City
* Rio Formosa nature reserve
* Praia de Faro – beach
* Faro Jewish Heritage Centre
General Information
Cruise Season – March – Dec
Currency – Euro (EUR)
Language – Portuguese
Land Area – 13.73 km²
Population – 1,100 approx
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Time – UTC plus zero hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 351
Travel Links – Faro Airport has many package tour and discount airlines arrive from the UK and Ireland, mainland Europe and Canada.
The Alpha Pendular - a high-speed train, runs at least twice a day to and from Lisbon which takes about 2.5 hours.
There is a daily bus service from Lisbon and Porto in the north of Portugal, as well as from Madrid and Seville in Spain.