Faro brings together buildings from several centuries with island destinations and the landscapes of the Ria Formosa. This gives you two distinct focuses when choosing a destination: the city’s history and excursions that may depend on boat connections or a particular season.
Architectural history at gates and churches
The Convento de Nossa Senhora da Assunção was founded by D. Leonor, the wife of D. João II; construction began in 1519. The Ermida de Santo António do Alto reflects a different combination of building phases: its chapel dates from the 15th or 16th century and is connected to an existing watchtower. The tower houses the Museu Antonino de Faro.
At the Arco da Vila, a medieval city gate meets a monumental portal built at a later date. The Arco contains the Porta Árabe, which belonged to Faro’s earlier Muslim walls and served as the entrance to the city for those arriving by sea. The Sé Catedral de Faro retains the bell tower and two transept chapels from its original 13th- and 14th-century building. It also houses one of the Algarve’s most valuable collections of art from the 17th and 18th centuries.
The churches also tell stories of different building periods. Construction of the Igreja do Carmo spanned nearly the entire 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century; the final bell tower was completed in 1807. The church of the Third Order of Saint Francis features blue-and-white tilework from the 18th century, created between 1720 and 1730. Together, these dates provide a timeline stretching from the early 16th century to the 19th century.
Museums and archaeological finds
The Museu Municipal de Faro is housed in the Mosteiro de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, which is classified as a National Monument. Its archaeological collection includes objects from prehistoric, Roman and medieval times. The Roman collection includes a mosaic from the 2nd or 3rd century, busts of the emperors Hadrian and Agrippina, and inscriptions from Ossonoba. The collection thus brings together different periods, while the church and monastery themselves have their own connection to Faro’s architectural and artistic history.
Ria Formosa and island destinations
At the municipal level, Faro is part of the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa. The natural park’s landscape includes dune islands and dunes, marshland, sandbanks, mudflats, salt pans, and freshwater and brackish lagoons. Migratory birds from northern Europe use the Ria to overwinter or as a stopover on their way to areas farther south. This landscape adds a distinctly different natural setting to the city’s historical attractions.
Access to the beaches varies. Praia da Ilha de Faro is part of the natural park and can be reached via a narrow bridge connected to the road from Faro. Praia da Ilha do Farol is on a dune island between the sea and the Ria Formosa and can be reached from Faro by regular boat services. Praia da Ilha da Barreta, also known as Ilha Deserta, is accessible from Faro only by boat; the journey takes about 20 minutes. This service operates from June to September.
Regular services and other boats for trips on the Ria Formosa and to the islands depart from Cais da Porta Nova. Activities listed for Ilha Deserta include sailing, windsurfing and boat trips. If you are planning to take a boat, check the schedule before your trip; this will help you distinguish the seasonal island service from the other excursion options.
Getting there and choosing where to stay
The Algarve’s international airport is about four kilometres from Faro city centre. Regular train services run from Faro railway station to other cities in Portugal; timetables may vary. Faro is particularly worth considering as a place to stay if you want to combine the city’s cultural attractions with island destinations. When planning, consider which island you are interested in and when you are travelling: Praia da Ilha de Faro is accessible via a narrow bridge, while Ilha Deserta is served by boats during the season.
Discover more destinations: Santa Bárbara De Nexe, Conceicao, Estoi.
Return to the main travel overview: Faro.
