Faro travel guide

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Faro is a Portuguese district located in the south of the country. It has numerous beaches which are admired for their immense ecological value and beauty. Golden sands, crystal clear waters; strong waves are some of the highlights of these beaches. The beaches in Faro offer all types of services to the tourists. Excitement is surely going to clasp your interest in Faro.It has been the administrative seat of Algrave region. It has a rich and a glorious past which dates back to Roman times. The city still has Arab and Roman ruins. Faro has many influences since Paleolithic age. During the time when Roman invaded the city it was a flourishing city then it was occupied by the Visigoth, and finally by the Moors who called it as Ossonoba. Later the name was changed to Santa Maria instead of Ossonoba.But as the centuries passed, it came to known as Faro. The city is particularly attractive as it is surrounded by the Roman walls, inside a spacious open square that was once the site of the Roman Forum.It has many beautiful Churches, Palaces, museums and other monuments.

Fast Facts

1. Capela d’Ossos (Chapel of Bones) : - is a unusual chapel made of human bones. It is one of the greatest attractions in Faro. This chapel is inside the “Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo do Faro”, which was erected in 1713 and finished in the 19th century.

2. Se (Cathedral) : - This church is the most important building in Faro and was constructed over the former site of a mosque. The church is originally of Gothic style.

3. Tavira : - is a gorgeous town located just 29Km east of Faro city. It is a peaceful village surrounded by marvel green fields and several carob trees. Tavira is located on the banks of the “Gilao” and “Ségua” rivers and is also called as “Venice of Algarve”.

4. Arco da Vila (Village Arch) : - is a monumental arch, which was designed by the famous Italian architect Francisco Xavier Fabri. It is located south of the “Manuel Bivar” garden.

5. Estoi : - is a little village situated 8Km northeast of Faro. This is a typical town of the Algarve province. The main attraction in this village is the famous “Palácio de Estói” (Estoi Palace).

6. Archaeological Museum : - It is located few meters south of Faro’s Cathedral at “Alfonso III” square. The museum is there since 1973. It has an important collection of Roman, Manueline and Medieval items.

If you come to Faro then don’t miss the Faro International Motorcycle Rally, a festival renowned in Europe. It is one of the biggest of its kind.There is also a students' festival (Semana Académica da Universidade do Algarve), organized every year by students from the University of the Algarve, in Faro.

After a long day of lying on the beach, a nap and a fabulous dinner, it's time to do what Faro is famous for…party! Faro is amongst the best places in Portugal to let your hair down and party. It is the town of exhilarating nightlife, with dozens of nightclubs and hundreds of bars. Undoubtedly Faro is also regarded as a perfect destination for party animals. Some popular bars and clubs are El Faro Lighthouse Bar , Pure nightclub inside Caesars Palace, Faro Portugal Casino etc. They entice visitors with its live jazz and easy listening music. Enjoy the cocktails and a selection of fine wines.

Faro is one of the best zones of Portugal to eat. Most restaurants here have very reasonable prices and are mainly for wines; which are of excellent quality. The cooking is based on fresh local products, mainly seafood. Portuguese cuisine has superb meals based of meat. The flavor is often dismissed by the strength of the sauce or garnishing. But the food available is awesome and lip smacking. Besides this Portugal soups are also very popular and tasty.

One of the best malls for shopping in Faro is “Forum Algarve”. It is a big mall situated near Faro’s Airport. This place includes a multiplex cinema and a supermarket (Jumbo), where you can find a variety of groceries, books, music, DVDs, wines etc.

The place is well developed and liked by all the visitors and locals. It has an upstairs food court where one can surely have a great time eating fast food. Several important brands are also there Benetton, Levis, Osho, Stradivarius, Zara etc. It also has an underground car parking.

Sports in Faro are one of the major reasons for choosing it as a holiday destination. Faro offers you a wide range of options in aquatic sports as well as dry land sports. Aquatic sports like kite surf, water skiing, scuba diving, snorkeling etc is definitely going to catch your interest. Dry land sports include trekking, cycling, horseback riding Golf are also equally famous.

The local transport here is taxi cab and buses.