I had 17 days to visit Portugal and see all the things to do in Portugal and decided in my Portugal itinerary I wanted to include the South Coast, explore and get some beach time too and visit Faro. I had no idea how beautiful the Algarve is and how many things there are to do around Faro.

Where is Faro

Faro is located on the south coast of Portugal.  This area is known as the Algarve and is mostly famous for it’s great weather and beaches.

How to get there

I flew into Faro Airport Portugal which is the airport that covers the Algarve Portugal. There are lots of flights to Faro Portugal.

If you want car hire. Faro Airport is a great place to pick up a car when you arrive.

Things to do in Faro Portugal

Most people skip Faro Algarve in favour of getting straight to one of the coastal towns on the south coast, but there are so many things to do in Faro or near Faro, that it is worth stopping for at least a few days.

Faro Cathedral Portugal

What to do in Faro – The Cathedral of Faro is located in the old town in Largo de Se.  The cathedral was finished in 1251 and was built on the site of a Moorish mosque, though over the centuries it has been damaged and rebuilt.

It costs 3.50 euro to enter, but it is worth it to be able to climb up the bell tower to see a view of the old city and see the stalks nesting.  There is also a small museum within the cathedral. Faro Cathedral opening times are Monday to Friday 10.15am to 5pm.

Faro old town (Cidade Velha)

Faro Portugal Points of Interest – The old town Faro Portugal is beautiful to walk around.  There are lots of things to do in Faro old town. It is an old walled city with some small narrow streets and beautiful plazas.  The main plaza of Faro Portugal old town with the cathedral is lined with orange trees and is stunning.  There are also some good restaurants on the walls overlooking the sea, beautiful for lunch or dinner.

Make sure you see the Arco de Vila, Cathedral and walk around the quiet streets looking at the houses decorated in fancy tiles before making your way to the shoreline.

Church of Carmo/Chapel of Bones

The Igreja do Carmo was built in the 18th century and is home to the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones Faro Portugal).  It is a little chapel at the back of the church which is lined with the bones and skulls from more than 1,000 skeletons of monks taken from Faro’s cemetery.  It is very strange and spooky to see but as it’s only 2 Euro, it’s worth a visit. Capela dos ossos faro opening hours are Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm and 3pm to 5.30pm and Saturday 10am to 1pm.

Faro Municipal Museum 

Located in a former convent the Archaeological Museum is one of the best sites in Faro centre.  Faro museum originally opened in 1894 and moved to its current location in 1969.  It houses a range of artifacts from prehistoric Portugal to the neoclassical period but probably the most impressive is the 3rd century mosaic of Oceanus, the god of the sea.  It costs 2 Euro to enter so well worth a visit.

Peacock Park – alameda joao de deus garden

Located in the east of Faro town, this is a nice little park to walk around if you are in the area.  The main attraction is the number of peacocks freely walking around.

Ilha Deserta (also known as Ilha Barreta)

There is no Faro beach you can walk to from the centre of Faro, you either have to catch a ferry or a bus, so I caught a ferry across to Ilha Deserta for 10 Euro return. Its a beautiful island, with an Eco Restaurant & snackbar.  The main beach is very wide and also very long, I couldn’t see the end of it! There are a few sun beds and parasols you can rent or plenty of space for you to put your sarong down and enjoy the sun.  After a bit I decided to go into the sea to cool down but was shocked at how cold it was when I put my feet in, I had no idea the sea here would be so cold!! It was as cold as the sea in England!! So I gave up on that idea, went back to my sarong and chilled out until the ferry home.

Ria Formosa natural park

Faro sits on the Ria Formosa Natural Park, it consists of salt water lagoons and waterways that are the home to many birds and aquatic life.  You can do boat tours in this area to see the wildlife and depending on the season you can snorkel too with sea horses.  Click here for more details.

Prai de Faro

Faro does not have a beach within walking distance of the town but there are several Faro portugal beaches accessible by either boat or bus/car.  Prai de Faro is accessible by bus/car and is Faro’s main beach located near the airport.  It is a long, narrow sandy beach and well worth a visit.

milreu roman ruins

Milreu roman ruins are located 10km outside Faro in the village of Estoi Portugal.  Things to do there are to see the 1st century ruins that were originally built as a farmhouse and later converted into a luxury villa in the 3rd century with a temple, mausoleum and other structures.  Parts of the mosaics from the villa can still be seen today.  They are the best preserved roman ruins in the Algarve.  It costs 2 Euro to visit.

palacio de estoi

While you are in Estoi having day trips from Faro visiting the roman ruins then another great place to see is The Palacio de Estoi.  It is a 19th century palace and has recently been renovated into a hotel but the grounds are free to visit.  The gardens and exterior of the palace are the main attraction.

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Where to stay in Faro Portugal Hotels

I stayed in a great hostel when I visited Faro, Le Penguin Hostel, is located about a 10-15 minute walk from the old town & bus/train stations it’s a great hostel, very clean, staff nice and friendly and they knew how to get to others towns or the different beaches.  They also do evening meals too which were great and good portion sizes and the free breakfast was good with lots of choice.  There is a nice outdoor common area that everyone hung out in, a great hostel for meeting other travellers. Click here for more information on it.

If you do not want to stay in a hostel then there are lots of other Faro accommodation and options of Algarve Faro hotels available and hotels in Faro old town. Click here for more details on hotel Faro Portugal.

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