Free walking tours in Faro and what to see

Must-sees

Faro is the capital of the Algarve and is often the point of arrival thanks to its airport, but it deserves more than a night in transit. Its old town, the Vila Adentro, survives inside walls, with cobbled streets, the cathedral, whose bell tower looks out over the Ria Formosa, and the municipal museum in a former convent.

You enter through the Arco da Vila, next to the marina and the Manuel Bivar garden. Outside the walls, the Carmo church holds a chapel of bones. But the most special thing about Faro is the Ria Formosa, a lagoon of channels and sand islands protected as a natural park, with beaches such as those on Deserta and Farol islands.

Free tours and guided visits

The Faro free walking tour covers the Vila Adentro and the centre, and explains the history of the city and its relationship with the lagoon. It is a good start before heading out to the islands.

The most booked activities are boat trips on the Ria Formosa, on an eco-boat or a speedboat, and boats to Deserta and Farol islands. Day trips also leave Faro for the Benagil caves and Marinha beach, as well as dolphin watching.

How long to spend

One day is enough for the old town and a boat trip on the lagoon. With two or three you can visit the islands and go to Olhão or Tavira. Faro is well connected by train and bus with the rest of the Algarve, so it works as a base for those who do not want a car.

Where to stay

The centre, between the marina, the Vila Adentro and the pedestrian streets, is the most convenient, with restaurants and the train station nearby. Faro Island, the city's beach, has a few seaside places to stay near the airport. Inland, the quintas around Estoi and Santa Bárbara de Nexe offer calm and a pool.