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Faro is the administrative centre for
the whole of the Algarve region. The city
has both Arab and Roman ruins but most of
the present attractive older buildings
were constructed after the disastrous
earthquake of both 1755 and 1532. The
Moors occupied the town from the 8th
Century until they were defeated by the
forces of Dom Afonso III in 1249.
The popular tourist towns, beaches and
holiday resorts in the Algarve region,
are all situated west of Faro from 10 -
55 miles along the scenic coastline.
The currency in Portugal since 2002 is
the Euro. Beer
Prices. Currency
Converter.
Flight times from UK Airports to Faro
are about 3 hours.
Ryanair
provide regular flights between Faro
Airport and Bristol .
Bournemouth . Dublin .
East
Midlands . Glasgow/Prestwick . Liverpool
. London/Stanstead . Shannon
.
For information on Bmibaby,
British
Airways, easyjet,
Flybe and
Jet2.com
flights to Faro Airport, as well as other
International flights, visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faro_Airport_(Portugal).
Faro
Airport is situated about 4 miles
west of Faro.
Local buses operate 7 days a week
every 15 - 30 minutes between Faro
Airport and Faro. (Journey time is around
20 minutes and the single fare is about
€1.65). You can then catch a local
bus to any destination in the Algarve
from Faro bus station.
Taxis to any
resort will cost about 30 - 60 Euros, for
up to 4 people, for trips between 10 and
50 miles from the airport.
Airport Transfers to any town or
resort on the Algarve can be booked
online at www.faroairporttransfers.com
CarHire at Faro Airport can be booked
through CarTrawler who will scan the
best available deals from CarHire
companies based at Faro Airport..
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Faro is a city and municipality
in southern Portugal, capital of
the Algarve region. Faro Airport
attracts vast amounts of British
tourists year after year, for the
sun and scenic beaches dotted along
the southern coast of Portugal.
The view left is from Faro
Cathedral looking over the town and
Marina. Faro beach is not the best
in the area and a bit of a trek to
get to. Most people that are based
in Faro use hire cars to get to the
scenic beaches and towns along the
Algarve coast. Local buses also run
along the coast.
Portugal
Map.
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The map shows the main Beach
Resorts of Vilamoura, Albufeira,
Carvoeiro and Lagos.
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Faro's old town
is dominated by the cathedral.
The original Gothic church was
built in the 13th century, but
severely damaged during the 1755
earthquake. Only the tower and a
doorway remained from that
era.
From the tower,
you can enjoy panoramic views of
Faro and the coastline.
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Faro Marina is not as large as
other marinas in towns further
west. The City attracts tourists
that are more interested in
historic sights than a beach
holiday.
Anyone looking for fantastic
beaches and watersport, normally
base themselves in one of the many
coastal towns or resorts west of
Faro.
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Left is a view of a Faro
street in the old part of town,
where their are many bars and
restaurants.
Late
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Vilamoura, situated
about 10 miles west of Faro, is the
name given to an area rather than
to any actual town. It is
outstanding in that it is one of
the largest single tourist complex
in Europe, covering some 2.000
hectares of land.
The land is
variable in its vegetation, some
parts covered in pine forests
whilst others open recovered
marshland.
Vilamoura is a
special place, a unique leisure and
recreation resort community where
the pace of life is so easy it
feels like summer all year
round.
More
Information . Late
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Albufeira is
situated about 20 miles west of
Faro. Albufeira is one of the
leading tourist resorts of the
region. Facilities include a
marina, golf courses plus
innumerable hotels, apartment
blocks, restaurants and bars, for
the annual flood of visitors.
The nightlife on
"The Strip", located near the
Montechoro section of Albufeira,
proves especially popular during
the summer with all ages, but
particularly the younger
tourists.
More
Information . Late
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Carvoeiro is a picturesque
fishing village situated about 30
miles west of Faro. It has grown
over the last decades into a main
tourist area as it has a number of
fine beaches protected by
cliffs.
There are traces of Roman
habitation and naval activity in
the area. There has also been a
long history of pirate and enemy
military assaults on the coast, and
a number of naval battles here.
More
Information . Late
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Marinha Beach is situated close
to Lagoa, about 30 miles west of
Faro. You have to see this beach to
believe it, it is picture perfect.
Wide meandering steps take you from
the cliff top car park to the beach
below. At high tide, the beach is a
narrow strip of sand, but at low
tide, the adjacent coves become
accessible.
The water quality and clarity
here is exceptional, making Praia
da Marinha ideal for snorkeling.
Many different marine species can
be spotted in the waters. There is
a snack bar on the beach, open
during the summer months, meaning
you can quite happily spend an
entire day here.
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Portimao is situated about 37
miles west of Faro. It is ideally
situated for exploring the Algarve,
a region truly unique in its
diversity. The coast consists of
sandy beaches, magnificent colored
rock formations, caves and
protected nature reserves.
Golf enthusiasts are drawn by an
exceptional choice of first class
golf courses and comfortable,
pleasant resorts like Quarteira,
Portimao and Vilamoura.
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There are five beaches in the
Portimao area, some large open
expanses, and others set amongst
cliffs.
Portimao is one of the main
big game centre's in the Algarve,
offering the chance to catch
fighting swordfish and other big
fish. there are also facilities
for sailing, wind-surfing,
para-sailing, water-skiing and
scuba diving.
More
Information . Late
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Lagos is situated about 55 miles
west of Faro. The glorious history
of Lagos has always been connected
to the sea. It was here that Prince
Henry armed his caravels opening
the way for the great voyages in
the time of the Discoveries.
Lagos is a great place for all
kind of water sports and nautical
activities. The breathtaking golden
rocks of the Costa d’Oiro are
one of Portugal's most photographed
motif. But Lagos has much more to
offer: a rich cultural scene, some
of the best Algarvian gastronomy,
outdoors activities and traditional
handicraft.
Late
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There are 7 beaches close to
Lagos including Praia do Camilo, a
small sandy beach situated in a
rocky bay west of Lagos.
More
Information
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Historic Silves, slightly inland
from Portimao, about 40 miles west
of Faro, was once on a par with
Lisbon as a strategic Portuguese
location.
Silves Castle reveals some of
the details around its history as
an important Moorish capital,
particularly from the 11th the 13th
Century.
A huge red sandstone castle, a
choice of historic museums
including the renowned Museum of
Cork, a mix of chic cafes,
restaurants and bars and local golf
and horse riding are a few things
you can expect in beautiful
Silves.
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More
Information . Late
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