Things to do in Faro

Faro is the Algarve's capital, and its old town faces water rather than sand. The Ria Formosa lagoon starts at the edge of the marina, not somewhere out of town. That is unusual on this coast.

Cidade Velha, the old town

• The walls and the gate. Arco da Vila leads into the old walled town, its ledges thick with the stork nests that have become one of Faro's own landmarks.
• The cathedral. Faro's Sé stands over an orange-tree courtyard; its bell tower gives the clearest view over the lagoon and the old rooftops the storks favour.
• Storks. Nesting is protected by law across Portugal, and Faro's old town holds some of the densest concentrations of nests on the whole coast.

The lagoon and its islands

• Ria Formosa. A protected lagoon of channels, salt pans and barrier islands, starting right at the edge of the marina rather than further down the coast.
• The islands. Ferries from the marina reach Ilha Deserta and Ilha da Culatra, each a different kind of empty beach with no road access from the mainland side.
• Praia de Faro. The exception: a barrier-island beach reached by a bridge about ten kilometres from the centre, close enough for a bus rather than a boat.

Practical

• Weather. Summer reaches about 29C with almost no rain; winter days stay near 16C, the lagoon keeping the air a little more humid.
• Getting to Praia de Faro. Bus 16 runs from the central bus station past the airport to the bridge, in about 20 minutes; the bridge itself is a short walk on foot.
• The airport. Faro's airport sits about four kilometres out, on the same road that leads to Praia de Faro; a taxi from the old town takes ten minutes.
• Boats to the islands. Ferries run less often outside summer; checking the schedule before walking to the marina saves a wasted trip.