Holidays in Faro
Faro, the provincial capital of the Algarve, is a town full of charm, colour and history. For some the attraction will be the incredible sightseeing opportunities, for others it will be the soft golden sands that slope into the clear blue waters or the buzzing nightlife. With its relaxing atmosphere, Faro will appeal to just about every taste and it experiences good weather throughout the year with temperatures peaking at 37°C in August with an average of 13°C in December. Flights take between two-and-a-half and three hours and land at Faro airport, which is approximately 10km from Faro itself.
Faro, a working city with a traditional vibe, is perfectly suited to Cheap Portugal Holidays…
Faro is a working city with a traditional feel and as such it is rarely overrun with tourists, making this an ideal family destination. There is something for every age and type of holidaymaker with an array of shopping opportunities, engaging streets for romantic walks and a strong student scene that encourages a thriving nightlife. For those who are purely in search of sun and sand, Faro is an excellent base for your holiday with many resorts in close proximity.
The Algarve is famed for its breathtaking coastline with rugged coves, secluded bays and sweeping golden sands throughout. Faro is no exception and while the emphasis of this city might not be on fun in the sun, it’s still worthwhile spending a day or two on Faro beach with its clear blue waters and safe surroundings that make it ideal for family bathing.
If you want to grab a little more sun, there are many popular resorts within close reach including Vilamoura, Alvor, Lagos and Albufeira. Vilamoura is the closest of these and offers a variety of golf and sporting activities as well as two superb sandy beaches, a cosmopolitan marina, shopping, nightlife and restaurants.
The main attraction of Faro is its quaint old town where you can enjoy sightseeing of some true architectural masterpieces and wander around an array of museums. The most famous attraction is at the Igreja do Carmo, which features a chapel with walls containing the bones of more than 1,200 monks. Museums include the archaeological museum and the maritime museum, displaying a wide collection of model ships and boats. Largo da Se is a peaceful square filled with orange trees and the bishop's palace, while the Palace of Estoi has magnificent front gardens and a stunning fountain. It's also worth taking in the Nossa Senhora da Assuncao convent from the Renaissance period, and Sao Francisco church, built around the 18th century.
For shopping you should head towards the Rua Santo Antonio and the Rua Francisco Gomes. There are many popular stalls and bargain buys include clothing, wines, embroidered goods and basketware. If you prefer a market atmosphere then look to Largo do Mercado, which is very popular with residents and tourists alike.
By night Faro comes alive along Rua do Prior and in the alleys off Rua Conselheiro Bivar and Rua Infante Dom Henrique. The Upa Upa Café and Bar allows you to rub shoulders with the locals while the Dux nightclub is the place to be for partygoers and passionate clubbers, while the Fashion Kaffe is the hotspot for more laidback, but trendy, residents. There are also some great options for dining out including the Three Palms Restaurant and Mariscada, which specialises in seafood dishes.
The Algarve is also widely famous for golfing holidays. There are numerous courses dotted along the coast and Faro makes an ideal starting point to explore what's available.
Arriving For Algarve Golf In Faro
Golfers from all over the world travel to Faro for Algarve golf. In Faro, the airport is always busy with tourists and golfers arriving and departing daily. The Portuguese Open was just one of the championship games that drew many visitors to the Algarve are by way of Faro. The Faro International Airport is just an hour and a half away from all of the Algarve golf courses. This does make it the busiest place in Portugal besides the golf courses. Once you arrive in Faro, you can take a bus or rail system to any of the golf courses.
You will probably have an Algarve golf course already chosen before arriving in Faro, but there are over twenty-five to choose for a great challenging game. There are nine hole courses, eighteen hole courses and thirty six hole courses. If you are just arriving and need to find a place for Algarve golf, in Faro they have information centers that can give you all the information about how to get to any course you want to play. In Eastern Algarve, there are fifteen golf courses, fifteen in central Algarve and six in Western Algarve for you to choose where to play.
If you are looking for Algarve golf in Faro, you will find out that the Penina is located in Western Allgarve, the Old Course is located in Central Algarve and Quinta da Ria is located in Eastern Algarve. If you are looking for more than one golf course to play during your stay, you can choose the Central Algarve location because it does have some of the more popular and acclaimed golf courses. The Ocean and the Victoria courses are very popular courses to play in Central Algarve.
If you are looking for the courses closest to Faro, the Central Algarve golf courses are where you want to head. It will only take about an hour to get the golf course from Faro. You are going to enjoy the challenging golf courses that keep people coming back year after year for Algarve golf. In Faro, you can spend a night and see some of the attractions before heading to the golf courses if you have some time. The area does have some fine restaurants and hotels. After all, the rest of your time is going to be for the game of golf on any of the beautifully designed courses.