Faro: Deserta Island and Farol Island Catamaran Boat Trip
Duration: 3 hours
Faro
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Top attractions in Faro
2-Hour Dolphin Watching and Cave Tour: Algarve Coast
Duration: 2 hours
Airport Transfer To or From Faro
Duration: 15 - 90 minutes
Boat trip from Faro to Ilha Deserta by Ferry
Duration: 45 minutes
Bestseller
Algarve Zoomarine Amusement Park Entrance Ticket
Valid: 1 - 10 days
From Algarve: Seville City Guided Tour
Duration: 12 hours
Full-Day Tour to Gibraltar from the Algarve
Duration: 9 hours
Praia da Rocha: Private Transfer to/from Faro Airport
Valid: 1 day
From Albufeira and Faro: Western Algarve Small Group Tour
Duration: 9 hours
From Faro: Half-Day Loulé Market Tour
Duration: 4 hours
From Faro: Ria Formosa Hop-On Hop-Off Island Tour
Valid: 1 day
Faro: Ria Formosa Natural Park Segway Tour & Birdwatching
Duration: 1.5 hours
Wish you were there
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The 7 Best Things to Do in Faro
Faro offers visitors attractions that encompass the idyllic holiday on the Algarve Coast. Its historical center exudes an old-world charm, and it's close to picturesque villages and a unique nature reserve. What's more, a deserted island is a boat ride away.
Old Town
Enter through the Arco da Vila and stroll along the cobblestone streets. The city walls, which envelop the old town, date as early as the Roman era and later under Moorish rule.
Faro Cathedral
Initially built in Gothic design, the cathedral suffered severe damage during the earthquake of 1755. The tower and the door are all that remain from the original structure.
Museu Municipal Arqueológico
Originally a 16th-century convent in the former Jewish Quarter, the museum houses artifacts from the region, including the Mosaic of the Ocean from the 3rd century.
Church of São Lourenço
The noteworthy church in the town of Almancil is famous for its exquisite interior, which illustrates the life of Saint Lawrence in traditional Portuguese tiles of blue and white.
Castle of Silves
Built between the 8th and 13th centuries, it's the best-preserved Moorish fortress in Portugal. The robust structure dominates the hill over the town of the same name.
Ria Formosa
The natural park, which comprises lagoons and islands, extends 37 miles along the coast. It's home to migrating and nesting birds, including flamingos, during spring and fall.
Barreta Island
Also known as Deserted Island in the Ria Formosa Park, it's a boat ride away to this perfect place to cast your cares away on unspoiled beaches of a sun-drenched coastline.
Planning Your Faro Visit
How many days to spend in Faro?
You could spend up to one week or even 10 days in the area. Faro is a great place to base yourself, in order to explore not only its cultural riches but also those of the region. Miles of beaches and a unique natural reserve are at your fingertips.
Getting around
It's very easy and fun to explore Faro's old town. If you plan to explore the surrounding region, it's best to have a car and enjoy your independence. You can also find affordable train connections, however, to towns in the surrounding area.
Where to stay in Faro
There are accommodations just outside Faro's old city walls. Though, if you're looking to stay seaside, you'll find hotels in small towns along the Algarve coastline.
Getting to Barreta Island
There are four daily departures by boat to Barreta Island. It takes about 1/2 an hour to reach it and costs only 10€ round-trip.
Good to know
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- Language
- Portuguese
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- Currency
- Euro (€)
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- Time Zone
- UTC (+00:00)
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- Country Code
- +351
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- Best time to visit
- The weather is warm enough to swim from April to October, so planning when to go depends on how hot and crowded you want the city to be. July and August offer hot temperatures, but also bigger crowds.
Things to Do in Faro
Top Attractions in Faro
Cities in Portugal
Other Sightseeing Options in Faro
Want to discover all there is to do in Faro? Click here for a full list.
What people are saying about Faro
Amazing but expensive and not very accessible for buggies.
The dolphin show was so good, and very moving. The beach and pools looked great, however the water was so cold that we could not go in, even the baby pool was freezing! To top it off, you have to pay 15 euros to have a sun lounger and also pay for lockers which doesn't get refunded. It was such a shame as the dolphins show was great and the Halloween theme was also good. Also you cannot bring a buggy into the pool area as you are forced to walk through an automatic shower before entering which completely soaks you and is also freezing! Top tip for this, the wooden part activates the shower, so if you're quick you can wait for it to stop, stand on the white part (which is small, not big enough for buggy!) and run through afterwards.
Fun, informative and both stimulating and relaxing!
This was a great trip. Good value for money. Philip was a wonderful guide with lots of local knowledge. As well as the information on the islands we visited, he stopped to show us birds, crabs, a sea cucumber and he even let us drive the boat on the way home. He was very handsome too, which always helps. The Ilha Deserta was my favourite, as you get dropped in a spot away from the main tourist point and it truly is a glimpse of heaven.
Amazing tour – Tiago was an incredible guide!
Tiago is the most friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide you will ever meet. My girlfriend and I had such a good day with him (and another couple). We visited a lot of BEAUTIFUL places and Tiago was able to provide us with a historical context for all the places, which was amazing. He did anything to give us the best day possible. Thank you, Tiago. We highly recommend this tour!
A truly enjoyable tour and well worth the money
One of the best tours we've been on. Our tour guide Daniel was brilliant and his knowledge of Portugese history was outstanding. The views were awesome and all the places we stopped at were explaining with good knowledge and such passion. We would definitely use them again if we return to Portugal.
Brilliant experience - would definitely recommend
Myself and my 4year old son went on this trip yesterday. It was fantastic. We both where a little nervous on route to see the dolphins, however the tour guide put us completely at ease and we both relaxed to enjoy it even more. Would do it again tomorrow! Thank you for an amazing opportunity
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