With less than 50,000 inhabitants, Faro doesn’t even come close to being among the top ten largest cities in Portugal, yet it is home to the country’s third most important international airport after Lisbon and Porto. The entire southern coast, known as the Algarve region, is “enjoying” overtourism – which, according to locals, wasn’t the case some 20 years ago. The main reason for this powerful tourist attraction is the sea (or is it the ocean? Things get a bit blurry there). I personally have mixed feelings about it, because the water warms up late, cools down early, and the waves are almost always a serious matter.
But what else does Faro have to offer? One of the most visited places in the city is the Chapel of Bones. It is part of the church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo, which can be translated as “Our Lady of the Carmelites” or according to some – “The Holy Virgin of the Carmelites”. According to the information provided, sometime in the 18th century, the inhabitants of Faro began to run out of burial places. Because of this, the deceased were left in the ground until they were reduced to bones and then turned into decoration for the Chapel in question. I found the place a bit sinister.
The local museum, at least during my visit, was poor in terms of exhibits, but extremely attractively located in the building of an old convent. Exactly what one would expect to see when they reach the southwestern coast of Europe. A large and green inner courtyard, surrounded by arched colonnades in white and warm sandy colors. Even just sitting inside and contemplating is worth it. Of course, you will still learn something about the history of Faro, and you may even catch an interesting temporary exhibition.
The museum in question is located in the Old Town of Faro, which was surrounded by fortress walls. Today, the walls still stand somewhere around the perimeter, along with at least two of the impressive gates. The buildings in the fortified part are distinguished by a certain pompousness, although some of them are not in good condition due to the fact that they were abandoned for a long time. Attempts are being made to breathe new life into them, such as in the old Beer Factory, which, by a whim of fate, has not produced a single beer. Nowadays, it is home to various events such as the Marmotto Art Festival, organized by a local marine conservation organization.
In the same walled old part stands the Cathedral of Faro, which, besides being a beautiful building, also has an interesting history. It is believed that there was an early Christian temple on this site, recycled by the Moors into a mosque during their early medieval state. In the 13th century, the Christians returned and took the church back, which later became the seat of important church people. What is more interesting is that it was restored in its current form after the end of the 16th century, when the Earl of Essex rushed through southern Portugal for no obvious reason and caused serious damage. Well, and after an earthquake in 1755.
Two more places in Faro are well worth a visit. One is the Algarve Life Sciences Centre, where you can spend a lot of time fighting with minors in a pre-teen condition in order to get access to the exhibits and have some fun. The entertainment is good, from an earthquake-simulating platform to a virtual “dive” into the ocean. Completed with an open aquarium where you can touch a sea urchin, starfish or sea cucumber. Your choice.
The second place is Faro Story Spot – a kind of place for telling stories about Faro, using digital technologies. Animated narrators guide you through interesting topics from the past of the city and its inhabitants, as well as from the wildlife of the Algarve. The tour ends with a 3D-mapping, where delicacies from the local cuisine are projected onto the table you are sitting at. And so that you don’t drown in your own sauce, so to speak, there is a small restaurant on the way out where they offer you a tasting.
Speaking of local cuisine, it is a must-try. Fish and chips is always an option, but in my opinion, local salads such as chickpeas with cod or a Russian-style seafood salad should not be missed. Bacalhao can be eaten anywhere in Portugal, but here they prepare it differently. Let’s not forget the poor men’s meal, which is now offered as a side dish to meat – bread soaked in water and then fried with asparagus and peppers. And best of all, follow your nose, it is very likely to lead you to a small neighborhood pub where the landlady cooks up some amazing delicacies.
And in the evening, I recommend signing up for a boat tour to look for dolphins with the local marine biologists and at the same time enjoy an incredible sunset. First the sea starts to glow. Then the sky, then the clouds. Finally, there are some explosions of light, as if a fire is burning beyond the horizon. And you try to take the photo of your life over the heads of the other passengers in the boat, while you are jumping on the waves and your facial openings are filling up with sea foam. But it’s worth it, it doesn’t matter that the photo gets a little crooked.
Other stories from Portugal you may find here.
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