Faro is a city of both beaches and lagoons. Both the City of Faro and the Faro district are one of the best attractions for visitors to Portugal's Algarve region, with some of the best beaches in Europe for a variety of water sports. The nearby coastline offers world-class golf, rural trekking and cycling, all with the welcome addition of history, culture and good food. Average daytime summer temperatures are around 28 degrees, while winters are especially mild at up to 17 degrees. Sea temperatures remain quite bearable in the winter too, rising to 22 degrees in the summer.
Faro's large, modern airport is the main thoroughfare for visitors from around the world, yet rather than head off into the region many holidaymakers choose to stay in the city. The Ria Formosa lagoon is one of the main attractions of Faro city, with many sandy beaches on the outer edge of what is a protected nature reserve. These beaches can all be reached by boat, with the most popular – Praia de Faro – near to the airport and also accessible by car. Praia de Faro is really an island, with the sea on one side and the Ria Formosa lagoon on the other. The swimming is great here, while the scenic lagoon side is popular for sailors with dinghies and jet-ski riders. The golden sands on the seaward side can get busy in summer but there is enough space, and enough cafes and bars to suit everyone's tastes for a refreshing and energising day at the beach.
For those who want to add a bit of adventure to their Faro holidays, there are many 'sandpit' beaches around the Ria Formosa Lagoon. These beaches are located on small islands and to get to them you'll need to take one of the regular passenger ferries. Known as 'ilhas' these small islands are perfect for exploring and ideal for enjoying the pure combination of sand and sea in an almost otherworldly tranquillity. The Ilha Deserta also has a great restaurant, and is popular for swimming and a range of water sports, while Ilha Culatra is a friendly community with a beautiful sandy beach that is stretches for almost 4 miles uninterrupted.
Rather than reach the Ilhas by passenger ferry, many visitors to Faro enjoy getting around by kayak or bicycle – or both. The Ria Formosa lagoon is ideal for exploring by canoe, which you can hire individually or use as part of an organised tour. There are also organised boat trips to some of the more quieter islands. Those who enjoy nature and wildlife will also love the lagoon here. Watching migratory birds as you stroll along one of the many watercourses is a wonderful experience. There are also cycle tours around the lagoon on specially designated cycle paths.
When you're not windsurfing, sailing or kayaking then evenings in Faro can be great for winding down and soaking up the local culture. Old Town Faro, with its Roman and Moorish past, contains some excellent architectural relics and sites of interest, as well as some amazing restaurants, galleries and boutiques.
With an unusual and attractive combination of beach and city attractions, Faro is also a great base to discover the rest of the Algarve, one of the best regions for water sports in Europe. There are some fantastic villas in Faro, and with plenty of flights from the UK, year round good weather, fine beaches makes faro one of the most stylish and appealing in the Algarve.
By picking one of the many holidays in Faro you open up the possibilty of a number of different styles of holiday. Beach breaks with the children, activity holidays, luxury villa holidays or golfing weekends; Faro has something for every tourist. Mark's report explains what the resort has to offer.
Read More From Mark Bartley
|
