Faro

The city of Faro grew from humble beginnings but its strategic importance was noted by Romans, Byzantines, Visigoths and Moors, all of whom had powerful influences on the city you see today. Far from simply being the gateway to the Algarve, the diminutive waterfront city of Faro is brimming with charm and personality.

Take time to explore the narrow cobbled alleyways of the Moorish Old Town; wander along the waterfront, with its marina, bars and restaurants; and take a boat ride out to the Ria Formosa Natural Park, to visit the lagoons of this protected area just off the coast.

Explore the city

Notes for a self-guided walking tour included

Notes for a self-guided walking tour included

We provide notes for a walking tour around the principal sights of the city and, as it is not particularly large, you will have plenty of time to stop at one of the many cafés and bars for refreshments as you wander.

Places you'll get the chance to visit include the Manuel Bivar gardens; the Praça da Rainha (Queen’s square); the church of São Pedro which contains one of the first Baroque altar pieces in the Algarve; and the church of Carmo, with its iconic twin bell towers and rather eerie Chapel of Bones – the walls are lined with the bones of over 1,200 Carmelite monks. At the end of Rua Vasco de Gama, named after the great Portuguese navigator, you can call in to the Regional Museum of the Algarve, which provides an insight into the traditional ways of life from the first half of the 20th century.

The most fascinating part of Faro is the Old Town – the Vila-Adentro – which stands behind the defensive walls. Entering via the ornate Arco de la Vila, you discover narrow winding streets, the Faro Archaeological Museum, the Jewish Museum, the ruins of the castle and the imposing cathedral of Faro – built on the site of a mosque, which itself was built upon the site of the original Roman forum.
Beyond the City

Ria Formosa Natural Park & more

Ria Formosa Natural Park & more

There’s plenty to keep you occupied in Faro, but if you wish to delve more into the culture of the outlying region, you could take a boat trip from the marina to visit the Ria Formosa Natural Park, one of the seven natural wonders of Portugal. Extending over 60km of coastline, it consists of a series of barrier-islands, marshes, dunes, salt pans and fresh-water lagoons which are home to an impressive diversity of flora and fauna, including the unique sultan hen.

Alternatively, ten kilometres north of Faro is the town of Estoi. Served by bus from Faro, it is home to one of the finest Rococo palaces in Portugal, the Palacio de Estoi. There are also the very interesting Roman ruins of Milreu, the best preserved in the Algarve; while the town itself is a reminder of how the Algarve used to be.

If you haven't yet had your fill of beaches, yet another option is to hop on the bus to nearby Praia de Faro, a five-kilometre-long stretch of golden sand which runs along the entire length of the sea-facing side of Ilha de Faro (Faro Island).

Accommodation

The hotel is ideally located for exploring the city.

We provide suggestions for where to eat out in the documentation that we send you prior to your holiday.

Aqua Ria

boutique hotel

This modern, comfortable hotel stands in the heart of Faro, ideally located for exploring the town and the marina, and for boat rides out to the Ria Formosa lagoons. Breakfast is included in the ground-floor restaurant, which offers good food throughout the day. The air-conditioned bedrooms are equipped with a television, hairdryer and wifi.

Meal arrangements: breakfast only
Facilities
- Restaurant
- Wifi
- Air conditioning
- Lift

Prices

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Prices (£ per person based on 2 sharing)

Add-on price

Aqua Ria Boutique Hotel, 2 nights: 01 December - 30 November 2019

Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

Starting	Add on 2 nights	Single supplement
1 January - 28 February	£88	£54
1 - 31 March	£96	£60
1 - 30 April	£116	£68
1 - 31 May	£126	£80
1 - 30 June	£130	£52
1 - 30 July #	£138	£80
31 July - 31 August	£144	£66
1 - 29 September	£126	£80
30 September - 30 October	£110	£64
31 October - 28 November	£84	£52

Includes accommodation and meals as described. No travel is included as it is assumed that you are travelling via the city as part of your main Inntravel holiday.

# ADD £36pp/n (£56pn in a single room) if staying 14-17 Jul 2019

Getting between Faro airport and the city (4km):
• Shuttle bus: 20-minute journey, regular departures
• Taxi: 15-minute journey
More information on Faro airport >

If you are flying via a different airport and would like us to arrange connecting travel, please contact us for a quotation.

Room upgrades & extra nights

Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

Aqua Ria
'Charm': 01 Jan - 31 Mar 2019	£16
'Charm': 01 Apr - 30 Apr 2019	£20
'Charm': 01 May - 30 Jun 2019	£10
'Charm': 01 Jul - 29 Sep 2019	£6
'Charm': 30 Sep - 31 Oct 2019	£8
'Charm': 01 Nov - 30 Nov 2019	£6

Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

Aqua Ria (B&B)	Double room	Single room
01 Jan - 28 Feb 2019	£40	£63
01 Mar - 31 Mar 2019	£42	£69
01 Apr - 30 Apr 2019	£52	£79
01 May - 31 May 2019	£56	£92
01 Jun - 30 Jun 2019	£58	£81
01 Jul - 30 Jul 2019	£60	£97
31 Jul - 31 Aug 2019	£63	£93
01 Sep - 29 Sep 2019	£56	£92
30 Sep - 30 Oct 2019	£50	£76
31 Oct - 30 Nov 2019	£38	£60

# ADD £36pp/n (£56pn in a single room) if staying 14-17 Jul 2019

Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

Mr I Simpson

Craven Arms

02 May 2018

The walking was not taxing but it was very interesting. The wildflowers were stunning, not to be missed at this time of year, before the sun burns them off. We have never seen mile after mile of white Cistus in bloom. It really was a botanist's delight.

We particularly enjoyed staying in Salema at the Casa Praiamar and also Pedralva and Casa Fajara. Staff at the latter two were lovely. We were not particularly impressed by The Hotel Mira Sagres: the receptionist ignored us for five minutes on arrival while she spoke to another staff member but she was then perfectly friendly and took us up to our room. The aircon unit did not work and although we arrived promptly at the advertised time for breakfast, all the tables were taken and we had to wait to get places. Breakfast start time is obviously to be ignored or else had been changed without us being told. We guess that there is little accommodation choice in Vila do Bispo suitable for Inntravellers.

We did see the cliff-nesting storks but we were highly amused by the stork which had built its nest on the lamp post in the beating heart of Faro, oblivious to all the people, traffic and children's carousel pumping out music beneath it. If you like bird life, you will see other storks nesting in the centre and if you take the bus to Estoi, at this time of year, some houses are covered in martin nests. We watched swifts from our window at the AquaRia Hotel. We enjoyed two snacks at Cafe Allianca which is right next door to the hotel: the business, initially a dairy, is 110 years old and has a beautiful interior. It now calls itself a Cerverceria. The staff were very friendly and helpful with the large choice of beers. Up till now we had been drinking Vinho Verde so beer made a welcome change.
Mrs N Bishop

Stockport

24 February 2017

This is a lovely "get away from it all holiday" - very relaxing with fantastic views ! The Faro add on is very much recommended- it is a really interesting city that often gets overlooked.

Mr I Simpson

Craven Arms

02 May 2018

The walking was not taxing but it was very interesting. The wildflowers were stunning, not to be missed at this time of year, before the sun burns them off. We have never seen mile after mile of white Cistus in bloom. It really was a botanist's delight.

We particularly enjoyed staying in Salema at the Casa Praiamar and also Pedralva and Casa Fajara. Staff at the latter two were lovely. We were not particularly impressed by The Hotel Mira Sagres: the receptionist ignored us for five minutes on arrival while she spoke to another staff member but she was then perfectly friendly and took us up to our room. The aircon unit did not work and although we arrived promptly at the advertised time for breakfast, all the tables were taken and we had to wait to get places. Breakfast start time is obviously to be ignored or else had been changed without us being told. We guess that there is little accommodation choice in Vila do Bispo suitable for Inntravellers.

We did see the cliff-nesting storks but we were highly amused by the stork which had built its nest on the lamp post in the beating heart of Faro, oblivious to all the people, traffic and children's carousel pumping out music beneath it. If you like bird life, you will see other storks nesting in the centre and if you take the bus to Estoi, at this time of year, some houses are covered in martin nests. We watched swifts from our window at the AquaRia Hotel. We enjoyed two snacks at Cafe Allianca which is right next door to the hotel: the business, initially a dairy, is 110 years old and has a beautiful interior. It now calls itself a Cerverceria. The staff were very friendly and helpful with the large choice of beers. Up till now we had been drinking Vinho Verde so beer made a welcome change.

Mrs N Bishop

Stockport

24 February 2017

This is a lovely "get away from it all holiday" - very relaxing with fantastic views ! The Faro add on is very much recommended- it is a really interesting city that often gets overlooked.

Faro City Add-On

Holiday information

Faro

Sightseeing

Accommodation