Capital of the Algarve, Faro is a gateway to the beaches of Portugal’s Mediterranean coast. Simply use the box on the right to book a low–cost, last–minute flight to Faro.
Ten handy facts about Faro
If you’re planning a last–minute trip to Faro, here’s some helpful facts:
Faro sits on the edge of the Rio Formosa National Park which is visited by hundreds of species of migratory birds each spring and autumn.
The Roman settlement on the site of present day Faro was called Ossonoba.
A church in the city houses the bones of more than 1,200 monks in the Capela dos Ossos, the chapel of bones, which is open to the public.
The city was ruled by the Moors from the eighth century until they were defeated by King Alfonso III during the 13th century.
In 1596 the city was sacked by the Earl of Essex who seized the library of the Bishop of Faro. The books are now part of the Bodleian Library at Oxford University.
Much of the city was destroyed in the Great Earthquake of 1755.
The town of Loulé, 15km north of Faro is the centre of a local crafts industry producing baskets, mats, copper–work and pottery.
There are around a dozen top quality golf courses within a thirty minute drive of Faro airport.
The Algarve averages 3,000 hours of sunshine each year.
Faro has been the capital of the Algarve since 1756.
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