 | ||
| Faro | ||
| District | Faro district | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 64.560 (2011) | |
| height | 10 m | |
| Tourist info web | http://www.cm-faro.pt | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Faro is the capital of the district and region of the same name Algarve, Portugal
background
Faro is the largest district town (municipio) and capital (capital) of the Faro district of the same name (Algarve), the southernmost region of Portugal on mainland Europe. Faro has been a university town (Universidade do Algarve) since 1979. The district of Faro includes next to the core town Faro (Sé e São Pedro) the locations Conceição e Estoi, Montenegro and Santa Bárbara de Nexe.
The origins of the city of Faro go back to the Phoenicians who lived in the 7th century BC. Settled the west coast of the Mediterranean area. The name of the settlement was Ossonoba. As oppidum Ossonoba, it later became an important trading post for wine, fishery products and olive oil for the Romans. Under Emperor Augustus, the region became the Lusitania Province of the Roman Empire. One of the testimonies from that time are the ruins of Milreu near Estoi. And in São Brás de Alportel there are remains of the Roman military road (Calçadinha Romana) that led from Ossonoba north to Beja in the Alentejo.
Under the Visigoths the city was renamed Santa Maria de Ossonoba and in 714 the Moors began to rule for five centuries. The name Faro probably goes back to Ben Harum, who established a principality here in the 11th century. Many cultural achievements stem from the heyday associated with this epoch.
In 1249 King Alfonso III's troops finally conquer the city from the Moors. A large mosaic at the city gate to the historic old town, the Arco do Repouso, shows this memorable event. In the 15th century, the first book printed in Portugal was produced thanks to the local Jewish community in Faro. In 1540 the town was granted town charter and in 1577, instead of Silves, it became the seat of the bishop.
Faro survived the earthquake of 1755 and the subsequent storm surge better than the previous capital of the Algarve, Lagos. Therefore, the seat of government will be relocated here in the following year.
Faro has benefited from the development of tourism in the second half of the last century, particularly since the airport opened in 1965, which is now one of the three largest in Portugal.
getting there
By plane
The International, inaugurated in 1965 1 Faro airport
(IATA: FAO) on the western edge of the Ria Formosa is one of the three largest in Portugal with over 6 million passengers a year Algarve or the nearby Spanish one Andalusia used. It can be reached from many major cities in Europe in about 3 hours by plane. However, the frequency of direct flights is partially limited in the winter months. An alternative is then flights via Lisbon.
By train
The 2 Estação da Faro(Faro train station) is a few minutes' walk from the city center. The single-track railway line Linha do Algarve runs from Lagos in the west to the Spanish border in the east of the Algarve. There is a fast train connection to Lisbon four times a day, travel time over 3 - 3.5 hours.
By bus
The bus terminal is located near the train station EVA Transporteswho operate a well-developed network of routes across the Algarve and go to Lisbon and Seville in Spain.
In the street
Faro is connected to the A22 motorway via a multi-lane feeder, which leads east to neighboring Spain and west to Lagos. It's about a 3-hour drive to Lisbon. The motorway has been subject to tolls since 2011. Attention: The toll is only collected electronically on the A22.
By boat
Faro has a small boat harbor near the old town. Because of the narrow and flat fairway between the islands of the Ria Formosa, access is only possible for smaller boats.
mobility
Various bus lines operate in the city center and the surrounding area, lines 14 and 16 also lead to the airport.
There is a ferry connection to the neighboring islands of Ilha da Barreta (Ilha Deserta) and Ilha da Culatra.
Tourist Attractions
The historic old town of Faro:
- 1 Arco da Vila.
City gate, the landmark of the city from the 18th century. - 2 Largo da Sé (Sé de Faro).Cathedral Square.
- Câmara Municipal. Old Town Hall.
- 3 Paco Episcopal. Episcopal Palace.
Churches and monasteries
- 4 cathedral (Sé de Faro).From the 13th / 14th Century. The cathedral stands on a hill in the old town.
- Nossa Senhore dos Prazeres. Baroque side chapel of the cathedral: Our Lady of Joy.
- 5 Big church organ.By 1751.
- 6 Convento de Nossa Senhora da Assunção.Monastery of the Assumption of Mary.
- 7 Capela dos Ossos.Bone chapel. Capela dos Ossos It belongs to the Baroque Carmelite church Nossa Senhora do Carmo from the 18th century.
.JPG/350px-Capela_dos_Ossos_(Faro).JPG)
Museums
- Museu Arqueologico, in the Convento de Nossa Senhora de Assunco.
- Ocean mosaic
- 8 Museu Marítimo Almirante Ramalho Ortigão
miscellaneous
- 9 Palácio de Estói (Estoi Palace, Casa de Estói, Quinta de Estói).Rococo style palace with elements of baroque and classicism. In the palace is the Pousada Palácio Estói.
- 10 Ruínas romanas de Milreu (Ruínas de Estoi).Open-air museum, located near the municipality of Estoi.
activities
On the sea side of the offshore islands of Ilha de Faro and Ilha da Barreta, miles of sandy beaches lie behind a beautiful dune landscape. The lagoon is suitable for numerous water sports activities and is a worthwhile destination for excursions by boat to explore the rich fauna and flora of the Ria Formosa. Only smaller boats can moor in the port of Faro at Jardim Manuel Bivar, as the height of the access through the Linha do Algarve railway track is restricted.
The 1 Estadio do Algarve with a capacity of over 30,000 spectators, not far from the A22 motorway between Loulé and Faro, was built especially for the 2004 UEFA European Football Championship. The most important games of the Algarve Cup, the most important tournament in international women's football outside of the World and European Championships, take place here every year. It is also the stadium of the Gibraltar national team.
The golf resorts of Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and Vilamoura in the neighboring district of Loulé have established the Algarve's reputation as one of the world's best golf destinations.
Faro has a very lively biker scene with the Moto Clube de Faro. The city calls itself the capital of motorcycling.
shop
At the entrance to Faro is the Forum Algarve, one of the largest shopping centers in the whole of the Algarve. It is open daily and offers a wide range of shops and restaurants and an excellent supermarket on two levels. The free parking space is generous.
Freshly caught fish and seafood are best bought early in the morning in the market hall (Mercado Municipal) in the city center. The building also houses the ultra-modern citizens' office (Loja do Cidadão) with numerous public services under one roof and a large underground car park.
The pedestrian zone between Jardim Manuel Bivar and the city center was lavishly paved and renovated on the occasion of the European Football Championship. With many good shops it invites you to go shopping and to linger in one of the numerous restaurants.
kitchen
Cheap
- Pastelaria Coelho, Rua Brites de Almeida 2, 8000-404 Faro. Decent restaurant, nice service; Excellent food, both traditional and international.Open: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.Price: main courses around € 5.90, as of March 2017.
medium
- Adega Nova, Rua Francisco Barreto 24. Cozy, not too expensive () restaurant with traditional dishes.Open: 11.30 a.m. - 11 p.m.Price: main course € 6-16.
Upscale
nightlife
accommodation
The hotel offer in Faro itself is manageable. In the neighboring Almancil In the so-called "Golden Triangle" of the Algarve, the range of hotels and holiday apartments of all categories is particularly large. It concentrates on the two golf and holiday resorts Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo.
Cheap
- 1878 hostel, Rua Serpa Pinto nº29, 8000-431 Faro. Overnight stay € 13 (as of March 2017), including WiFi and breakfast. Shared room, common room and kitchen. Shared bathroom, roof terrace. Recently renovated, vintage look.
- Residencial dandy, Rua Filipe Alistão 62. Pension distributed over several houses with very simple rooms, the furnishings of which are getting on in years and which are crammed with all sorts of bells and whistles. But it still has charm, or perhaps because of it. Drunk night owls who shout outside the window for hours can seriously disturb the night's sleep. The train station and bus station can be reached on foot in 20 minutes from here.Price: Double room with shared bathroom and balcony € 35.
medium
Upscale
- Hotel Eva ****, close to the center directly on the small marina and on the edge of the historic old town.
- Hotel Faro ****, close to the center directly on the small marina and on the edge of the historic old town. From there you have a wonderful view of the lagoon landscape of the Ria Formosa, which extends to Faro Airport, as well as over the roofs of the city.
- Pousada Palacio de Estoi. The Pousada Palacio de Estoi is a jewel. The former Rococo castle of the Count of Estoi, a few km north of Faro on the outskirts of the village of Estoi, has been converted into a stylish pousada with all modern comforts after extensive restoration.
Learn
- Universidade do Algarve. University of the Algarve in Faro and Portimão.
- Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais (FCHS)
- Faculdade de Ciências e Technologia FCT)
- Faculdade de Economia (FE)
- Escola Superior de Educaço e Communicaço (ESEC)
- Escola Superior de Gestão, Hostelaria e Turismo (ESGHT)
- Escola Superior de Saude (ESS)
- Instituto Superior de Engenharia (ISE)
Work
security
health
Faro has several hospitals:
- Hospital Distrital de Faro. District Hospital in downtown Faro.
- Hospital Lusíadas Faro. Private hospital in the city center.
- Hospital Particular do Algarve. Private hospital in Gambelas (Faro).
Practical advice
trips
Almost all places in the Algarve can be reached by car within one to two hours. You can get there in half an hour Tavira and to the dream beach on the Ilha de Tavira.
literature
Web links
- http://www.cm-faro.pt/ - Faro Official Website
