Portugal

FARO AFTER DARK
What Bourbon Street is to New Orleans, Rua do Prior is to Faro. In the heart of town,
adjacent to the Faro Hotel, it’s chockablock with dozens of night cafes, pubs (English and
otherwise), and dance clubs that rock from around 10:30pm until dawn. Head to this
street anytime after noon for insights into the hard-drinking, hard-driving nature of this
hot southern town. Our favorite watering hole along this street is CheSsenta Bar, Rua
do Prior 34 (& 918/74-58-37), where the crowd is in their 20s and 30s, and downs one
beer after another at 1.50€ a mug. It’s open daily 10pm to 4am. Karaoke on Wednesday
and Friday often rules the night at O Conselheiro, in the center of Rua Conselheiro
Bívar (no phone). The best recorded music in town is played here by a DJ, and sometimes
the bar converts to a dance floor. It too is open daily 10pm to 4am, and charges
the same for beer.
EASY EXCURSIONS FROM FARO
Some of the most interesting towns in the Algarve surround the capital. Exploring any
one takes a half-day.
LOULÉ This market town 15km (91 ⁄3 miles) north of Faro lies in the heart of the
Algarve’s chimney district. If you think chimneys can’t excite you, you haven’t seen the
ones here. The fret-cut plaster towers rise from many of the cottages and houses (and
even the occasional doghouse).
Bus service is good during the day; about 40 buses arrive from various parts of the
Algarve, mainly Faro. Five trains per day arrive from Faro at the Loulé rail station, about
5km (3 miles) from the center of town. There are bus connections to the center of town
from the station, or you can take a taxi.
The Loulé Tourist Information Office is on Avenida 25 de Abril (& 28/946-39-00).
It’s open October to May Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5:30pm, and Saturday 9:30am
to 3:30pm; and June to September Monday to Friday 9:30am to 7pm, and Saturday
9:30am to 3:30pm.
Loulé and the villages around it are known for their handicrafts. They produce work
in palm fronds and esparto, such as handbags, baskets, mats, and hats. Loulé artisans also
make copper articles, bright harnesses, delicate wrought-iron pieces, clogs, cloth shoes
and slippers, tinware, and pottery. Products are displayed in workshops at the foot of the
walls of an old fortress and in other showrooms, particularly those along Rua do 9 de
Abril.
In Loulé, you might want to visit the Gothic-style Igreja de São Clemente, Matriz
de Loulé, or parish church, Largo do Matriz 19 (& 28/941-51-67). It was given to the
town in the late 13th century. It’s open Monday to Friday 9 to 11am, Saturday 9am to
7pm.
The remains of the Moorish castelo are at Largo Dom Pedro I (no phone). The ruins
house a historical museum and are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm, and Saturday
10am to 2pm. Admission is 1€.
For meals, try the Portuguese cuisine at O Avenida, Av. José da Costa Mealha 13
(& 28/946-21-06), on the main street close to the traffic circle. It’s one of the finest
restaurants in the Algarve. The specialty is shellfish cooked cataplana-style. You can also
order beefsteak à Avenida or sole meunière. The restaurant is open Monday through
Saturday from noon to 3:30pm and 7 to 10pm; it’s closed for most of November. Meal
prices start at 6€ to 12€. Occasional live entertainment is featured. O Avenida accepts
most major credit cards.
265
THE ALGARVE 10
FARO