march-2011

FEATURES | FARO
FOR MOST PEOPLE who visit the
Algarve, Faro is little more than an
airport terminal. Each year tourists
land, grab their bags and hurtle towards
Portugal’s sun-soaked beach resorts
without so much as a second thought for
this charming medieval port. But if you’re
prepared to go against the fl ow and do
some exploring, you’ll discover a historic
city with plenty to entertain sun-seekers
on their way to or from the beach.
Flying into the airport, you can’t
help but notice the long line of highrise
buildings that runs through the
city. But don’t be put off – the Cidade
64 | TRAVELLER | MARCH 11
FARO FROM
THECROWD
OFTEN OVERLOOKED BY HOLIDAYMAKERS, THIS SMALL BUT
COSMOPOLITAN PORT IS WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED
STEVEN VICKERS
Velha (Old Town) is picture-perfect,
with its intricate buildings, ancient
chapels and winding cobbled streets
making it an ideal place to explore the
city’s fascinating history. The Museu
Arqueológico (Praça Afonso III, tel: +351
289 897 400) is one of the oldest and
most beautiful cultural institutions
in Portugal. Nestled in a domed 16thcentury
convent, it’s home to a peaceful
cloister and, in a nod to Faro’s maritime
history, a remarkable Roman mosaic
depicting Neptune, the god of water.
Incredibly, it was only uncovered in
1976 during restoration work.
Another relic of old Faro is the Sé,
or cathedral, its unlikely mishmash of
gothic, baroque and renaissance styles
telling the story of the city’s past. The
Great Earthquake of 1755 left much
of the original 13th-century structure
in ruins, and the other sections were
simply added over time, resulting in an
unusual building that was never part
of any architect’s plan. The best way
to appreciate it today is by following
the scent of chocolatey, freshly roasted
coffee beans into the sun-dappled Largo
da Sé, a broad, cobbled plaza that’s
lined with rows of fragrant orange trees.