I wasn’t sure what to expect from Faro. Its right in the heart of the Algarve, a region know to be a tourist hotspot for Brits wanting to get a tan. What I have learnt in Portugal though, is Portugal and the UK are very close, having one of the worlds longest running alliances. I expected there to be a lot more Spanish spoken in Portugal, but it really it is Portuguese first, English second and Spanish a fair way behind those 2 languages. The English were the reason for port even to exist as Portugal fortified the wine before shipping to the UK.
Back in Faro though its not quite peak season. The reasons people come to the Algarve usually require sunshine and its just a bit too early in the season for the hoards to have arrived. The weather was also a bit rainy which meant I got the chance to explore without too many people clogging the narrow roads and walkways.
I did the tried and tested Free walking tour here also. The guide was full of knowledge and very diplomatic as the city was historically inhabited by Jews, Christians and Muslims all at the same time without too many hassles over the years. It meant the architecture had mixes from all three religions, albeit the great earthquake in 1755 destroyed a lot of the city. I always find with these tours the guides know a lot more than I want to know so by the end of the 2 hours its a bit of a struggle to remember too much, without going back and revisiting some of the places in my own time. The views from the top of the church in the walled city look out across the lagoon towards the sea. If I had more time, a boat trip into the lagoon is apparently a must especially for bird watchers. As it turns out though storks love to make nests on top of churches so saw a few storks around the town anyway.
Faro was meant to be a few days before heading onto Seville in Spain and also to see a bit more of Portugal other than its two main cities. It definitely charmed me enough to think there are many more smaller towns I must visit next time I’m in Portugal. Of course its always tough to choose what to see without racing around on the worlds strictest travel itinerary.
