Flight from London (LON) to Faro (FAO) from 160 £

Your comfortable flight from London to Faro in southern Portugal will bring you right into the centre of the Algarve. Faro has the only airport of the area; from here most visitors usually go directly to the many touristic centres of the southern coast of Portugal. But Faro has much to offer to the sightseeing tourist, so staying here for a couple of days is a great holiday idea.

Faro: ancient times and recent developments>/h3>

Faro was founded around 800 B.C. by the Phoenicians. The city was as an important colony in their Mediterranean shipping network. Greeks and Romans did much the same when they conquered the city. In the 6th century first the Goths and finally the Moors took over, who still lived here when King Alfonso III of Portugal conquered Faro in 1249. One of the few buildings that have survived from the old times is Faro’s medieval city wall. It is still almost complete and surrounds the historic city centre, the Vila Adentro. The wall has three of its original gatehouses left. The 10.000 students of the University of Faro make up 20% of the city’s population, making a contrast between the old heritage and the young people’s modern-day city life. They also are the driving force behind a vibrant nightlife. If your plan for a great holiday goes a bit beyond lying on the same beach for seven days, Faro is certainly worth a closer look.

Activities in and around Faro

Many wars and tremendous earthquakes forced the citizens to rebuild Faro several times, but some older monuments are still around. The Cathedral Sé is sitting on the foundations of several predecessors going as far back as the Goths. From the massive church tower you can have a beautiful view over the city and the nearby Largo de Sé, while you can also admire its bells, which are hanging free over the tower. One of the most famous sights in Faro is the baroque church Nossa Senhora do Carmo with its side-chapel Capela dos Ossos. Here the bones and skulls of dead monks are set into the walls, which makes the chapel more spooky than holy. Make a tour through the nearby protected area and wildlife sanctuary Ria Formosa. In the harbour you can take a boat and get a guided tour through the area that consists of salt marshes and mud flats, an environment hard to find in most parts of Europe. They are listed as an Important Bird Sight, especially migrating birds on their way to and from Africa like to rest in these untouched areas. Faro has a beach that is a short bus ride outside the city. On Ilha da Culatra, a big sandbank or small island a short boat ride from the city, you will find pristine beaches with just a few visitors, the least developed and most peaceful beaches on the Algarve. Enjoy Faro and the Portuguese hospitality, but don’t miss your flight back home to London.

What else to see in Faro

• Igreja de São Pedro (St. Peters Church)
• Museu Municipal de Faro, City museum in an old monastery
• Roman Ruins of Milreu

Information Airport Faro

• Name: Aeroporto de Faro
• IATA Code: FAO
• Distance to downtown Faro: 3 km
• Transportation: bus, rented car, shuttle, taxi

Which airports are in London?

• London Heathrow (LHR)
• London Gatwick (LGW)
• London City (LCY)