Flights to Faro, Algarve Portugal

Ria Formosa

It's easy to walk past the slightly uninspiring Hotel Faro building but venture inside and up to the roof and you'll find Ria Formosa Restaurant. Its fourth floor position delivers great views of both Faro old town and the water and it also has a terrace bar that is the perfect spot for sipping a cocktail and watching the sunset.

Aqui del Rei

Enjoy live Fado music and authentic Portuguese and Angolan dishes, including a very good fish stew, at this cosy, casual eatery Aqui del Rei. Make sure you get there early to bag an outside table.

Faz Gostos

Faro’s most upmarket restaurant, Faz Gostos, is run by Duval Pestana, who is rapidly becoming a Portuguese celebrity chef. Be prepared to be wowed by his use of traditional ingredients in surprising new ways.

Praça at the Vale do Lobo resort

For casual, child-friendly dining, choose from the various restaurants and bars at the beachside Praça at the Vale do Lobo resort, a 15-minute drive from Faro. In the summer there’s live music at night and you can choose between a range of restaurants including Chinese, Mexican, pizza and a really good steakhouse.

Bar Columbus

Bar Columbus is Faro’s premiere cocktail bar and is open until 4am, attracting a hip crowd of locals and tourists. The bar, housed in a 600-year-old building, is every bit as interesting as the crowd that hangs out there. Make sure you go with the flow as people spill out into the square outside.

Taberna da Sé

Lively traditional taverna Taberna da Sé is located in the old town with some outside tables that are very inviting on a hot night.

O Castelo

With great views over the Ria Formosa lagoon, bar-cum-club O Castelo hosts a variety of dance nights and attracts a young party crowd.

Dux

Dux is a late starter so don’t bother turning up before midnight. Things get lively after 2am with a mix of students and young tourists doing their thing on the dance floor.

Rua Conselheiro Bivar and Rua Infante Dom Henrique

Rua Conselheiro Bivar and Rua Infante Dom Henrique frame the centre of the nightlife area in the old town of Faro and are home to a wide selection of bars and clubs, particularly on Thursday’s student nights.

Vila Adentro

Browse small grocery store Vila Adentro for regional specialties ranging from olive oil to almonds, jams, cakes and home-made confectionary and then have a coffee or lunch in the restaurant, which features pretty traditionally tiled walls.

Flea market

Grab a bargain every first and third Sunday of the month at Faro’s flea market, which takes place from 7.30am – 2pm in the Estadio Algarve car park. It’s about 8km north of Faro but served by train.

Rui Garrafeira

Rui Garrafeira is one of Faro’s best wine shops and worth a stop for wines, ports and Amarguinha, a local almond-based aperitif.

The old town of Faro

Lose yourself in the winding cobbled lanes of Faro’s atmospheric old town. Set within the city’s Medieval walls, it’s home to bars, shops and peaceful, shady squares.

Ria Formosa National Park

Ria Formosa National Park, a vast and beautiful marine park complete with deserted islands and long sandy beaches, is a great day out. Take a boat trip or hire a kayak and explore.

The Archaeological Museum

The atmospheric Archaeological Museum is housed in a 16th century convent. English language guides are available to explain the exhibits, a highlight of which is a 3m long Roman mosaic with a portrait of Neptune at its heart.

The Milreu Ruins

In Roman times, the Milreu Ruins were a luxurious manor, and today you can still see the farm buildings, a temple and the baths complex, complete with several original rooms and well-preserved mosaics.

Events to look out for:

• Liberation Day (25 April)
• Festa da Ria Formosa (late July - early August)