📖 About Faro

Faro, the administrative capital of the Algarve region since 1756, has a municipality population of 70,347 and the largest urban population in southern Portugal. Faro Airport achieved a historic milestone in 2025, serving 10 million passengers—a 6% increase over 2024—making it Portugal's third-busiest airport. The airport added six new routes in 2025, further solidifying Faro's position as the gateway to the Algarve's world-renowned beaches and golf resorts.

The Ria Formosa Natural Park, a stunning 60-kilometer coastal lagoon system with barrier islands, surrounds the city and protects one of Europe's most important wetland ecosystems. Faro's Old Town (Cidade Velha) preserves the city's Roman origins with cobblestone streets, ancient walls, and historic monuments enclosed within medieval fortifications. As the tourism hub of the Algarve, Faro enjoys year-round sunshine—over 300 days annually—attracting visitors seeking beaches, culture, and the relaxed Portuguese lifestyle.

🏛️ Top Attractions

💼 Economy & Culture

Faro's economy is driven predominantly by tourism and aviation, with the airport serving as the gateway for the Algarve's annual tourism boom attracting millions of visitors. The port handles fishing fleets and commercial shipping, supporting the region's seafood industry. The University of Algarve brings a vibrant student population, contributing to the city's youthful energy and service sector employment. Retail, hospitality, and tourism-related services dominate the local economy.

The Ria Formosa is renowned for exceptional seafood—clams, oysters, and octopus harvested from the lagoon's pristine waters. Traditional boat tours demonstrate clam farming techniques passed down through generations. The September Faro Festival celebrates local culture with music, food, and traditional performances. Faro's relaxed Algarve lifestyle contrasts with Lisbon and Porto's faster pace, offering visitors and residents a more leisurely Mediterranean rhythm focused on sunshine, beaches, and outdoor living.

📜 History

The Phoenician and Carthaginian settlement of Ossonoba occupied the site of modern Faro, later becoming an important Roman and Visigothic administrative center. Under Moorish rule, the city was known as Al-Fahar during the 11th century, from which the current name Faro derives. The city was reconquered by Portuguese King Afonso III in 1249, marking the completion of the Christian Reconquista. The catastrophic 1755 Lisbon earthquake devastated Faro, destroying much of the city's medieval architecture. Faro became the administrative capital of the Algarve region in 1756 following the earthquake's reshaping of southern Portugal. The modern tourism boom beginning in the 1960s transformed Faro from a quiet provincial capital into one of Portugal's most visited destinations.