Faro is a typical coastal town - palm trees line the old harbor wall of this old walled city and narrow streets lead to a square set with orange trees.

The square is dominated by the cathedral, solid and square giving no hint of the dazzling interior. A narrow lane past a the antique shop leads through a narrow gate in the city walls to the pier from where ferries cross the tidal lagoon to the beaches of Faro island. After exploring the old historic city return to the present day pedestrianized city center where it is a delight to sit and watch the world go by at a pavement café.

Opposite the 13th Century Cathedral that faces the 18th Century Episcopal palace. An interesting building is the neighboring 16th Century Convent which is now the home of the city's archaeological museum. It boasts an excellent section devoted to the Arab occupation.

Faro is also the home of the Ria Formosa lagoon, a nature reserve of over17.000 hectares and a stopping place for hundreds of different birds during the spring and autumn migratory periods. The beach is almost 7 kms distant from the city and is a long sandy spit reached by crossing a bridge not far from the International Airport.

The Algarve is famous for its 5 star golf courses, great water sports and beautiful beaches. Plenty of fishing opportunities exist along the coasts and in the rivers of the Algarve. Regular deep-sea excursions go in search of swordfish, ray, tuna and shark, while freshwater anglers can cast for salmon, trout, pike, bass, barbel and chub.

Our Portuguese language immersion allows you plenty of time to discover the culture & city of Faro.