Faro, Portugal

I am currently taking a trip (by train) across Portugal from south to north.  I started off with a few nights in Faro, on the Algarve.  Whilst most people may fly into Faro and get a bus off to a resort, I based myself in the city which is just by the airport (so much so that it is very obvious when planes are landing as they fly right across the harbour!).

The city itself has many interesting things to see.  The Municipal Museum is an interesting building in its own right, and has some interesting exhibits.  The Cathedral has a great viewing platform from the belltower and a small museum of artefacts.  There are a number of other churches as well, although I missed seeing the advertised room of skulls in one as it was closed when I went there!  I also happened across an art exhibit in the old town, which was interesting, as was wandering the streets of the old town itself.  Many houses were covered in tiles on the outside, and the roads cobbled or with pretty patterns.

A day trip by train to Tavira along the cost was a highlight of the trip.  The town itself is split across a river, with an old bridge joining the two halves (and some newer ones now too!)  There are two town museums here, with one looking at the Islamic heritage of the place and the other looking wider.  There are also a number of historic churches, and a castle in the centre of the town.  This gives some good views over the town but is also a health and safety nightmare - lots of stairs and edges that have no rails that people could easily fall off!  Fun though!  In the afternoon I walked out of town and caught a ferry over to Tavria island a resort of restaurants, sand dunes and a long sandy beach.  Whilst the weather was sunny the sea wasn't warm enough to tempt most people in, but that didn't stop me - after all opportunities to swim in the sea don't come along that often!  All in all, I thoroughly recommend Tavria for a visit.  There was perhaps less going on with my trip to Olhao, perhaps because it was Sunday and a lot of the attractions (and the quayside market) were closed. 

On my first day in Faro Portugal marked 40 years since 25th April 1974 when the dictatorship was overthrown.  This day was a bank holiday (as every 25th April is), meaning that some of the tourist attractions were closed.  It was marked by a concert the evening before (which I missed as it must have started gone 9:30 - although I did hear some practice earlier in the evening!) and a march through the town on the day itself.

One final mention for the food.  I found some incredible value there, including one restaurant where I had bread and olives, soup of the day, main course (from a choice of ~10), desert, carafe of wine and coffee all for only €8.50!  An all you can eat Japanese restaurants for under €14 were also very enjoyable!