Faro, Capital of the Algarve, is located in the South of Portugal. The Municipality of Faro has 6 parishes: Conceição de Faro, Estoi, Santa Bárbara de Nexe, Montenegro, São Pedro and Sé.
The Municipality has around 60.000 inhabitants in 210 km2; 30% of the area is part of the Ria Formosa Natural Reserve.
The city is bordered on the South by a dune of 19 km in length, which is interrupted by openings that connect the Sea to the Ria Formosa, forming 3 main islands.
Faro is a millenary city to be (re)discovered. Of pre-roman origin, called Ossonoba, it was one of the most important urban centers in the South of the Iberian Peninsula.
Today, due to its centrality and the fact of being the capital city, Faro has important infrastructures and public services of the region. The airport receives more than 5.000.000 tourists every year; the University is internationally acknowledged in Marine Sciences, Tourism Management and Biotechnologies; the Algarve Central Hospital and 6 high schools are facilities that mark the central role of Faro.
The Municipality’s cultural and sport dynamics are a strong allied to our position as capital city.
One can visit the islands by boat, however one is also accessible by car; they are places of excellence where one can spend pleasant days and be in contact with nature and the Ria Formosa Natural Park. One can also enjoy boat trips, bicycle rides, walks and bird watching along the Ria. The local gastronomy, based on food collected in the Ria Formosa, the Blue Flag and white sand beaches with warm waters, in some places inhabited only by migratory birds, are among other aspects to discover on the Ria Formosa’s islands and that potentiate the nature tourism offer.
Faro is rich in natural and cultural heritage that invite to the discovery and offer pleasant moments in the visitor’s stay.