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9 Great Day trips from Faro City in Portugal
Situated just 10 minutes drive from Faro Airport, the Algarve’s regional airport, the city of Faro city of Faro is the perfect location for an Algarve holiday. Although it’s the closest city to the airport, Faro city is considerably less touristy than many of the other towns on the Algarve. Most visitors fly into Faro Airport and then immediately go to one of the coastal towns in the Central Algarve like Albufeira, Carvoreiro, or Ferragudo.
If you are wondering what are the things to do in Faro, read on to know more about Faro Day Trips and Excursions. Explore the peaceful East Algarve! Faro can be the base to explore Algarve region – culture, history, and beaches. If you are thinking how long you should stay in Faro, a week to 10 days in Faro is ideal. Faro’s biggest pro isn’t its lack of tourists, but its location. There is plenty to see and do near Faro, and the city also provides the perfect base from which to explore the neighboring towns in the Algarve, the Alentejo, Lisbon, Morocco, and even Spain. There is a choice of some of the best day tours from Faro. Curated here is some of the best day trips from Faro city in Portugal. You can also check out this Portugal Guide for other sights and experiences in Portugal.
Pego do Inferno
Pego do Inferno is a waterfall located roughly 35 km from Faro, near the picturesque town of Tavira. This isn’t one of the Algarve’s most signposted attractions. In fact, it’s not signposted at all. You’ll need to follow a Google Map to find it – a journey that involves walking up a river!
It’s definitely worth it, though! Pego do Inferno itself is beautiful, the water is cool, and swimming next to a freshwater waterfall is incredibly relaxing.
The remoteness of this attraction not only means there are few other tourists there, but it means that the journey to get there is almost as exciting as the waterfall itself.
Ilha Deserta
Ilha da Barreta, also known as Ilha Deserta, is a little island off the coast near Faro. Although the island has some beautiful, natural beaches, it is only accessible by boat. Its relative inaccessibility means that the beaches of Ilha da Barretta attract considerably fewer tourists than the mainland beaches near Faro city. This is one of the best day trips from Faro.
Getting to the boat is easy, particularly if you plan in advance. Ferries go to and from the island several times per day and the journey to the island, which goes through the beautiful Ria Formosa, is as worthwhile as the visit to the island itself.
There is a restaurant on the island, Restaurante Estaminé, however, there are no shops so be sure to bring shade, sunscreen, and plenty of water.
Ria Formosa
The Ria Formosa is a natural collection of small islands and lagoons off the coast of Faro city. It is a haven for all kinds of wildlife, particularly birds such as red-crested pochard, cattle egrets, and purple herons. The area is also rich in seafood such as oysters, octopus, cuttlefish, crab, and cockles, all of which are supplied to seafood restaurants throughout Portugal.
Boat tours leave from the marina in Faro and take you through the Ria Formosa and onto many of the islands. It’s a fantastic way to spend a relaxing day near Faro.
Seville
The Spanish town of Seville is situated just 2 hours from Faro city (note: there is a one hour time difference). Seville’s proximity to Faro means it’s suitable for a day trip, although it does require a little planning.
As well as the time difference, it’s important to note that many shops close for the afternoon in Seville for the siesta. This means that you should ideally get to Seville as soon as possible, to ensure that you have plenty of time to explore the city while everything is open.
To get to Seville, there are two options. The first, and probably the easiest option, is to take the bus. While there is no train service between Faro and Seville, buses go between the two cities several times per day.
The other option is by car. This option is less attractive than traveling by bus, as most car hire companies charge extra if you want to take your car across a border. While it is possible to take the bus across the border and then hire a car, this process is quite time-consuming and it’s much more convenient just to take the bus.
Lisbon
Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon, is a popular destination on most travelers’ itineraries. And, good news: it’s possible to get to and from Lisbon within a day by train.
The journey from Faro to Lisbon by train takes roughly 3 hours, and the first train will get you into Lisbon for 10:00. The last train leaves Lisbon at 18:31, giving you more than 8 hours to explore the city.
This is just enough time to see many of the main attractions including Praça do Comércio, Castelo de São Jorge, Alfama, Torre de Belém, Mosteiro Jeronimos, and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos.
It’ll be a flying visit but, as Lisbon is quite a compact city, it’s possible to see most of the main attractions and get a feel for it in a day.
Silves
Once the capital of the Algarve, Silves is a small town in the Central Algarve that’s popular with history lovers. It’s most famous for the Moorish castle that sits atop the hill behind the town, although the winding streets of the Old Town and the Cathedral are both worthwhile attractions as well.
Although Silves gets its fair share of visitors, mainly in the form of coach tours visiting the castle on a day trip, the town isn’t as touristy as some of the other towns on the Central Algarve. It’s a town that’s still lived in by many Portuguese people, and as such there are plenty of good restaurants most notably Marisqueira Rui and Churrasqueira Valdemar.
Tavira
Situated just 45 minutes drive from Faro city, the picturesque town of Tavira is a must-see for anyone visiting Faro and the Eastern Algarve. While Faro is a small city, most of the Algarve is made up of small towns like Tavira. A day trip or half-day trip to Tavira will give you a good idea of what one of those towns feels like. Tavira’s is one of the most beautiful of all the towns on the Algarve, and as well as getting a feel for the Algarve way of life, you’ll be able to snap some great holiday photos as well.
Sagres
Situated on the South-Western tip of Portugal, Sagres is the surfing capital of the Algarve. Here, you will find countless surf schools, surf rental shops, and hostels catering to surfers and all things surfing.
If you’re not interested in taking a surf lesson, you can also visit Sagres Point. This is where Henry the Navigator’s 15th Century school was based, and it’s here that some of Portugal’s greatest explorers honed their craft for the journey ahead.
As well as history and surfing, the Western Algarve’s rugged coastline is a popular destination for walking. You’ll find a number of short walks near Sagres, including the Rota Vicentina which starts (or ends) at Cabo de São Vicente nearby.
Évora
Évora, a city around 2-and-a-half hours from Faro city, is the capital city of the Alentejo. The Alentejo is Portugal’s largest region, and it’s even more laid-back and rural than the Algarve. Évora, however, is quite modern in comparison, helped by having a university in the town.
Évora’s key attractions include the former Roman Temple of Évora, the Cathedral of Évora, and the Capela dos Ossos – a chapel made of human bones. A few miles outside of the town, there’s also the Almendres Cromlech standing stones. These standing stones date back as far as 6,000 bc, making them even older than Stonehenge in England.
How to get to Faro, Portugal
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Faro Tours
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Hi James,
Sagres Point looks beyond epic. The word gets tossed around quite a bit. But this place really is something else, with its stunning views and dramatic scenery.
Ryan
This is so beautiful. I am traveling to this paradise place through your pictures. Thanks for sharing.
I just love your photos. They look so beautiful. I wish I could visit Sagres someday, it would be a wonderful experience. Thanks for sharing!
Wow all of these look totally awesome. Seville is definitely imcredible but have to confess I flew into Faro and straight back out. Would love to go back and try out some of these options. Happy New Year
Ria Formosa looks like the islands we see at Loktak lake in Manipur. I wonder if these are a natural phenomenon that happens in particular circumstances. I am sure this combination of land and water would attract a lot of birds. This kind of ensures that man is not too close and nature is all by itself – undisturbed.
I’ve been to a few of your recommended day trips and can endorse them all. But what really struck me was that if you can get from Faro to Lisbon in 3 hours, you can do the same in reverse and perhaps spend a night in Faro. I’m planning a trip to Lisbon this year so perhaps that would work for me!
I want to go to Portugal so bad! Have you ever thought of road tripping through it? Like renting a camper van! Your pictures are absolutely beautiful! I love that desert island it looks absolutely magical!
What a wonderful post about Portugal! I would love to visit Faro and the other highlights you have mentioned. Thx for the great post, and Happy New Year to you!
This is great, a few months ago I’ve been there and I loved it as much as you did, I hope! It’s really amazing place, I was considering to just buy a house and retire! It would be amazing
I actually haven’t heard of any of these places but one! They all look absolutely beautiful and sound like neat places to visit. Your pictures are beautiful!
I have been reading a lot about Portugal lately. Hopefully it’s rising popularity doesn’t make it lose it’s charm. Love to see that there are so many day trip ideas – we deffo want to do this as a road trip – and looks like there is plenty to see and do.
Whoa!! So many places to explore.. I feel Ilha desserta is my kind of place to explore.. very well written. Thanks for sharing .
Lovely article. So much to so around. I was really surprised with that waterfall, though! Not signposted at all and it looks so beautiful in the picture. Absilutely stunning. Thanks for sharing your knowledge about this area. Its so cool you can even travel to Morocco from there!
Getting to Pego do Inferno sounds like a journey in itself. I think sometimes things are too ‘easy’ for tourists. Plus just look at the water when you get there! Bliss!
Little do I know there is more to Portugal than Lisbon. I can remember visiting Silves but I didn’t spend much time there. It’s sad that I missed the seashells at Ilha de Barreta, they’ll be good props for Instagram pictures. And the blue water at Ria Formosa. I wonder what it feels like to surf at Satres. I need to revisit. Thanks for the inspiration.
Fantastic list of places to visit from Faro City. I haven’t been to Portugal and the other day, I read someone’s post about Silves and was intrigued by the pictures. I can see you’ve also included that in your list here and it does look amazing, as do other cities such as Seville (always been on my list) and also Tavira and Sagres, which I’ve never heard about. Thanks for these suggestions!
Such an interesting destination with loads of itinerary options. Evora sounds especially intriguing. A chapel made of human bones? I’d love to know the story behind that
I was just in Faro last month. I feel like I need to plan another trip there after reading your post. It seems like there are so many more places to see there.
I love crossing borders because of the added thrill. If I find myself in Seville (since I love Spain so much), I might as well give Faro a chance.
Happy New Year! Faro and its surrounding areas look lovely. I havce been to Sevill ebut did not know I was so close to Faro Island. My favorites are Pego do Inferno and Ilha da Barretta.
Are there these shells all around always ?
Hey, really enjoyed looking through the photos, nice work!
I’ve never been to Southern Portugal but I definitely hope to in the future.
All the best!
I love the Algarve but haven’t heard of some of these places! I will definitely be checking this list again ready for my next visit. Thanks!
Beautiful list! Apart from famous ones like Lisbon, the ones that caught my eye were: Ilha Deserta and Silves. I had never heard of these pretty places before! Glad that I stumbled upon this article. Thanks!
I have only had a chance to explore Lisbon, but all of these places look amazing. There’s so much to do and see and lots of amazing food in Portugal. 🙂
Cool feature on Faro’s surrounds. Sounds like a fabulous base to explore the Algarve! Pego do Inferno looks so much fun – can’t beat a tarzan rope into a waterfall pool on a hot day! And I’ve always wanted to make it over to Seville for the architecture. Silves looks like it has some amazing history too – thanks for the ideas!
Portugal and Spain are littered with tiny places which are so stunning that each deserves at least a day to itself. Ideally, I would spend the longest time just travelling along the coast all over Europe. The best place to be.
These are our type of places. Yesterday only we were discussing to find and explore, offbeat places of Europe and now I have found this – so correct timings. Your pictures are amazing. In particular, Pego do Inferno, Ilha Deserta & Sagres attracted me the most.
Great post, I’m definitely feeling the need to book a trip to the Algarve, it all looks truly stunning with so many quaint places to visit. Thanks for sharing.
This looks a very nice place to explore and to get some amazing experience. Thanks for sharing this post and for letting us about it.
You’ve really showcased some unbelievable places to visit outside of Portugal. My favorite was Sagres but that picture from the shell beach is stunning. By the way, was that a swing hanging in the photo with the waterfall? How fun!
These are some great suggestions for day trips from Faro. I went here about 10years ago and I loved it there and I have always wanted to go back. After reading you post and looking at your photos it has made me want to pack my bags and head there now. I have always wanted to go to Seville it is high up on my bucket list.
This is an awesome idea because I know a lot of people go to this region on holiday and maybe just spent too much time at the hotel or beach so its good to give some ideas for adventures. Love that waterfall
I intend to go to Portugal this summer so I will save your post since the destinations are really interesting. I didn’t know Sevilla was that close to Faro – whereby that will probably be a trip I’ll skip: Been there in summer – it’s like vacationing in an oven. But I’ll definitely do the Ilha and the Pego do Inferno. Boa viagem!
I’d love to get out to surf at Sagres some day. Nice to know it’s a short daytrip from Faro! Sounds like Faro is a great place to see most of Portugal from.
I didn’t know so much about Faro. It looks like a perfect place to base yourself and do wonderful trips around. What I really like is that each of the places that you have listed here for day trip is different from the others in landscape as well as manmade architectures. Be it Ilha Deserta or Lisbon. Each is beautiful in a unique way.
Faro looks like the perfect place to not only explore but also jump off to see the amazing surrounding sites. I would love to see Pego do Inferno. That waterfall looks amazing!
Ilha Deserta is a perfect place too! I love your pic of all the shells you found on the beach!