This month: Faro
WORDS BY SALLY HOWARD
easyJet gives you the lowdown on Faro—a Moorish combination of modern-day gloss and centuries-old art and architecture.

Country: Portugal
Languages: Portuguese
Currency: Euro
Area: 92,391sq km
Length of Coastline : 830 km
Border countries: Spain
Government Type: Democratic republic
Religion: Roman Catholic 97%

Faro—a smooth spur of land to the south-west of the Iberian peninsula —was surely created by a loving God. Set against startling electric-blue skies and waters, and fronted by a natural lagoon (Ria Formosa), in which fish and fowl abound, it’s the perfect platform for human life to flourish. The Moors recognised this, as did the Romans, the Visigoths and the Barbarians, each successive invader adding history to the sun-kissed capital of the Algarve. In Faro, whether you’re sipping on a caipirinha to the strains of funky house, or picking up a bargain in the shops, you’re probably doing so in a building with a 900-year past, before refuelling on a fabulous fresh seafood dish made to a recipe unchanged since the time of the Moors.

Lay of the Land
The shining cobbled streets, squat citrus trees and whitewashed buildings of the walled old town are almost cinematic in their perfection. However, there’s plenty to engage the modern-minded too—from boutique shopping and great parks to a buoyant restaurant and nightlife scene.

Getting acquainted

You can’t miss the old town. Faro’s founders certainly knew their salt cod when it came to strategic positioning. Hugging the bay where the south of Portugal curves from east to west, the old town is sectioned off by the thick ochre walls first built during Medieval and Moorish times; its four arched entrances manned by glowering statues and gargoyles. Three distinct areas crowd into this old city enclosure—Vila Adentro, Mouraria and Bairro Ribeirinho— each of them marking a stage in the city’s development: from the Christian reconquest to the current town plan, which was consolidated in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The old town is also home to many of Faro’s cultural gems. Don’t miss the Faro Museum (which began life in 1519 as a convent, and now houses everything from graffiti exhibitions to Roman-era archaeological finds); or the Cathedral, with its breathtaking view across a jumble of rooftops, the islets of the Ria Formosa and out to sea. This vantage point is popular with locals too—especially the most famous of the local characters, the storks, who use the Cathedral’s bell tower to nest, happily flapping their vast white wings as they feed their young on freshly caught sardines.

City sights

To the north and west of the old town runs the former Moorish civic nucleus, lively these days with shopping (on Rua de Santo António and Rua Rebelo Da Silva) and nightlife (Rua do Prior) and barnacled with gloriously preserved historic buildings, from the religious (the baroque Hermitage of Nossa Senhora do Pé da Cruz) to the hedonistic (the quirky 160-year-old Lethes theatre). Further east, the Alameda João de Deus Park stretches out in the sunshine, its famous peacocks strutting languidly between lush trees, mini golf ranges and duck-covered ponds.

Lagoons and islands

Beyond its famous bay of lagoons (Ria Formosa), the city is protected by a series of sandbanks, formed by sediments swept south from further up the coast. West of these is Faro Island (actually a peninsula), the playground of weekending locals and aqua sports lovers (try Centro Náutico, Praia de Faro, Av Nascente, 289 819 348). To the east of Ilha Faro lies the wild Ilha Deserta (deserted island), which is great fun for a boat-trip, and further east still, Ilha Culatra, the launching point for the few windblown tuna fishermen still permitted to trawl outside the Ilhas.

Shopping

Back on land, between the city centre and Faro airport, lies the award-winning Forum Algarve, a shopping centre that actually manages to look pretty; it’s thronged with Algarve resort-holidaymakers on the rare overcast day. Finally, Montenegro, a suburb and home to one of Portugal’s most important universities, is worth a visit—if only for the local bakeries.

Top 5 Things to do

1. BROWSE AROUND THE OLD CITY Which is Faro’s main draw, and with good reason. From its cobble stones, smoothed by the shuffling step of tens of generations, to its cafés and restaurants, their seats spilling into the shade of orange trees, this is bottled romance.
2. TAKE A BOAT TRIP TO ILHA DESERTA In an effort to halt the decay of their protective sandbanks, in the 1980s Faro’s governors voted to evict the residents the four Ilhas. Ilha Deserta is the only one they’ve succeeded with so far. Take a boat trip here to explore the Ilha’s beige sands and rugged flora. A restaurant opens in summer. Trips leave at 11am and 3pm from Porta Nova’s Pier, €20.
3. STUFF YOURSELF ON SEAFOOD You really can’t miss it. Every restaurant has something briney-fresh on the menu. Eat it simply fried (fritado) or grilled (grelhado) with a generous helping of fresh garlic and olive oil.
4. THEM BONES If Faro gets a mention in the guidebooks, it’s for its bizarre Capela dos Ossos. There are two ‘bone chapels’ in Faro—at the Cathedral in the old town and at Igreja do Carmo (see Culture).
5. GO STORKING Beloved of locals, but despised by those who clean Faro’s municipal buildings, it’s easy to spot storks building their nests on the roof tops of the city. They colonise the best vantage points, and are protected by law.

Dining Out
The Portuguese are second only to the beef-guzzling Argentines for per capita calorie consumption, and Faro is no exception to this rule. The fact that you see fewer billowy bottoms than in the average Wal-Mart is all down to the quality of cuisine. From the figs, almonds and carob gifted to the region by the sweet-toothed Moorish, to the robust, grassy olive oils, locally caught oily fish and floury goat’s cheeses, this is the sort of fare that keeps you winking at the pretty raparigas (girls) into your 80s. Restaurants range from the humble café, where a €5 prato do dia lunch (shaved down to an hour or so for office workers) is served with a glass of tart ‘green’ wine followed by a black-as-night espresso (bica), to the poncier outfits dotted around the old city and Faro island, thronged with out-of-towners (that can run to prices in the range of €25 per head), or moneyed locals (look out for the slick cars flanking Camoné restaurant on Faro Island).

Local Food

The ranks of glistening fish eyeballing you from glass fridges in most Faro restaurants may mislead the uninitiated. The day’s catch is on clear display so that in-the-know diners can work out which of the pratos do dia (dishes of the day) to plump for. Faroans are fanatical about fish for one good reason—their proximity to the bounty of the sea, in particular the mackerel and sardines caught locally; their jackets are rubbed with sea salt before being chargrilled smoked or fried. Sardine pâté is a local treat too, although dwindling catches mean that only one local factory produces the delicacy these days. The peach-coloured paste is smeared over bread as a hearty appetiser (served with local cheeses and olives). Bacalhao, or dried salt cod (a 15th-century method of preserving the popular fish to transport them from their northern European waters) endures as a local favourite, and there are said to be 365 ways to cook it.

Although fishing was banned in the Ria Formosa in 1987, shellfish can still be gathered here under licence. Clam, baby clam and oyster dishes are plentiful and excellent, with specialities such as cataplana (stone bass and clams stew served in a copper pot), marking restaurants out as destination joints.

Dessert-lovers are in almond-scented heaven too. Few, for example, who’ve cracked the blackened crust of a pastel de nata to sink their teeth into its creamy custard and flaky pastry will forget the experience.

And, after a few rounds of Bola de Berlin (sugar-dusted custard donuts) or Bolo de Arroz (rice sponges) you’ll doubtless be thankful for the maternity-wear section at Zara (Rua do Santo António).

They may have a bad name abroad (with the sugary Mateus Rosé perhaps being to blame here) but wines of all types are extremely popular, from aged ports to sparkling, young ‘green’ wines (which come, confusingly, in red and white). The Portuguese produce wine from a dizzying number of grapes and love it so much that they keep the lion’s share for domestic consumption (although this could also have something to do with their overweening patriotism). The braver should try the ‘firewater’ digestive aguardente, or the fig and almond liqueurs (akin to sticking your tongue into a bag of sugar, so try cutting them with lemon juice). And there’s no better way to banish the following day’s hangover than the zesty-sweet juice of the local oranges. Alternatively, add zing to your morning with a Delta-brand Portuguese espresso, taken standing at the café counter.

@@@ Over €50
@@ €30-50
@ Under €30

Lunch
Lunch Zé Dos Matos Restaurante @@
Praia de Faro, Av Nascente, Faro Island
Locals throng here at lunchtimes for one good reason: arroz de linguirao, an earthy, one-pot razor clam and rice dish. Pull up a pew with the sun-burnished locals and play “I spy an orange wing tip” with the view across Ria Formosa to Faro airport.

Restaurante Fin do Mondo @@@
Rua Vasco da Gamma, 53
Thankfully the name (End of the World restaurant) is a reference to Portuguese sea explorer Vasco da Gamma, rather than sub-standard nosh. Fin do Mondo specialises in chargrilling, as the red-faced chef at the entrance attests.
Order the grilled sword fish (peixe espada) served with crisp salads and garlic and parsley oil.

Lunch/dinner
Adega Nova @
Rua Francisco Bareto, 24
A bustling spot at any time of the day. Shared tressel tables are packed into this nautical-themed space. Savour the array of fish on offer; upwards of 20 daily catches. Wash them down with the excellent house green wine.

Dinner
Restaurante MN @@@
Rua Poeta António Aleixo, 26, Montenegro
Proprietor Rosa Mari prides herself on not pre-preparing even a pea beforehand.
Dinner can thus take upwards of 45 minutes to arrive, but hey, this is Portugal, you have a spectacular view across Faro and the finished result is reliably delectable. Try the house special of arroz de polvo (octopus rice) served in a tamboril for two, washed down with a €2 jarro of family-produced wine is a winning combination.

Vila Adentro Restaurante @@@
Largo Afonso III, 17
Pricey by Portuguese standards, but worth it for the romantic setting (in a beautifully lit azulejo-tiled cellar in a historic building right in the heart of the old town. Try the Portuguese curry (reputedly a recipe brought back by the 16th-century Portuguese explorers in India) or the excellent Algarvian cataplana.

Bars & Nightlife
No week in the Algarve is complete without a night out on the town. And, as any of the local caramel-skinned Casanovas will tell you, it’s all about pacing yourself. Indeed, the Portuguese are deeply bemused by the 14-pint fight/coma culture so beloved of their whiter-limbed European cousins. Why on earth, they reason, would you not want to have some energy left to expend on the fairer sex at the end of the night? So, as is common across much of the Med, the Algarvian will start his evening over a lengthy meal with friends in a restaurant, commonly winding up at around 11pm, when he’ll head out to a warm-up bar or an artier terrace bar. Later on, from around 2pm, those with staying power will weave down to Rua do Prior, which houses Faro’s late-night venues.

For students, revelry has a somewhat different texture. Their main night out is on Thursday, when they throng to cheaper bars. When the nightclubs close, at around 4am or 5am, many revellers conclude their night with a snack, Papa 24 being a popular haunt for salty, fried fare.

Those seeking a quieter night out are well served by Teatro Lethes, or Teatro Municipal, built with the cash injection from 2005’s ‘Portuguese City of Culture’ tag. The latter stages legends such as Joaquim Cortés, as well as local music events.

Places to Go

Casa de Pasto
Noite de Fado, Travessa dos Arcos, 7, 7A
Fado, to the uninitiated, is the Portuguese equivalent of the blues, originating in the slums of Lisbon in the 19th century. Traditionally dressed in the black shawls of the Portuguese widow, the fadista’s heart-rending lamentations are accompanied by Portuguese mandolin. Authentic fado is rare in the Algarve and this is the first new club to open for 20 years, a backstreet treat undiscovered by most tourists. Look out for impromptu performances from national star Maria de Saudade.

Columbus
Largo Manuel Bivar
With a prime position fronting onto the Manuel Bivar gardens and Faro Dock, Columbus is a major player on the Faro bar scene. Famed for its Thursday and Friday night funky house warm-ups, it’s as popular with 20-and 30-somethings as it is with their parents and the old-timers. Pull up a pew, grab an ice-cold Sagres (the best Portuguese beer) and peruse the work of local artists hanging on the deep purple walls.

Likidus
Rua do Prior
Likidus is easily the swankiest operation on Rua do Prior, (Faro’s 100m-long after-hours strip of sin. It tries to cater to a fairly classy punter—if you’re after the sort of joint where twenty-somethings tongue each others’ uvulas, try the nearby Millennium 3 instead. A prime prowling ground for Faro’s most prolific swordsmen, Likidus serves up cold Sagres and house-tinged beats.

Upa Upa
Rua Conselheiro Bivar
Run by José Alberto Gião, father of Miguel and Ricardo Miguel of Columbus, this café/bar is where the 50-somethings of Faro get down and dirty.

Sociedade Recreativa “os Artistas”
Rua do montepio, 10
Close your ears to the insistent strains of Portuguese around you and you could almost be in bohemian Paris. It’s less glitzy than the competition, but Artista’s terrace has a certain je ne sais quoi. Get here before 11pm to nab a seat and catch the Portuguese poetry readings (practise nodding with sage comprehension before you go).

Taverna da Sé
Largo Afonso III
The most happening late-night bar within the old town walls. Painted a kitsch burnt orange, with decorative stone arches that wouldn’t look out of place in a Milton Keynes semi, Taverna da Sé is nevertheless jumping from 11pm until 2am on weekend nights—with faces ruddy from the excellent selection of local wines and heads nodding to the relaxed reggae sounds. Snack on the excellent fresh octopus and roast carrot salads.

Teatro Lethes
Rua de Portugal
A former Jesuit school, Teatro Lethes passed over to the dark side to become a playhouse in 1845. It’s been putting on dramas, comedies and music ever since, with only a two-year break for renovation. Handkerchief-sized, and dripping with velvet and gilt, it’s an experience not to be missed. Drop in for a programme.

Shopping
Head up the coast for your gaudy, plastic tat—Faro is the preserve of tasteful, well-tailored clothing and edibles beloved of the local palate.

Unlike most European shopping centres, Fórum Algarve, Faro’s showpiece out-of-town shopping centre, is actually a pleasant day out. Built in 2003, its architecture won a raft of international design awards. Curving picturesquely around an open atrium that’s fixed up with a tiled waterfall and potted trees, the 65,000 sq ft shopping centre (Estrada Nacional 125, Tel: + 351 289 865 280) also affords you an excellent perspective on the goings on around you, making it impossible to lose a toddler, or not to get rumbled wandering into the pastelaria for another pastel de nata. Try the Delta shop for a coffee the way the Algarvians love it—deep and chocolatey, with a kick like a wild goat (coffee is always served in a branded cup with branded sugar, so you know what you’re getting). Then pick up some catwalk knock-offs from Spanish brand Zara or make like a ‘classic-style’ Euro male and stock up on expertly tailored jeanswear at M&W jeans.

Fashionable males
Rua de Santo António, Rua Rebelo Da Silva and their tributories are where to shop downtown. Several mainstream European clothing brands—such as Mango and Arrow—have a presence here. For something more upmarket, try boutique store António Manuel (+ 351 Rua de Santo António, 46) run by the eponymous António.

Sweets for the sweet
For sweets, the ultimate is Casa do Poa in Montenegro (Rua Bento Jesus, Caraçca, 5). Run by Morge Diaz and his 80-year-old baker father Fernando, this slick operation sells Faro’s best pastel de nata (flaky pastry and custard cakes) and pão dos dueses (coconut-covered ‘bread of the Gods’). Wash a couple down on the spot with a stern espresso, then grab some gameos (’twin’ bread, cleaved into two) to take home.

Something old, something new
For a more unusual souvenir, try antiques and collectibles shop Galeria das Patacas, (Rua Ferreira Neto). With everything from crocheted port bottle covers, to sextants, antique coins, gramophones and antique typewriters, Galeria das Patacas has the feeling of having fallen nose-first into a batty aunt’s junk cupboard. A couple of doors down, Spazio Cubico is essential for bizarre modern extemporanea.

Take me home!
Cataplana The domed bronze cooking pots used to rustle up the local speciality. They look stylish swaying on your kitchen walls, even if the nearest you get to stewing clams is opening a tin of tuna.

Amarguinha The delicious almond liqueur. Grab some local toasted figs to accompany it.

A bottle or two of sparkling, tart ‘green wine’. Palácio de Breijoeira and Deu la Deu are among the best and only cost a few euros. They’re at their best drunk within a year (as if you could wait that long).

Culture
Faro certainly packs a historical punch. For such a compact city, it’s remarkably well serviced with churches and chapels (20 or so in a square mile); testament to the fact that Faro bloomed during an era when Europe was charting the stormy seas of religious war. They range from the macabre (the infamous ‘bone chapels’ of Igreja do Carmo and Faro Cathedra) to the intriguing (the tiny turrets in which nuns sequestered themselves to pray) but are all divine, and deserve at least a day of your time.

On secular shores, the Maritime Museum (Museu Maritimo, Almirante Ramalho Ortigao, Faro) will give you an intriguing insight into an era when the Portuguese empire ruled the seas. The Portuguese love to ruminate on this golden age. In fact, they’re so prone to romantic longing for all things lost that they have a unique term for the emotion—saudade. Saudade is the tragedy and triumph that the fadista wails over. Check out the museum’s intriguing new exhibit, a recently discovered film documenting the dangerous practice of tuna fishing in Faro in the mid-20th century.

Must see
Faro Museum at the Former Convent of Our Lady of Assumption (old town), Largo D Afonso III. A mouthful yes, and a day-full too, as this early 16th-century convent is now stuffed with an unholy array of artefacts.

Many of the best are from the Roman period, having been excavated within the old city walls. The most remarkable piece is a tiled floor depicting the god Oceanus, thought to have been the vestibule of a Roman sea merchant’s building. Look out, too, for the ‘tear jars’ used by professional mourners in the Roman era (they were paid per tear).

Igreja do Carmo, Largo do Como. Weave through the Moorish quarters to this spectacular 18th-century Carmelite church, famous for its breathtaking gilt sacristy and spooky chapel of bones—the remains of 1,200 monks. This bizarre interior decoration fad started in the 15th century at the church of Saint Francis in the Portuguese city of Evora where hundreds of skulls are lined up, jaw-to-cranium, to make borders around the vaulted ceiling. Faro’s famous bone chapel dates from 1816, when construction threatened the Carmo monastery cemetery. Incensed, the monks dug up their brothers’ bones and built a chapel out of them in the garden behind the Carmo Church. Every inch of the Carmo—from the altar to the barrel-vaulted ceiling—is made up entirely of bones and skulls. Try not to think of it as you gaze at the spent carcasses of your sardinhas later.

On the tiles
Azulejo
You’ll see these ornate blue and white tiles throughout Faro. Arabic in origin, they were brought to Portugal in the 15th century and by the 19th century mass production had begun. The custom of covering entire houses and shopfronts with azulejo came from Portuguese colony Brazil where settlers used them to keep out the tropical rain.

Out of Town

Estoi
Palácio de Éstoi is open from Tuesday to Saturday. The picturesque village of Estoi combines much of the best of Algarve history. Stroll around the gardens with their classical statues, marbled staircases and colourful azulejo-tiled nymph fountains. Head down the hill to the ruins at Milreu, the dwelling of a noble Roman family, or marvel at the pink rococo palace that dominates the village (built in 1840 for the Conde de Caval).

For more information on the area visit www.atalalgarve.pt

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 1st, 2006 at 12:00 am and is filed under Faro. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.