When in desperate need for some respite from the endless cold that is the UK, Portugal is a brilliant option! For £80 each, my partner and I decided on a spontaneous trip to Faro to try catch some sun before winter truely set in. As a gateway to the bucket-list Portuguese Algarve, Faro seemed like the perfect place to go for a last minute escape.
We spent the first evening catching our bearings and wondering around the city, sussing out potential places to eat for the next four days and revealing at being somewhere warming than 15 degrees. We found the little port where you can catch a 20-minute ferry to the nearby beach, Praia De Faro, a beautiful long stretch of sandy beach that reminded me of the beaches at home (Melbourne). Lined with bars and restaurants, the beach makes a perfect place to spend your days alternating between swimming, sunbathing, eating, and drinking sangria. The ferry between Faro and the beach takes approximately 20 minutes, and costs between €2-€3.
You can’t go to Faro without doing a day trip along the Algarve, seeing the beautiful Praia De Marina, Bengali Caves, Algar Seco, and Carvoeiro. I found a tour on GetYourGuide that, in only 8 hours, took us along the coastline to all the must see spots, and it was a fantastic way to see everything without needing to hire a car. Our tour guide was knowledgable and insightful, and was able to alter the trip to better our experience when the weather turned for a few hours. We had ample opportunities for photo stops, and even got to jump and go for a swim at a hidden spot off the Algar Seco rocks. It was a wonderful day out and we wouldn’t have been able too see anything on the Algarve without this trip!
One last thing to mention about Faro, if you needed any more convincing, is that we indulged in some of the best food we have ever had in our lives. An abundance of wine, cocktails, seafood and cheese left us in a satisfied bliss, all without breaking our budget. One remarkable thing about Portugal is how affordable it is compared to its neighbouring European countries, and we found ourselves gorging on fresh seafood without breaking the bank. Two restaurants in Faro to note- the Old Tavern, a beautiful tapas restaurant with a wooden menu that they pass from table to table. I recommend either making a booking or getting in early, as people were waiting along the side of the road for a walk-in table.
Our second recommendation is Restaurante O Chalavar, a local gem and our favourite meal in Europe (what a statement!!). We had fresh oysters, a grilled sea bream, a carafe of white wine and desserts for less than €30, and found it difficult not to go back there for every meal.
Our break in Faro was a beautiful whirlwind of sun, swimming and eating, and it was the perfect getaway from the UK! I love Portugal and would go back in a blink of an eye.
KiyaAleishaTravels 