Cheap Flights to Faro Airport

Faro Airport (FAO) services the city of Faro and the greater Algarve region on Portugal’s southern coast. It is one of the busiest airports in the country, and located an easy 4km distance from downtown Faro. Within the airport you’ll find plenty of facilities that are useful to a transiting passenger, such as cash machines, currency exchange, free WiFi, snack kiosks, restaurants, bars and cafes, duty free shops, gift stores, and a pharmacy.

Buses, shuttles and taxis connect Faro airport to the city centre. The distance between the two is small, so hopping in a cab is not that expensive, with a fare coming to about 10EUR ($15).

Fly to sunny Faro with Emirates, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Aer Lingus, TAP Portugal, Qantas and Lufthansa.

Why visit Faro?

Faro is the jewel the Algarve’s sun drenched crown. This region of Portugal is one of Europe’s most popular getaway destinations because it benefits from a typical Mediterranean climate, stretches along the whole of the country’s beautiful southern coastline, and is lapped by the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Discover the beaches, the restaurants, the nightlife and the fascinating history of this gorgeous part of Portugal.

Things to see in Faro

Faro is fairly small so you won’t have too much trouble getting around, but the rule of thumb when going on a self-run tour is to start with the Old Town. Medieval walls enclose this section of Faro, and shelter lots of cafes and restaurants. You’ll find as you wander around this part of town, that all of the pathways lead to the central cathedral, called Largo de Se. This important cathedral was built on the site of a mosque and has seen consistent renovations in varying styles; a fascinating find for any architectural geek.

Another neat attraction is the Archeological Museum (also known as the Municipal Museum), where you can browse through Roman artefacts, and 17^th to 18^th century Italian paintings.

As for the beaches, there’s plenty to be found here, but the local favourite is Praia de Faro. This particular beach has a long golden stretch of sand, and a shallow lead into the waters, which make it ideal for families. There are loads of watersports available here too, and a really good variety of cafes, restaurants and bars to while away the day in.

For a day trip, look to the Ria Formosa National Park, which boasts more secluded beaches, but also marshland and estuaries perfect for fishing, or for spotting various bird species.

Best time to visit Faro

·         June to August is the peak season in the Algarve and it’s easy to see why: the average temperatures hove between 21-29°C, and you are almost guaranteed sunshine. However, this is a busy season, and the hotel rates will reflect that, so book in advance.

·         The second best time to fly to Faro would be in the autumn, the highs still hit between 23-27°C, the sea is at its warmest, and the prices start to dip.

·         Spring is also pleasant, but winters are pretty dead and not the best time to be in Faro.

Arriving in Faro

·         You will encounter at least two stops when travelling to Faro from Australia, and normally these will be in Dubai (DXB), Lisbon (LIS), Singapore (SIN) and Frankfurt (FRA).

Currency

·         Euro (EUR).

Visa requirements

·         Australian passport holders can enter Portugal without a visa, and be granted a 90 day stay of leave. Please be aware though that conditions can change at short notice and you should double check restrictions before you travel on the Foreign Affairs travel advice page on Portugal.

Please note that information is correct as of November 2016