Faro Attractions

Igreja de Sao Francisco
The Church of St. Francis features a beautifully rich baroque interior from the 18th century. The deceptive exterior is surprisingly plain to the passerby, and it is worth a trip inside to see the gilt chapel and azulejos. Located on Largo de Sao Francisco, ring the bell near the door to be admitted.

Igreja do Carmo
Carmo Church is baroque in style and looks somewhat strange, situated as it is on Largo do Carmo, one of Faro’s more modern streets. Exit the building at the right of the altar and you will see a chilling site, though relatively common in Portugal – the Chapel of the Bones in the attached Monk’s Cemetery. More than 1,000 bones and skulls from the nearby graves cover the walls of the chapel.

Arco da Vila
This ornamental gate at the entrance to Old Town of Faro has stood before the entrance to Manuel Bivar Garden since the 18th century. The garden features a statue of St. Thomas Aquinas, fashioned from white marble and located in a niche favored for nesting by a group of storks.

Museu Arqueologico
Housed in the Convent of Our Lady of the Assumption, this museum displays Roman artifacts that predate the Moors, including Roman statues exhibited in the two-story cloister. Especially noteworthy is the mosaic of Neptune and the four winds it survives from the 3rd century in beautiful preserved condition.