Page 469 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

you arrive from above.
It’s backed by stunning
cliffs in white and several LOCAL KNOWLEDGE:
shades of ochre, gouged MERCADO MUNICIPAL
by weather into intrigu-
ing shapes and topped by Faro’s impressive modern market building (%289
typical pines. The areas 897 250; www.mercadomunicipaldefaro.pt; Largo Dr Francisco
near the car parks get Sá Carneiro; hstalls 7am-3pm Mon-Sat; W) makes a
packed in summer (espe- great place to wander, to people-watch, to buy fresh
cially as high tides cover produce, to sit down on a terrace with a coffee, or to
much of the beach), but lunch at one of the several worthwhile eateries.
as the strip is over 3km
long, it’s easy enough to
walk and find plenty of inside, with beautiful built in the 13th century
breathing room. It’s a panels depicting the life but heavily damaged
good beach for strolling, of the Roman-era saint, in the 1755 earthquake.
as the cliffscape con- and his death by barbe- What you see now is a
stantly changes colours cue. In the 1755 earth- variety of Renaissance, PORTUGAL 33 ALENTEjO & ALGARVE BEACHES
and shapes, and there’s a quake, only five tiles fell Gothic and Baroque fea-
surprising range of hardy from the roof. tures. Climb the tower for
seaside plants in the The Drive » Back on the N125, lovely views across the
cracks and crevices. head eastwards and after 12km walled town and estuary
you’re in Faro. islands. These islands
The Drive » Head back to the are part of the Parque
N125 and continue eastwards. Natural da Ria Formosa
Just after bypassing the town TRIP HIGHLIGHT and can be explored on
of Almancil, there’s an exit to
‘Almancil, São Lourenço, praias’. f Faro excellent boat trips run
The church is signposted from The capital of the by Formosamar (%918
here. Algarve has a distinctly 720 002; www.formosamar.
Portuguese feel and com; Clube Naval, Faro Marina).
plenty to see. Its evoca- The cathedral has a
e Igreja de São tive waterside old town small bone chapel, but
Lourenço de Matos is very scenic and has much spookier is the one
It’s worth stopping here several interesting sights, at the Igreja de Nossa
Senhora do Carmo (Largo
to visit the marvel- including the excellent
lous interior of this Museu Municipal (%289 do Carmo; chapel €2; h9am-
1pm & 3-5pm or 6pm Mon-Fri,
small church (Church of 897 400; Praça Dom Afonso 9am-1pm Sat, mass 9am Sun),
St Lawrence; Rua da Igreja; III 14; adult/student €2/1; built from the mortal re-
admission €2; h10am-1pm & h10am-7pm Tue-Fri, 11.30am- mains of over a thousand
3-5pm Mon-Sat), built over a 6pm Sat & Sun Jun-Sep, 10am- monks.
ruined chapel after local 6pm Tue-Fri, 10.30am-5pm
people, while digging a Sat & Sun Oct-May), set in a 5 p469
well, had implored the former convent. The area
saint for help and then is centred around Faro’s The Drive » It’s 35km east
along the N125 to Tavira.
struck water. The result- cathedral (%289 823 018; Despite the road’s proximity
ing baroque masterpiece, www.paroquiasedefaro.org; to the coast, you won’t see
built by fraternal master- Largo da Sé; adult/child €3/ much unless you turn off:
team Antão and Manuel free; h10am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, Fuzeta is a pleasant waterside
Borges, is wall-to-wall to 1pm Sat Jun-Aug, to 5pm village to investigate, with boat
azulejos (painted tiles) Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat Sep-May), connections to island beaches.

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