Faro

Faro is the administrative capital of the Algarve region, positioned directly adjacent to the Ria Formosa Natural Park. The heart of the city is the Cidade Velha (Old Town), a walled core accessed via the monumental Arco da Vila. Within these medieval walls stands the Sé Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace, creating a quiet, preserved atmosphere distinct from the modern commercial areas. The locale functions as a primary transit place, hosting the region's main airport and major university, but its essential character is linked to the lagoon system that buffers it from the open sea, an area of extensive marshland and barrier islands.