Praia de Faro – General information
Praia de Faro (also known as Faro beach is a beach near the city of Faro. The beach is situated on an island called Ilha de Faro and can be reached from the mainland via a narrow bridge. The beach is just a couple minutes away from Faro Airport. On one side of the island there is the sea and on the other side of the island is the natural park of Ria Formosa.
Praia de Faro is several kilometres long. This makes it usually easy to find a spot. Although it can be quite busy in the summer, people usually stay near the area of the bridge, because they don’t want to walk a lot. The further you go from the mainland bridge, the more quiet and unspoiled it will become. We recommend you to talk a walk if you like to enjoy the beauty of the beach more peacefully. The beach is very popular among the local population of Faro, but recently there has also been an increase in the number of tourists visiting the beach. According to TripAdvisor, the beach is the #3 outdoor activity in Faro.
The beach is quite clean and well-maintained. The gold-coloured sand is soft and fine. This makes walking barefoot on the beach possible, without shells hurting your feet. Also the sea water is very clean, but swimming here can be a disappointing experience. Be warned that even in summer the temperature of the sea water here can be quite cold.
Behind the beach, on the side of the Ria Formosa, the nature is characterized by lagoons, sand banks and wildlife. There are for example several species of migratory birds that can be seen in the area. It is possible to swim in the lagoon of Ria Formosa, where you you will usually see colourful boats in the water. Furthermore, a variety of water sports can be enjoyed here.
How to get there
When you are in Faro, you will see signs indicating Praia de Faro. The beach can also be easily reached by bus from the city of Faro. In summer, there is a bus every 30-40 minutes from Faro during the day or every hour in the evening. Make sure you check the current bus schedule at the bus station. Take bus 14 or 16 from Faro city centre, via the airport. It is not possible to buy a return ticket, so buy a single fare. The bridge to the Ilha de Faro is so narrow, that the bus has to stop halfway. This means you have to walk the last 200 meters in order to get to the beach.
Praia de Faro – Facilities
The area around Praia de Faro is well developed, with many bars, restaurants and hotels nearby. There is also a variety of water sports that can be enjoyed in Praia de Faro. One part of the beach is for swimming, while the other part is more for water sports. The beach is also accessible by wheelchair.
Facilities in Praia de Faro:
• Restaurant: yes
• Bar/club: yes
• Toilet: yes
• Shower: yes
• Water sports: yes
• Sunbeds: yes
• Parking: yes, but can be difficult in summer
• Lifeguards: yes
• Blue flag beach: no
It is also possible to explore Praia de Faro by bike. You can for example rent a bike from the Aeromar hotel near the beach. It costs around 15 euros to rent a bike for a day. With the bike you can cycle on the roads near the beach.
