Faro Marina Beach

Faro, capital city of the Algarve, offers so much more than just a landing point in Portugal. It is a city full of history, great shops, restaurants and cafes aplenty, theatres and galleries, great beaches and the Ria Formosa nature reserve on the door step. The central area is really quite compact with everything within easy walking distance. Outside of the Cidade Velha, following the water front around the corner from Faro marina, is Porta Nova pier where you can get a ferry to the ilha beaches. We thoroughly enjoyed the boat ride through the Ria Formosa - about a 30 minute trip each way - gently pottering through the calm waters in between the marshy outcrops, spotting a few birds along the way and generally watching the world go by. Also a chance to get another view of Faro - from the seaward side.