Surrounded by fertile fields of trees bearing fruit, olives and the almonds for which the Algarve is famous, Faro is a large town of over 50,000 inhabitants, the administrative capital of the province, lies at the heart of the Formosa Estuary. Under Moorish rule the port of Faro was of great importance but more recently it is the airport which serves as the entry point for millions of holidaymakers who flock annually to the south of Portugal. Although many rush straight through en route to holiday resorts elsewhere in the region, Faro itself is well worth a visit or even an extended stay as it retains much of its past charm, boasts excellent beaches and provides the amenities and attractions typical of a larger town. Sé de Faro Sé de Faro António Sacchetti Both the Moors and the Romans left their mark here: the 9th century city walls encircling the centre of the old town are of Roman origin and contain ornate Moorish archways, but now serve to surround a number of catholic churches and a cathedral. As the last Portuguese province under Muslim rule, the expelling of the Moors from Faro in 1249, and so the Algarve, marked the end of their rule in the whole country. Adjacent to a calm square lined with orange trees and facing the still functioning Bishop's Palace, the cathedral, The Se, is in fact built on the site of an ancient mosque and before that a Roman forum. Its interior contains a beautiful tiled chapel, although if tiles that tell a story are particularly appealing, then the Church of Sao Francisco and its glazed friezes of the life of St Francis are very merit worthy. Similarly to Evora, Faro also boasts the rather macabre attraction of a chapel lined with the bones and skulls of over 1000 monks (Capela de Ossos). Nevertheless, this isn’t the only interesting feature of the Church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo, sometimes known as the golden church due to the extensive array of gold and gilded décor and artefacts. Also interesting is the section devoted to the Arab rule of the area in the archaeological museum housed in a 16th century convent.

A Benagil boat tour remains the most popular way to visit the Benagil cave

Discovery the under full water caves in Algarve