8 days in Portugal-5-11 to 5/18/2022

Day 6- Rio Formosa, Faro-5/16/2022

Ilha Faro (Faro island)

It’s called Ilha de Faro (“Faro Island”) but it’s really a peninsula and is also simply known as Praia de Faro (“Faro Beach”).  Praia (beach) de Faro runs for several miles along the ocean side of Ilha de Faro, one of the three sandbar islands close to the city.

The lighthouse Cabo de Santa Maria was reportedly to be the first lighthouse to be built in Portugal and was first operated in 1851.

Beach next to the light house.

Houses on the way to the light house.

 The structure was modernized in 1949, when it was electrified, and a maritime radio beacon was installed.  Today it stands at 151 feet high and is an imposing structure for the surrounding scenery. The lighthouse emits four flashes of light in a 17 second cycle and has a range of over 25 miles!

A bird on the beach.

Faro island used to be a fishing village.  All the houses you see in the background are now empty and they are now vacation home or people rent them out during summer.

Boardwalk.

Light house in the back.

Behind me is Praia de Faro (Beach of Faro).  Most of the people coming to this beach are locals or Portuguese coming for a relax atmosphere.

Faro beach is considered the best beach in the Faro region and also suitable for families.

In the summer, the beach is supervised by life guards.

We are now walking through the village with houses on each side.

All the fishermen and their families used to live here but now they are all gone in town to get better jobs.

It is pretty sad to see a whole village without anybody leaving here permanently.  People come back in summer for vacation or they just rent it out.

All the houses  are really small and most of them are vacation home.

This is one of the nicer home.

Most of the home are 1 or 2 bedrooms, very tiny.

One of a few houses that have a full garden in front.

Colorful flowers.

Like I said, it is completely empty.  Nobody in sight.

People usually start to come in July and August during the summer.

This house has a lot of apparatus in their front yard.

Not sure what type of tree it is but it has fruits.

We are now at the end of the road leading to the beach.

Very peaceful area.

We found this really nice cove and we stayed here a bit until it is time to catch up with our boat.

We are now going back to Faro

Old town Faro in the distance.

We are now getting closer to town.

The tour is now over and we had a great time.

NEXT.... Day 6-cocktail and dinner