We set off for Faro today to meet up with my sister-in-law and nephew. It was an early start and only a brief promised stop at a service station on the way! At least there would be coffee. The drive from Lisbon Airport to Faro Old Town takes approximately 2 hours 40 minutes. It maybe less with a certain driver. The journey is mostly inland so no nice coastal shots.
Crossing over the Vasco da Gama Bridge I was able to take a few photos, when my brother slowed down!
The bridge spans the Tagus River and is 17.2 kilometers long. It was until a few years ago the longest bridge in Europe. That title now belongs to the Crimean Bridge in Russia. It is a spectacular drive over with excellent road surfaces.
Stopping briefly for a much needed coffee at a service station, we huddled together under the smallest umbrella. The rain seemed to be chasing us from Lisbon.
We arrived in Faro around lunchtime in the middle of a storm. With the roads flooding and trees crashing down in the car park, we sat in the car and waited it out.
Sometime later after picking up Colleen and Greg we headed into Faro Old Town for lunch and a wander.
The Old Town features beautiful cobble stone alleyways and lanes. Murals adorn many of the walls and other walls are brightly painted.
We found the perfect spot for lunch, when I asked for the wine list the owner said there is none. He had over 2,500 bottles on display and told me just to describe the type of wine I was after. A tricky one, as who knew there were so many varieties of Alborinho.
After lunch we headed over to Faro Cathedral. By this time the weather had cleared and the sun was shining brightly.
There is no fee to enter and look around which was a welcome surprise. It made me wonder how this place is kept looking so nice, inside and out.
The ornate ceilings inside the chapel. Decorated with blue and yellow painted tiles. The “ribs” of the ceiling are carved masonry.
Deciding to go up to the roof, we climbed some very uneven steep stairs.
Below is a photo looking through the open window to the sea beyond.
Up on top, raincoat back on as the sun has disappeared once again.
Stunning views over the tiled rooftops of Faro
Steady but slow wins the race
The Chapel of Bones and the Bell Tower
The Chapel of Bones is so called because it is lined with skulls and bones of ordinary people. Gruesome indeed, imagining working and handling these.
The Famalam
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Very lovely despite the rain. I like the bridge photo and the views from the cathedral
Thanks Brian 😀
Oh nooo it’s raining again. Doesn’t matter you look like you’re having a lovely time.
No doesn’t matter, my raincoat has it covered 😂
This year, Portugal seems to have the rain that fell last year on Valencia
Yes maybe!
Beautiful composition and wonderful images.
Thanks Anne 🙂
In spite of the rain, you had fun. Faro is a beautiful town. Your photos brought back some good memories for me.
Thanks Egidio, yes I’m glad we managed some time there. All in all I feel I did well for my week
I really like Faro, it’s very underrated I reckon. Glad you managed to enjoy it and see the sights despite the rain.
Thanks Sarah, yes I really enjoyed our time there
Faro does flood easily and you managed to hit the only rainy couple of days we’ve had down here this autumn, Ali. I’m sure the wine was good but was the food ok? I have a favourite restaurant in the old town, Vila Adentro. You can walk part of the town walls too. Cobbles are tricky when wet, aren’t they? I love that bridge. The very first time we went to Lisbon we drove across it. Glad you had a good time, in spite of the weather xx
Thanks Jo. Yes the food was very good. Although we did just have a share plate of meats and cheeses which is my favourite kind of lunch. We did manage to keep dry for most of the time. My worst day was in Lisbon! I don’t even leave the house if it’s raining in Perth
I have to admit, we’d normally wait for it to brighten up before venturing out xx
We climbed so many sets of steps just like these on our trip. It’s interesting to see how worn they are and fun to imagine the people who’ve climbed them over the centuries. But they do take a certain amount of concentration, don’t they, especially when they’re wet and slippery.
Especially when you have a history with stairs and feet!
Beautiful views of old town and those views are amazing. Well worth the climb for great views with great.company
Thanks Meg, yes all the climbing was worth it