The importance of Faro
Portugal, the capital of Algrave region in
the history of Portugal has always run parallel to that of Silves,
from where the Apostalic headquarters had been changed from in 1577.
Three disasterous seismic movements in the 16th c, together with
the plundering carried out by the Count of Essex in 1596 when Portugal
was under Spanish domain and having been dragged into wars has left
faro with a scarce patrimony, but luckily some things have survived.
Unrevealed secrets about Faro Portugal
The ´Vila Dentro´or “inside the old part” is
where you can discover Faro history. The cathedral or Se (
open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ) is in the main
square and is a union of Roman-Gothic and Renaissance, constructed
on top of a Muslim Mosque by Alfonso IV. Three characteristic bells
top the cathedral, each one having its own name. At the end of
the street, down an alleyway, you can peek through a narrow open
door in the wall and see a lagoon. The low buildings and spacious
cobblestone streets and sidewalks give the square a tranquil atmosphere.
Going down the Domingos Guielro Street, the Alfonso III Square
comes into view, holding what is considered Faro most valuable
building in history, the Convent of Our Lady of Assumption 16th
c. It is now an archaeological museum.
At this point it is a good idea to leave this itinerary and wander
through the narrow network of streets, of irregularly shaped homes
and alive with bright colours, undeniably elegant.
Through an open arab door at the end of the wall mentioned before,
stands the Arch of Repose, called so because Alfonso IV used to stand
there to listen to mass. From here to the Saint Francis Street coming
face into the convent which houses a collection of tiles. On the
other side of this street, but still next to the wall is the old
Faro power Plant for electricity. It has been turned into the Centre
of Live Science of the Algarve, having interactive programmes concentrating
on light, the sun, the planets, the stars and Earth.
Faro Portugal never dies down
There are other
older sections in Faro:
- Mouraria, near
the lagoon with a Maritim Museum displaying model ships, tackle,
maps and marine life.
- La Baixa, which
is the commercial and most popular are in Faro, Algarve. Here,
the tourists live in the street, so to say, not paying much attention
to luxurious hotels. terraced fast food restaurants, even in the
winter weather, thanks to the generous climate in this southern
Portugal region.
- And Ribeirinho, offering its Franciscian Church, the Lethes
Theatre or Rococo hermit.
Travelling to
the east on N125, about 23 kilometres outside of Faro
airport,
you come to another port city called Tavira with over 20 religious
buildings inside the city and about 15 more in its surroundings,
one dating back to the 13th c.
It is a shame that one should limit themselves only to the Algarve
area and not venture to Lisbon and in particular to Estoril, leaving
aside its beaches and luxury hotels to explore the Prehistoric caverns
of Alapraia, a subterranean necropolis belonging to the stone age.
And why not finish off a magnificent visit to Portugal in Porto,
on the northwest coast. Other than doing tourism, man does not live
on bread alone. In this region called Minho, the cuisine is divided
between the fresh water fish of the river, the codfish from the Atlantic
and good stews packed with pork, lamb and vegetables. But most of
all, the Porto wine is the definite complement at every meal and
if possible a quick tour around the wine cellars.
Whether you start up north and gradually head for the warmer weather
in Faro, Portugal is a question of preferences.
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