There are numerous options available to you while planning a vacation to Portugal, including: Lisbon, Porto, Azores, Madeira... One that is rarely mentioned is Faro, a tiny town in the nation's extreme south that is very popular with tourists but is unquestionably worth visiting.
The town's first impression is that it's a tidy, well-maintained area (unlike Lisbon), with many of hotels and resorts, but you can also enjoy the sea and the typical Portuguese breeze that helps to temper the heat. Most of the structures, whether on the waterfront or in the narrow alleyways, have a brilliant white colour that is evocative of residences in Santorini.
Naturally, one of the primary reasons to reserve a trip to Faro as soon as possible is the food: enormous fish platters, excellent pastel de nata, various stewed or grilled meats, etc. Any restaurant will have someone's favourite dish. The Cataplana de polvo, a typical seafood dish of the Agarve region (where Faro is located), is one of the many dishes I tried that really amazed and satisfied me. It is made of various seafood with the octopus serving as the star, and it also includes stewed vegetables like potatoes, peppers, onions, and carrots in the same casserole.
The several islands that make up Faro's major appeal are accessible by boat with scheduled tours. Isla Deserta is the one I chose to visit, and it's a fitting name for an island with a few buildings belonging to fisherman, a restaurant, and an abandoned lighthouse. The island itself is crucial to the preservation of wildlife. Numerous bird species visit the island to reproduce, evading the hustle of the town and the port.
Faro is unquestionably one of the best locations to see and experience all aspects of Portuguese culture, even though Lisbon is more fascinating, Porto has a greater wine history, and the landscapes of Madeira and the Azores are far more breathtaking.
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