Things to do in Farothe old town, the cathedral tower, the bone chapel and the islands

Short answer: give Faro a day. Walk through the Arco da Vila into the walled old town [1], climb the cathedral’s bell tower for the view over the Ria Formosa (€5, no tourist visits on Sundays) [2], see the Capela dos Ossos [3], have lunch near the market [4] and take a boat to Praia de Faro or Ilha Deserta in the afternoon [7]. With children, add the Ciência Viva science centre [6]. We have not done this day ourselves; it is how we would plan it from the sources.

A one-day plan

Morning — the old town. The Arco da Vila is the neoclassical gate into the Cidade Velha, inaugurated in 1812 and a national monument, with a small interpretation centre inside [1]. Inside the walls is the Sé, Faro’s cathedral. One ticket — €5, or €3.50 for seniors and students — covers the church, its museum and the climb up the bell tower [2]. Opening hours from March to October: weekdays 10:00–19:00, Saturday 09:30–15:00; Sunday is for services only [2].

Midday — the market. The Mercado Municipal is north of the centre. Its operator gives 07:00–20:00 daily, other listings 07:00–15:00 — the fresh-food stalls are likely the shorter hours [4][5]. Go in the morning.

Afternoon — an island. From the Portas do Mar quay: the boat to Praia de Faro (adult return €4.10, child €2.30) or Animaris to Ilha Deserta (€5 one way, 45 minutes) [7]. Timetables change by season — check the operator’s current timetable before you go. All the islands are compared in our Ria Formosa islands guide.

The bone chapel

The Igreja do Carmo is a baroque church north of the centre; behind it is the Capela dos Ossos, added in 1816 and lined with the bones of more than a thousand monks [3]. A 2026 guide gives a €2 ticket and hours of weekdays 10:00–13:00 and 15:00–17:30, Saturdays 10:00–13:00 [3]; older sources give lower prices, so check at the door.

With kids

The Centro Ciência Viva do Algarve, just outside the old-town walls by the water, has aquariums of lagoon and tropical life and runs family workshops at weekends. From March to December it opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–13:00 and 14:00–17:00; it is closed on Mondays [6]. The general admission price is not on the official site — check before you go.

A boat to an island is the other easy win. Praia de Faro has lifeguards from 1 June to 30 September 2026 and a Blue Flag [8]; it is also reachable by bus 16 over the road bridge if a boat is too much [9][10].

Practical

• Parking: Parque de São Francisco, about 200 m from the cathedral [2]; an underground car park under the market [4].
• From the airport: bus 16 to the bus station; check the current fare before travel [10]; Faro is about 4 km in a straight line and 7–8 km by road from the airport, depending on the address [11][12].
• More of the region: things to do in the Algarve, from the Ria Formosa islands to Sagres.
• Staying a night or a week: see Faro for areas, and Faro for remote workers if you are working.

Month by month: Algarve weather by month.

Sources

1. CM Faro: Arco da Vila, accessed 4 October 2026.
2. Sé de Faro: Informações, official, accessed 4 October 2026.
3. Faro Tourism Guide: Igreja do Carmo e Capela dos Ossos, 2026 guide, accessed 4 October 2026.
4. Ambifaro: Mercado, updated 26 June 2026, accessed 4 October 2026.
5. Reforma Agrária: Mercado Municipal de Faro, accessed 4 October 2026.
6. Centro Ciência Viva do Algarve, official, accessed 4 October 2026.
7. CM Faro: Boats to the islands, accessed 4 October 2026.
8. ABAE: Faro-Mar, accessed 4 October 2026.
9. Wikipédia (pt): Faro, accessed 4 October 2026.
10. algarvebus.info: Faro airport, independent site, accessed 4 October 2026.
11. OSRM / OpenStreetMap: airport to Faro market area, routing model and coordinate calculation, accessed 11 October 2026.
12. OSRM / OpenStreetMap: airport to eastern Faro, routing model and coordinate calculation, accessed 11 October 2026.