Old town.

Faro’s Old Town, known as Cidade Velha, is a walled historic core that feels more like a lived-in neighborhood than a sterile open-air museum. Entered through the neoclassical Arco da Vila, this compact maze of cobbled streets and whitewashed houses is built on Roman foundations and enclosed by Moorish-reinforced walls. At its heart lies the 13th-century Faro Cathedral, which offers panoramic views over the rooftops and the nearby Ria Formosa lagoon from its tower. Nearby, the Municipal Museum occupies a serene 16th-century convent. The charm of Cidade Velha lies in its quiet, unhurried pace, where local residential life exists alongside centuries of architectural history, offering a peaceful, authentic counterpoint to the bustling resort towns of the Algarve.