Living in Faro, Portugal by Ana

What is it like to live in Faro? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Faro is a nice city to live, everything is near, there is lots of day light and many nice people. Faro has very good weather conditions. The beach is near, about 20 minutes by bus or 10 minutes by car; and you can go to it all year. There are nice coffee shops and bars and there are quite some Erasmus students living there.

The Faro beach is also a fantastic place to do water sports like surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing, kayaking, sailing, diving, and fishing! There is also a cinema, sometimes in the open air.

What is the student lifestyle like in Faro?

Students have a very busy life, there are lots of Erasmus students organizing dinners and parties.

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How much does it cost to live in Faro?

The costs are between 150€ (room) or 250€ (shared apartment) for accommodation. The transport is not cheap. The food is between 5 - 20 € for day, depending if you eat in the university where it is cheap, but outside - in restaurants - it can be expensive.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Faro? Is there any advice you can give?

It's not difficult, there are many rooms for students or even entire apartments (if you come with a friend, this is the best option). There is also a students´ residence which is cheaper but noisy. The University has a lot of information on apartments and rooms.

I have one apartment that is perfect for two students, with everything you can need.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

The food is good, there are lots of seasonal fruits and fresh fish on the market. There are nice restaurants, including Japanese, Chinese, pizzeria, fish restaurants etc. I like grilled fish, ice-cream, cakes and pasta!

What places would you recommend visiting in Faro?

The old city, the art gallery and the municipal museum, with nice bars and restaurants around. The city center has nice shops and a very good coffee shop called 'Gardy' with very good cakes. The islands near Faro - Deserta e Farol; the faro beach and the nautical centre are beautiful. Last but not last the municipal garden 'Alameda' and the theaters - the old and the new one are also worth a visit!

Is it good to eat out in Faro? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

I like to eat fresh grilled fish or meat in a cheap place called Restaurante Cantinho da Ronha. In the old city there are some nice places, some are cheap and others are expensive. You need to be careful with restaurants that have waiters outside the door inviting you in.

The Faro beach has a nice spot called Aqui há praia. There is also a good spot with very typical food from Algarve: A Taska. And there is MacTostas; the student's favorite!

Is the nightlife good in Faro? Where is good to go?

The night life in the city is quiet, it's safe to walk in the city during the night, it's not very busy. Thursday is student's night, it is really incredible. There is a place where people start the night: it's Seu Café.

There are also some nice bars.

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What advice would you give future students heading to Faro?

Enjoy your time in Faro, but don't just stay in this city. All of the Algarve has very nice places to visit. Go to Tavira, Olhão, Lagos and Sagres. And also consider visiting Spain, it is very near. Sevilla is only two hours by car or by bus!

Visit also the interior of Algarve, Loulé, Silves and Alcoutim, and other places in the mountains, where you can experience an Algarve without the destructive influence of the mass tourism. There is really good traditional food and the people are always happy to receive you.