Where to stay in Faro

Neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood guidance for Faro, Portugal: which areas suit which travellers, what they cost, and the stays we list in each.

Praia de Faro (2) — Sandbar strip, beach shacks, dunes Stay on Avenida Nascente if the beach is the point — Atlantic sand out front, the Ria Formosa lagoon behind.
Baixa (2) — Pedestrian shopping, tiled townhouses, tascas Stay near Rua de Santo António and the train station, bus terminal, old town gate and most restaurants are five minutes away.
Carmo & Mercado (2) — Everyday Faro, produce, working streets Around Rua de Portugal you get Teatro Lethes, the Capela dos Ossos and the Mercado Municipal, at lower rates than the old town.
Marina & Doca (3) — Waterfront, ferries, rooftop bars Base on Avenida da República for water views and the Cais da Porta Nova pier, where the Ilha Deserta ferry leaves.
Montenegro & Airport (1) — Flat suburb, cheap beds, transit Stay here only for a dawn flight or a long budget stay — a quiet modern suburb with the university campus and little else.
Cidade Velha (3) — Walled, cobbled, storks, orange trees Inside the walls your day runs Arco da Vila, the cathedral tower at Largo da Sé, the museum, then dinner on Praça Dom Afonso III.

3HB Faro — Marina & Doca ($$). Rooftop infinity pool and a Michelin-starred kitchen downstairs
AP Eva Senses — Marina & Doca ($). 138 rooms facing the marina and the Ria Formosa
Faro Boutique Hotel — Carmo & Mercado ($). Thirty-eight small rooms, a roof terrace, five minutes to the Baixa
Hotel Made Inn Faro — Baixa ($). Spotless two-star, walkable to the train and bus stations
Praia de Faro apartments — Praia de Faro ($). A whole flat on the sandbar gets you beach access without a hotel lobby
Montenegro & Gambelas houses — Montenegro & Airport ($). Space, a parking spot and a kitchen for the price of a central double — but you will drive