Page 109 - WDT MAGAZINE PORTUGAL

We arrived in Algarve thinking that it was all
about resorts and beaches. Our guide quickly put
that notion to rest as we explored the historic heart
of Faro, where the Romans and Moors had left their
mark. Adding to the city’s charms were giant nests
perched on monuments and historic buildings
where storks happily tended their chicks. We
learned it’s against the law to disturb the birds that
often return to the same nesting site every year.
We strolled on to the city’s neoclassical Arco da
Vila, built on the site of a gate that was part of the
original Moorish wall. This archway leads to the old
town where we made a stop at the beautiful Faro
Cathedral, built in the 13th century and passed a
16th-century convent that now houses a city
museum showcasing prehistoric and medieval
artifacts and religious art.

108 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE 2019