Things to do in the Algarve Golden Triangle

Areas of interestChurchesGalleries & MuseumsHistoricalLeisure

Areas of interest in and around the Golden Triangle

Fonte Santa between Quarteira and Almancil: A spring which is reputed to have curative powers.

Faro - take the opportunity to visit the city of Faro, whether for shopping in the centre or at the Forum Algarve mall, or to see the 'cidade velha' (the old walled inner city with the Cathedral and Bishop's palace in the central Largo de Sé) or to take a boat trip through the Ria Formosa natural reserve to one of the Ilhas. So many visitors miss the delights of Faro but it really is a great day out.

Loulé - is always worth a visit. It has a very good daily (except Sundays) market in the new Arabian-style market hall (you can't miss it!), a big gypsy market on Saturday mornings and a very interestingly shaped modern Church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade on the hill to the west of the town. You can also walk a section of the 13th/14th century castle walls

Vilamoura marina: Watch the boats/ small ocean liners(!) while you have some refreshments at one of the many restaurants or cafés around the marina.

Igreja Matriz de São Lourenço in Almancil

The church of São Lourenço was built at the beginning of the 18th century by, so the story goes, thankful locals who had suffered a drought and discovered a spring when they were digging for water. The blue and white azulejos (glazed tiles) that cover the whole of the interior of the church including the ceilings and also the very intricate gilded woodwork were supplied by the top craftsmen of the day. It survived the 1755 earthquake intact and is now probably the best known church in the Algarve. It really is worth a visit - it looks like many other Algarve churches from the outside, but the effect of the light reflecting off the blue in the azulejos creates a very unique feeling. You are not allowed to take photos in the church so we can only show you the outside.
Opening hours: 10.00 to 13.30 and 14.30 to 17.00. Closed Sunday all day and Monday mornings. Cost of entrance (June 2008): 2€
The village of São Lourenço is on the N125 just to the east of Almancil. If you are approaching from the direction of Almancil the turn is on the left hand side and the church is easily visible on a slight hill beside the road. You will, however, have to drive past the turning, turn around and come back as a left turn is prohibited at that point.

Church of São Pedro do Mar , Quarteira
Faro's Sé Cathedral - The main doorway of the Cathedral, the tower and two chapels are from the original building in the 13th and 14th centuries. It was set alight by the
Earl of Essex's men in 1596 and suffered damage again in 1755, so has had major restoration work over the centuries.

Hermitage of Nossa Senhora do Ó (Faro): On the ramparts near the Arco da Vila in the 'Old City' - rebuilt after the earthquake in 1755.

Hermitage of Nossa Senhora do Repouso (Faro): Small 18th century chapel inside one of the Moorish arches in the 'Old City'.
Igreja da Misericórdia (Faro): Opposite the tourist information office by the Arco da Vila, originally 16th century, built with an adjoining hospital. Renovations were needed after the earthquake.
Hermitage of Nossa Senhora do Pé da Cruz (Our Lady of the Foot of the Cross) - Faro: Originally 17th century but altered during the 18th century - Rococo style decoration.
Igreja de São Pedro (Faro): 16th century, but renovated after 1755. It contains a 15th century stone statue of Our Lady of Hope in it's collection of art works.
Igreja do Carmo: Finally completed in the early part of the 19th century and contains statues by the Algarvean sculptor Manuel Martins.
Hermitage of São Sebastião, Faro (at the western end of Rua Serpa Pinto): The gothic chapel is all that remains of the original medieval building after additional work in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Esperança, Faro: Just off Rua do Alportel on Rua General Teófilo da Trindade. It originates from 15th/ 16th centuries and rebuilt in th 18th century.
Church of the Third Order of St. Francis, Faro: On the opposite side of Largo de São Francisco from the 'Old City'. Building started in the 17th century, but it was added to over the years until finally completed in the 19th century.