Faro is a small city located on the southern coast of Portugal and is the capital of the Algarve region. It has a long and proud history that is displayed to great effect in a selection of small museums in the city.

 Municipal Museum of Archeology

This is the most notable museum in Faro and is located at Praca Alfonso III in a building that was formerly a convent. The museum exhibits many ancient artifacts from Faro and the surrounding area, including a number of beautiful paintings and sculptures as wekk as some of the historical finds from an excavation at nearby Estoi. A small entrance fee is charged to see the exhibits that provide a glimpse into the history of the region. The museum is open all year round from Tuesday to Sunday. Opening times vary during the year and between April and October these are 10.00 to 18.00 from Tuesday to Friday and 14.00 to 18.00 on Saturday/Sunday. For the rest of the year the opening times are 9.30 to 17.30 Tuesday to Friday and 11.30 to 17.30 on Saturday/Sunday. Last admittance is 30 minutes before closing.

Regional Museum of the Algarve

Located at Praca de Liberdade, this museum has exhibits of traditional handicrafts from the Algarve region. This includes displays of the local items which were made in the Algarve, including lace, fishing nets and saddles. Exhibits of the products themselves and the tools involved in making them provide interesting viewing and will give you a flavor of the ways in which the people of the area traditionally made their livings. The museum charges a small entrance fee and it is open Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 12.30 and 14.00 to 17.30.

Maritime Museum

With the city being located on the coast, it has an impressive maritime history. The city's history is exhibited in the Maritime Museum to which admission is around 1 euro. The museum is open Monday to Friday from 14.30 to 16.30 and is located at Capitania de Porto. It has displays of the traditional fishing techniques which have been used for centuries in the region and also houses a collection of Portuguese maritime artifacts that include models of local boats and naval vessels. The museum is small but with the sea playing a large part in the history of Faro it is definitely worth a visit.

Faro is a beautiful coastal city with a history that goes back many years. The museums mentioned above are great places to get a taste of the history and culture of the area--and a trip to these is a must if you visit the city.