Inspiring Islands #2 : Ilha do Farol – Portugese medicine for stress

Ilha do Farol lies on the southernmost point of the continental Portugal, just about 40 minutes by boat from Faro, which is a well-known destination for millions of British and German tourists heading to Algarve each year. Nonetheless, you will not find many of them on the “Lighthouse Island”. If you visit the island outside July and August, you can enjoy a tranquil holiday on the 6 km long beach that you will have only for yourself.

The island is quite the opposite of Réunion, which I introduced to you in the last post. It is small, flat and does not offer a large variety of activities. On the other hand, it is made for a carefree getaway from your daily life. Most of the time, I would be either laying on the beach with a book or swimming in the sky-blue sea. If you’re a fan of some casual snorkeling, you’re for a treat too. I befriended few octopuses during my underwater adventures.

As the name suggests, the main sights on Ilha do Farol are lighthouses. All of them are quite spectacular, with the highest one being right in the middle of the village. If you’re lucky and you’re on the island in one of the few days when it’s open for visitors, you can view the whole island from the top. However, the main lighthouse belongs to the army, so it‘s usually inaccessible.

Another remarkable lighthouse is on the southernmost point of the island. The only way that leads there is a 1,5 km long pier. It is perfect for a short walk after the Sun goes down and you’re guided by the strong red light, surrounded only by the dark sky and the murmuring sea. Coming there after dinner became a sort of daily tradition for me during the time I was on the island. If you’re looking for a peaceful spot to contemplate, it can’t get any better than that.

What made my experience stand out from other trips was probably my Airbnb host Marc (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1671236). He gave me a great insight to the life on the island and even invited me to a dinner twice. Because he knew the local fishermen, we enjoyed delicious grilled fish freshly caught in the waters surrounding the island. There are 2 restaurants and few cafés in the village, but if I had to pick one, it would be marAmais. This bar/café is located right on the beach and serves some killer cocktails.

The picture on the left is the backyard of my host, where I enjoyed my breakfast every morning. On the right, there's just a random house that I found interesting... :)

Ilha do Farol is more than just an island for me. It was here, where I started listening to Pete Doherty, who eventually became one of my favorite musicians. Also, I really rejuvenated on the beautiful beach after difficult finals, read 2 books and got to know more about Portugal and its people. I promise I will come back one day and I encourage you to give a chance to this little inspiring piece of sand too.