Arco da Vila

Every visit to Faro‘s old town passes through the Arco da Vila: the arched gateway that opens from the harbour square into the lanes of the cathedral quarter, built in the eighteenth century over the line of the old Moorish walls.

A door between two cities

The arch was raised in 1754, joining the medieval defences with a baroque triumphal front of columns and niches — its design attributed to the Italian architect Francisco Xavier Fabri, working for the bishop of the Algarve. Below the arch, remains of the earlier gate and the Roman and Moorish layers of the wall survive; above it stands the small statue that watches over the entrance.

Into the Vila Adentro

Through the arch begins the Vila Adentro, the oldest quarter of Faro: white lanes, the cathedral square, the bishop’s palace and the viewpoints over the Ria Formosa from the old walls. The arch is also the practical centre of the town — taxis, cafés and the marina all within a few steps, and the walk to the old walls begins here.

What to see

• The baroque arch of 1754
• The remains of the earlier walls below it
• The cathedral quarter beyond the gate
• The viewpoints over the Ria Formosa
• The harbour square in front of the arch

Practical information

The arch stands at the entrance of the old town of Faro, steps from the marina and the bus station, in the capital of the Algarve. The quarter is pedestrian and flat; the walk to the walls and the lagoon viewpoints is short.

Image credit: Arco da Vila by Hugo Ferreira — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.