FARO , a sleepy provincial town twenty years ago, now has all the facilities of a modern European town, with an attractive shopping area, some decent restaurants and a "real" Portuguese feel in contrast to many nearby resorts. Excellent beaches , too, are within easy reach, and in summer there's quite a nightlife scene, as thousands of travellers pass through on their way to and from the airport, 6km west of the town.

Sacked and burned... [More]