Local Tip
Unicâmbio lists two Faro branches, both away from the old town: a landside counter at the airport and a shop in Forum Algarve on the EN 125. If you want euros from a bureau rather than a cash machine, change them as you arrive.
Where to change money in Faro
Unicâmbio, a Portuguese exchange chain that says it has 82 counters around the country, lists two in Faro itself: one at the airport and one in the Forum Algarve shopping centre. It adds a commission to every exchange and publishes the amount on its website and at its counters.
- Unicâmbio, Faro airport - Landside, in the public area of the terminal, open every day from 09:00. As well as buying and selling currency, it handles Western Union transfers and mobile top-ups.
- Unicâmbio, Forum Algarve - Shop 019 in the shopping centre at EN 125 Km 103, 8009-020 Faro, open Monday to Sunday from 09:00 to 21:00.
- Unicâmbio elsewhere in the Algarve - Staying along the coast? The chain's Faro page also lists branches in Olhão, Loulé, Almancil, Quarteira, Vilamoura, Albufeira, Portimão and Lagos, among other places.
Changing money at the airport
Faro airport names a single provider on its financial-services page: Unicâmbio, before security on floor 1, a spot Unicâmbio itself describes as the public arrivals area. The airport and the chain agree that the desk opens at 09:00, but not on when it shuts: 21:00 according to the airport, 22:00 every day according to Unicâmbio's branch page. If your flight lands late in the evening, plan to rely on your card rather than the counter.
ATMs and cards in Faro
Multibanco is the cash-machine network that SIBS manages. Portugal also has ATM Express machines and Euronet's independent network, which Postal do Algarve describes as easy to find in tourist areas and at airports. Whichever of the three you use in Faro, the screen may propose converting your withdrawal into pounds there and then; this is not only a Euronet practice. Decline it and take the money in euros, so the exchange rate comes from your card provider.
Paying for transport in Faro
Faro's town buses began accepting contactless payment for tickets bought from the driver on 1 September 2023, from bank cards, phones and smartwatches.
Good to know
- Both Faro branches process VAT refunds on shopping done in Portugal: Unicâmbio lists Travel Tax Free and Tax Free ePay at each, and Planet Tax Free at the airport as well.
- Unicâmbio does not print a flat commission on its Faro page; it says the charge can be checked on its website, which links a Commission Information Document, or at the counter. Get the total in euros before you hand over sterling.
Key Areas in Faro
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Exchange bureaux, banks and cash machines, as mapped by OpenStreetMap. The map loads only when you ask for it.
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Faro travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Faro?
For cash over a counter, Unicâmbio's Faro options are its landside airport desk and its shop in Forum Algarve, both charging a commission that the chain publishes. Its list shows nothing in the old town or at the marina, so if you are staying there, withdrawing euros with your card may be simpler.
Can I change money at Faro airport when I land?
Yes, during the day. The Unicâmbio desk is on the public side of the terminal and opens at 09:00; it closes at 21:00 by the airport's account or 22:00 by Unicâmbio's, so after a late arrival you may find it shut.
Will a cash machine in Faro charge my UK card?
It may. SIBS says Multibanco and ATM Express machines take no fee from holders of Portuguese bank cards, but that statement does not extend to foreign ones: Postal do Algarve notes they can face conversion costs or an access fee set by the local operator. Your own bank may add overseas charges as well.
Checked September 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: Faro Airport (ANA) · Unicâmbio · Postal do Algarve (August 2026) · Postal do Algarve (November 2023)
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