This Bones Chapel in Faro is Something You Have to See

I visited Faro on the very last day of my 10 days in Portugal. My flight was early the next morning, and I only had one full day in the city. Because of that, I didn’t over plan. Faro felt like a gentle ending rather than a place I needed to tackle with a checklist.

I did a little research before my trip, but not much. I wanted to plan just one thing and let the rest of the day unfold naturally.

That one thing? A chapel lined with bones. Yup, you read that correctly. Bones.

I came across an old Atlas Obscura post about the Capela dos Ossos, the Bone Chapel in Faro, and it stopped me in my tracks. I had never heard of such a thing. A chapel made of bones? Human bones? Used as decoration?

Will it be creepy? Probably. But it was also fascinating. Curious enough that I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

So that became my plan. Visit the bones chapel Faro, wander the city with no set agenda, and maybe find grilled octopus for dinner. The chapel was only a five minute walk from my hotel in Faro, which made the decision easy.

If you’re curious but unsure, this post walks you through exactly what to expect and why visiting the bones chapel Faro feels far more calm and approachable than it sounds.

What Is the Bones Chapel in Faro?

The Bones Chapel in Faro is known in Portuguese as the Capela dos Ossos, which translates to Chapel of Bones. You may also see it called Capela dos Ossos de Faro or simply the bone chapel.

It is located inside the Igreja do Carmo, also known as the Carmo Church, in Faro Portugal. The church sits just outside the old town and is easy to reach on foot from most areas of the city.

The chapel is lined from floor to ceiling with human bones and skulls, carefully arranged in patterns. These bones date primarily to the 18th century and 19th century and were placed here by Carmelite monks as part of a religious tradition known as memento mori.

I didn’t know this but Portugal has several bone chapels. The most famous one is located in Évora, but the Faro chapel is smaller, quieter, and much easier to visit if you’re short on time.

Carmo Church in Faro

First Impressions of the Carmo Church

Before you see a single bone, you enter the Carmo Church itself.

If you’re expecting something dark or eerie right away, that’s not what you get. The Igreja do Carmo looks similar to other Portuguese churches I had seen in Lisbon and Porto. White walls, clean lines, and a traditional exterior.

Inside, the church is beautiful.

Gold covers much of the interior, contrasting sharply with the white walls. It feels bright, warm, and peaceful. This is a working church with weekly mass.

The church itself is free to visit, which makes it an easy stop even if you’re unsure about the bone chapel.

Inside the Carmo Church

How to Visit the Bones Chapel Faro

The entrance to the Capela dos Ossos is inside the church complex and clearly marked.

When I visited, admission was 2 euros. There was no ticket booth or line. Just a person seated at a small table collecting the fee.

A simple sign points you in the right direction.

Before reaching the chapel, you walk through a few interior rooms that function as small museum spaces. These rooms display religious artifacts and provide historical context about the Carmo Church, the monks, and Faro’s past.

At the end of the last room, you step into a small garden courtyard. After being indoors, the open space and greenery feel grounding.

From there, follow the short walkway. On the left is the arched entrance to the bone chapel.

This is where the bones begin.

Arched entryway to the bones chapel in Faro

Walking Into the Capela dos Ossos

The entrance archway itself is lined with bones.

Not subtle. Not hidden.

When you step inside, you are completely surrounded by bones. Floor to ceiling. Wall to wall. Skulls and long bones arranged in neat, repeating patterns. Even the altar is made of bones.

It sounds unsettling, and I won’t pretend it’s a normal thing to see. These are real human remains. But the feeling inside the chapel surprised me.

It felt strange, but not creepy.

The chapel is small and quiet. When I visited, there were only a few people inside. Everyone spoke softly. No one stayed too long, but no one rushed either.

Most of the walls are protected by a clear plexiglass barrier, about six feet high. This preserves the chapel and also provides some distance, which makes the experience more comfortable. A few bones are exposed and reachable where you can touch them (yup, I touched) but most people simply observed.

You may notice empty cavities where skulls once sat. Time has passed, and the chapel has changed, which somehow makes it feel more human.

Photos are allowed, and people were respectful when I visited.

Floor to ceiling bones!

A Moment That Felt…Ewww

For the most part, the bone chapel felt calm. But there was one moment that pulled me out of that feeling.

In one section, I noticed a trail of ants running through the bones.

That part was unsettling. Seeing ants moving through human bones was a sharp reminder that these were once real people. Real bodies. 

It didn’t ruin the visit, but it made everything feel very real.

Eww. Yes. Definitely eww.

Skulls and bones

How Many Bones Are in the Faro Bone Chapel?

There is no exact count, but it’s believed the bones chapel Faro contains the remains of over 1,000 people.

The walls, columns, and altar are constructed almost entirely of bones and skulls. Compared to the larger bone chapel in Évora, this one is smaller, but standing inside it still feels overwhelming in scale.

There isn’t a single wall untouched.

Whose Bones Are They?

The bones inside the Capela dos Ossos came from local cemeteries.

During the 18th century and into the 19th century, burial grounds in Faro were overcrowded, a common issue across Portugal and Europe at the time. The Carmelite monks of the Carmo Church chose to exhume remains and use the bones to build the chapel rather than discard them.

These were not saints or famous figures.

They were everyday residents of Faro. People who lived and died in this city long before it became a destination in the Algarve.

Ceiling covered in bones

How Long Does It Take to Visit?

This is one of the reasons the bones chapel Faro is such an easy addition to your day.

I spent about one hour total visiting the Carmo Church, the museum rooms, the courtyard, and the chapel. You could do it faster if you’re only planning on seeing the chapel of bones.

It fits perfectly into a short stay or a final day in the city.

Best Time to Visit

I went earlier in the day and was glad I did.

While I was inside the chapel, it was quiet. As I was leaving, a bus of tourists arrived. Timing matters.

For a calmer experience, visit earlier in the day or closer to opening time.

Is the Bone Chapel in Faro Scary?

This is the question most people ask.

I expected it to be creepy. It’s bones. Human bones.

But in reality, it felt respectful, quiet, and thoughtful. It’s not graphic. It’s not meant to shock you. That being said, your reaction may be different than mine.

If you’re even a little curious, it’s absolutely worth visiting.

Courtyard outside the bones chapel

Wandering Faro with No Agenda

After the chapel, I wandered.

Faro is easy to explore on foot. I walked through the old town, drifted down side streets, and let the day unfold without a plan.

Eventually, I found grilled octopus for dinner. Later, I walked over to the marina and watched my final sunset in Portugal.

It was calm. Simple. Exactly what I needed.

Why the Bones Chapel Faro Is Worth Visiting

If you’re visiting Faro Portugal and want something memorable that doesn’t feel overwhelming, the Capela dos Ossos is an easy yes.

It’s affordable. Central. Doesn’t take long. And it offers something you won’t see everywhere.

You don’t need to love churches or history. Just a little curiosity.

Sometimes the places that sound strange at first are the ones you remember the most.

And this was absolutely one of them.