Information

There are rooftops whose access is free. In most of them the access is made through the acquisition of a ticket. The tickets are daily and have a first edition price of 5€ per day per person. With this ticket you will have access to all the rooftops of the festival. Please note that there may be events that have an additional cost and may require previous booking, please consult the program.

Children up to 12 years old (inclusive) do not pay. We call your attention to the fact that there may be rooftops that due to their characteristics may limit the access to children/youths over 12 years old. Please consult the information data sheet at the entrance of each rooftop.

It will be possible to buy tickets for the festival at the place where the festival’s exhibition will be held, in an old café that is located under the arcades in the Largo da Pontinha (cash and ATM). However, the most practical way is to buy tickets at the door of each one of the venues (cash only). When you buy the ticket you will receive a bracelet that gives you access to all the rooftops of the festival. There is tickets seld before the festival starts.

Each space was subjected to a technical analysis to define a set of safety rules. Following this analysis, limitations on the maximum number of people per space were defined. This number varies depending on the building. Next to each building there will be information about the entrance and access conditions. At the entrance you will be explained the safety measures to be taken into account in that specific space. In some places, the access to the rooftop (and the return to the street) is done accompanied by a member of the organization.

Everyone aged 16 or under must be accompanied by an adult.

If a certain space is crowded, the rule will be applied that for each person who leaves, one will enter. There are roof tops with capacity for hundreds of people and others that can only have half a dozen people in permanence. The indications of the organizers in each of the spaces must be respected.

When buying a ticket you are buying access to a set of spaces, however, this access is only guaranteed if the space is not full.

​Be aware: Açoteia is a festival that starts early and ends early.

Most venues will be open to the public between 6pm and midnight. There are also venues that close before midnight. Come early so you don’t miss the best moments of this initiative.

Some of the rooftops will have food and drink options, however the city has numerous good options.

Check the website www.acoteia.pt to know the whole program of the initiative. There will also be distributed programs that point out all the hostels and the program in each of them.

(Arabic as-sotaihâ, diminutive of sataha, terrace) [Architecture] Terrace on top of the house.

It is a terrace on top of a building instead of a roof, frequently found in Algarvian houses, and over time it has had various uses, from harnessing water to dry fruit or use as a leisure space. It was the Arabs who introduced this architectural element to the region.

Rooftop is an English term to describe something similar to a roof terrace. It is a foreign term that gained strength in Portugal (and a little bit all over Europe) with the commercial use of the term especially by hotels, bars, restaurants and other commercial spaces.

More and more, identity is a value that should be praised. For those who live in the municipality of Faro and in the region, this is a good way to draw attention to a wide range of unused spaces in the city and highlight their potential. For those who visit us, this is a good way of showing the city from another point of view.

The Açoteia - Faro Rooftop Festival will allow you to visit the top of buildings that are normally not visitable and look at the city and the Ria Formosa from another perspective.

This is a cultural event that addresses three main areas: environmental sustainability, community and the arts.

Fortunately, the idea that we all have to do our part to create a better sustainable environment has become more widespread. Today, cities are looking for solutions to become more environmentally friendly spaces with a higher quality of life. Rooftops present a wide variety of opportunities to make cities greener and more energy sustainable.

The roof terrace festival is a tool for an action that we want to take throughout the year. That is why we believe that we can give the motto for private spaces to find the motivation to make use of their roof tops. In this sense the festival is composed of rooftops of public buildings and private buildings.

Another strong community component of this festival is the involvement of the associative movement. Associations and clubs and hundreds of elements actively contribute to the preparation of the spaces that will surprise you.

Theater, dance, music, exhibitions... there are many artistic aspects that the açoteia festival proposes to explore. With a strong presence of local and regional artists that cross with others of national and international dimension, Açoteia Festival will create surprising moments.

​We don’t want this to be “just another festival”. That’s why we thought it was important to have an exhibition with examples of new uses for the city’s spaces.

So we will hold an exhibition about the “Rooftop Catalogue” developed by MRVD Architects, the Rotterdam Rooftop Festival and the Municipality of Rotterdam that shows the potential of using these spaces. This exhibition takes place in an old café under the arcades in Largo da Pontinha.

Yes, we believe that this is an important moment for people to to look at the city from another perspective, discuss challenges and opportunities and that from there come out contents and conclusions that can be taken into consideration in the construction of public policies. Three late afternoon conversations will take place in the same place where the exhibition is being held, in an old café below the arcades in Largo da Pontinha. Participation in the conversations is free. No ticket need.

​The city of Faro was a pioneer in organizing the first European rooftop meeting. Several cities and organizations from different parts of Europe participated in this meeting. Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Nicosia, Milan, Linz, Antwerp, Prague, and Barcelona were some of the participating cities.

The meeting ran this network received funding to launch the ECRN - European Creative Rooftop Network, a 4-year project (2020 to 2024) that is supported by the Creative Europe program of the European Union.

We are sure you will have wonderful photos to share. Just use #acoteiafaro in any of the social networks you use.

​We are at your disposal to clarify all your doubts and questions.

Send a message to cultura@cm-faro.pt