With a stunning coastline, gorgeous sandy beaches and a lovely historic centre, it’s no wonder that Lagos is a popular tourist spot in the Algarve. We often try to limit our time in touristy cities, but we’re glad we gave Lagos a try. Whether you want to lie on the beach, hike along the rugged coast, or wander through its historic centre, there is a lot to discover in Lagos, Portugal.
Like many cities in this area, Lagos’ history goes back, way back. Located on the Bensafrim River Estuary, near the southernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula, Lagos is situated on valuable real estate. In 2000 BCE the Celtics were first to land on its shores. Since then, many civilisations spent time in the area. It was the Romans though, who made the city an important harbour town and built the first wall around its perimeter. The Moors expanded this wall in the 10th century when they lived here.
By the middle of the 13th century, Lagos, pronounced ‘LAH-goash, was a part of Portugal. Less than 200 years later, Prince Henry the Navigator was governor of the Algarve and lived in Lagos. His dream was to send ships to explore the world. Those ambitions were realized when fleets of trade ships began departing from Lagos Harbour. Those expeditions marked the beginning of Portugal’s Age of Discovery. He went on to encourage and financially support many maritime exploration and trade missions throughout his life. A statue of him stands beside blooming Jacaranda trees in Plaza Infante Dom Henrique.
Also in the plaza is another building related to Prince Henry, but this one is a reminder of his worst legacy. Prince Henry was the first to bring slaves from Africa to Europe in 1444. In fact, the first African Slave Market (Mercados des Estrados) took place in the square that bears his name. At this market, slaves were sold and sent to Britain, France and as far away as Brazil. A museum to remember this history is located in a restored building that was built on the location of that Slave Market. It seems odd then that a statue to honour him was put in this same square.
Due to its involvement in international trade, Lagos became a very prosperous city over the next couple hundred years. Unfortunately, its location at the tip of Portugal meant it was very close to the epicentre of the 1755 earthquake. As a result, the city was flattened, and not much remains from its earlier years. It took generations for the city to recover, so today, the area has mostly 18-20th century homes, churches and monuments, but it is still a lovely part of the city to explore.
The pedestrian streets in Old Town are decorated with black and white Calçada Portuguesa tiles. They seem to lead off in all directions as they travel between the many squares that are filled with patios, trinket shops and tour offices. It was much busier than many of the other cities and towns we recently visited in Portugal, but somehow that didn’t take away any of its appeal for us.
Some of the old wall and its gates are still standing allowing you to get a glimpse of how this city may have once looked. On the edge of Old Town is São Gonçalo Arch (Arco de São Gonçalo) with a barbican tower on either side. Sometimes this gate is referred to as a castle, but it really a part of the fortification wall.
It received its name because it marks the birthplace of the patron saint of the city, São Gonçalo. We first learned about this saint when we were in Amarante where we ate unusually-shaped cakes. You can read about Amarante here.
The gate faces Ponta da Bandeira Fort which translates in English to Flag Tip Fort. The 17th century fortress is in excellent condition and sits majestically in the water at the mouth of Bensafrim River.
Further up Bensafrim River (Ribeira de Bensafrim) is a large marina. Sailboats moored at the docks make a pretty scene. Tour companies offering boat and kayak trips to see the tall cliffs on the coast also leave from this marina.
Batata Beach
The Algarve is a very popular destination for beach lovers and Lagos is home to some of the best. One of those beaches is right beside Ponta da Bandeira Fort. Batata Beach (Praia da Batata) is quite popular because it is so easy to reach from the historic centre.
Dona Ana Beach
A little further along the coast is one of the prettiest beaches in the Algarve. From our first glimpse of Dona Ana Beach, we saw why it receives such high praise. It’s only a little further away from the city centre than Batata but is worlds away in both scenery and serenity. Surrounded by tall, golden cliffs, it was the perfect setting to stop for our morning coffee.
This was where we began our hike on the famous Fishermen’s Trail (Rota Vicentina) which well take you to in our next post.
Beside it is Jacoba Beach which is currently closed to due to unstable cliffs.
Camilo Beach
Not far away is another gem. Camilo Beach (Praia do Camilo) is sheltered in a very tight cove, protected by red, weather-worn cliffs. It’s quite petite, but that doesn’t keep people away. Making this spot even more desirable are the ropes that prevent boats, and even kayaks, from getting too close to the beach.
A long wooden staircase takes you from the clifftop to the beach below.
How to Get to Lagos
Being a popular tourist city, getting to Lagos takes a bit more planning than you would think. The nearest airport is in Faro, 90 km away. From Faro, you can catch a local bus or train to reach Lagos. If you’re travelling from Lisbon, you can reach Lagos by direct bus. You can also take the train, but you have to change trains in Tunes. The easiest way to get here is to rent a car. Be aware that there are toll roads between Lisbon and the Algarve, but you can travel on smaller highways to avoid the tolls.
Another way to arrive is by hiking The Fishermen’s Trail (Rota Vicentina). (Coming Soon)
Where to stay in Lagos
Old Town Lagos has many small hotels, bed & breakfasts and apartments for rent. If you stay in the historic centre and have your own car, make sure you check parking and vehicular access before booking. There are also a lot of choice for accommodations in the neighbouring towns that offer a quick and easy access to Lagos. Towns such as Luz and Portimão are popular because of their proximity to wonderful beaches.
This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Lagos.
To read more of our adventures in Portugal, click here.
Coming Next – Hiking The Fishermen’s Trail
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