5 things not to miss in Lagos

Hello, visitors!

Today I am writing about one of my favorite places in Portugal: Lagos!

Lagos is a town in the Algarve area, in the south of Portugal. This is where I usually go every year to run away from the city craziness of Lisbon and enjoy the beautiful beaches this country has to offer.

The Algarve is known by a lot as a beach vacation destination, however you can find different towns in the Algarve that will suit you depending on what type of holidays you are looking for: if you’re a party person and want to enjoy the night away, the best place for you would be Vilamoura; if you enjoy relaxing at a nice beach house, maybe go for Tavira or Armação de Pêra; if you are looking forward to enjoying some beaches and see the most beautiful coastline of the country, definitely head to Lagos.

Although Lagos has much more than this to offer, I am writing about my current top 5 things to do there. Don’t be fooled by this list since there’s a ton of other things to do - I am planning on posting more about this wonderful place, but for now, here’s what I recommend:

The town center

Although Lagos is mostly a beach destination, the old center has also a lot to offer. It’s located right across the marina, and offers all types of commerce. Here you can find plenty of local restaurants, small shops and amazing ice cream! It’s the perfect place to have a walk after a day under the sun.

If you’re looking for a nice restaurant, Tasca da Lota (located near the Marina) is an amazing fish restaurant with very friendly prices! I haven’t been there in two years, but I do remember the food was delicious! I have also heard great reviews about Casinha do Petisco, also in the old center, but I’ve never been there. It’s definitely on my list for my next time in Lagos.

Praia do Canavial

This year we found out about Praia do Canavial - definitely a hidden gem in Lagos! It is located right next to Praia do Porto de Mós, which for me is one of the most beautiful beaches in Lagos, and Canavial can be even prettier!

It’s not a guarded beach, which means it doesn’t have a lifeguard, restaurants or even toilets. The access is also a bit challenging since it can be quite a hike - it’s not too hard, however it would be impossible to access by someone with reduced mobility. When you get to the beach, you will see the wonderful blue water and, at the end of the sand, the most beautiful cliffs (make sure you don’t lay under them since there’s the possibility rocks come falling off of it).

Since the beach is not guarded, there are plenty of groups who bring their dogs, which for me is a joy! Also, the beach is not too crowded and there’s tons of space to relax with your family or friends. I would say Canavial beach is on my top 3 beaches of Lagos!

Day trips from Lagos

One of the best things about Lagos is that there’s easy access to tons of other areas of the Algarve! Every year we make sure we head to Almancil to our favorite restaurant Casavostra (click here to read a previous blog post I wrote about it) and we take about 40 minutes to get there.

Algarve is also filled with fun waterparks for those who, like me, enjoy spending a day riding water slides and having fun! My favorites are Aquashow and Slide & Splash, however you can find dozens of others along the coast.

There’s a lot of other small towns that are very much worth visiting while staying at Lagos: Sagres, Silves, Vilamoura, Carvoeiro, Portimão… I could list a ton of them, but make sure you search about them to see which one fits what you’re looking for! From Lagos to Vila Real de Santo António (which is the furthest place in the Algarve, right by the Spanish border) it’s about 1 hour and 20 minutes by car, so you can see it’s pretty easy to make it anywhere in the area for a day trip. There’s also plenty of bus excursions going from the Lagos city center, which is a great option if you don’t have a car - you can find a lot of sellers along the Avenida dos Descobrimentos, right by the city center. Here you can also find some boat excursion companies that can take you on a boat ride to visit the caves, which is also a great plan for a half-a-day in Lagos!

Praia dos Estudantes

Praia dos Estudantes is a small beach 10 minutes walking from the city center. It is very famous on Instagram due to the roman bridge that connects two rock formations, and many visitors com here to take a picture of the famous view (me included!). To get there, you just need to look for a restaurant called Mar Restaurante e Bar, walk down the stairway and you’ll get to Praia da Batata. On your right, you will find a small tunnel that you will need to cross to get to Praia dos Estudantes.

I won’t say this is one of my favorite beaches to spend the day at - the sand is full of shells that can hurt your feet, the beach is small so it gets crowded very quickly and this is one of the coldest waters I’ve ever found in the Algarve! However, it’s a good option for a windy day since it can protect you from it and, afterall, no beach is actually bad, right?

I spend a couple of good days here and, even if you’re just visiting, it’s worth the view!

Ponta da Piedade

The best for last! My favorite thing about Lagos is its coastline. It is framed with beautiful yellow-orange rock formations, some of them rising straight from the ocean, and the bright blue waters to go with it will blow your mind.

When you’re heading towards Ponta da Piedade by car, at the end of the road you’ll find a parking lot on your left, right before the Ponta da Piedade lighthouse. Just follow the path right after the Sol Nascente restaurant to find the stairway that leads to the Ponta da Piedade caves. This is one of the most beautiful sights you will find in the area.

However, my absolute favorite part is to actually get lost in the trails between Praia do Camilo and Ponta da Piedade. These trails are designed along the coast, and here you will find some of the most beautiful parts of the Algarve coastline - the further you go, the prettier it will be! Of course you need to be careful if you’re too close to the edge of the cliffs, but make sure you explore and appreciate the beauty of this coastline.

If you’re in the mood for a safe walk, you can also follow the wooden trail that goes from the lighthouse to the right side of Ponta da Piedade - also worth the walk!

If you’re in the Lagos area, I would recommend this place as your priority activity!

Lagos has a lot to offer - from really famous attractions such as Praia do Camilo, to hidden gems like Praia do Canavial or little restaurants. This post is just a small sample of the great things the Algarve has to offer, however I will make sure I get more inspiration the next time I go there, so I can also help you enjoy this place to the fullest!