Lagos (Portugal) > Reviews (8)

After some helpful suggestions, I decided to do this opinion on the town in Portugal I went to, Lagos.

Lagos is on the western end of the Algarve, about 100km from Faro, and it is one of the most historical places in Portugal.

On the front, there is a huge statue of Henry the Navigator, possibly Portugal's biggest hero, but you can find a much stranger statue in the centre. It is supposed to resemble a spaceman, although it is actually a statue of a 15 year old king, and it is a very controversial statue, because this king led Portugal to a disastrous defeat in Morocco, but he made Lagos the capital of the Algarve, which earned him this statue.

The town today is one of the least built up in the Algarve, probably because it does not actually have its own beach. To the west, there are alot of smaller beaches, and not much building, except in the west part of Lagos. From Luz, a small resort about 5km from Lagos to Cape St Vincent (the most westerly point in Europe" there is very little to see or do. To the East, there is much more. Portimao, the largest town in the area is known as the "sardine capital of the world", and there are some famous resorts like Praia da Rocha, Albufeira and Carvoeiro. This area is renowned for having the best beaches in Europe, and from where I've been, only Skiathos in Greece has been better.

Facilities.

When we first arrived, Faro Airport was modern and well run, unlike the afore-mentioned Skiathos Town. Car Hire was very quick and easy. The Portugese drivers, however were terrible, and it was easy to see why Portugal has the highest accident rate in Europe.
The apartment we stayed in was only 5 minutes walk from the centre of Lagos, but it did have problems. There were 3 power cuts, and one day the water supply of the whole town was cut off.

People

Young people were friendly, and had excellent English, and i noticed this especially in restaurants. Old people however were generally surly, and liked to spit on the pavements all the time.

Food

In this area, the speciality is fish, and it always has been. I like fish, but for people who don't, there are large menus at all restaurants, and they are always written in English and Portugese. Chicken Piri Piri is another Portugese speciality, but in reality, it was just normail chicken. English Beer was served in most bars and restaurants, but the best drink was the fresh orange juice, which was the sort which can't be found in England. Specifically for Lagos, the best bar was Millenium Jardime, where they had live football every night, and the best restaurant was Veneza. Both are on the main street. The food was also much cheaper than a similar meal would cost in England, France or Spain.

There is an unspoilt area to the Algarve, and its to the North and West of Lagos, and in general, away from the main roads, there is a big change.

However, most people come to the Algarve for beaches and hot weather, and I have never been to a better place for that. I would recommend Lagos as an excellent place to stay.

Advantages
Beaches and weather
Friendly People
Very Cheap
Lagos has excellent restaurants, nightlife, and is very safe

Disadvantages
Quite built up (if that matters)
Portugese Drivers
Lagos is a fairly long drive from Faro Airport
Scorpions and snakes in summer