Lagos (Portugal) > Reviews (8)

Lagos is positioned in one of the largest bays in the Algarve. The town was conquered by the Moors in the 8th century, but unfortunatly most of the heritage dating back from those days was destroyed in the Great Earthquake of 1755. Therefore most historic buildings are posterior to this date.

I'd never been to Lagos until I moved back from England to Portugal. I had always stayed in the Eastern Algarve, towards Spain, for my holidays. For working reasons I had to establish myself around Lagos area, and I was truly impressed with the beauty of the town, as well as its well preserved heritage.

With its narrow cobbled streets, a variety of shops, restaurants and long sandy beaches Lagos has a lot to offer. The weather, like in the rest of the Algarve, is mild all year round.

I decided to add my review to make note that getting to Lagos from Faroairport is no longer the ordeal it used to be. The newly built motorway means that the airport can be reached in just over an hour drive, and the traffic crossing the Algarve is now more evenly distributed between the two available main routes.

The best times to visit are before July and after the 15th September, unless you don't mind crowded beaches. The period comprising the above months is when the Portuguese take their holidays, so "half" of Portugal tends to move down to the Algarve.

Another positive aspect of Lagos is that you don’t feel as if you’re in the middle of a town built to cater for mass tourism. The hotels are well integrated in the town’s landscape and, despite the construction of some less attractive apartment blocks alongside the Marina; Lagos still has lots of character.

If you would also like to explore Lagos’ coastline you will be able to purchase boat trips alongside the attractive Lagos’ Marina but if you prefer terra firma activities I’d definitely recommend a day trip to Cape St. Vincent.

Make sure you take your camera because the views are breathtaking. Portuguese navigators departed from here to their world expeditions, and this is the most South-westerly point of Europe, commonly known as “The End of the World” in the old days.

When it comes to eating out I’d advise to try the local gastronomy as this is also a way of supporting local tourism. Portuguese cuisine is very rich in flavours and most restaurants offer a great variety of meat and fish. Ask for advice on what to have if you are unsure. You’ll find that everyone is able to communicate in English and eager to help.

My advice is to go for some sardines for lunch time. But if embarking on gastronomic adventures is not your thing many restaurants offer international cuisine options: from the world famous pizza, to Chinese food and traditional English meals.
Lagos looks forward to welcome you!

Note: The photograph illustrating this article is by me. I couldn't find a photograph of Lagos so I uploaded one of a beach near by.