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15 things to see and do in Lagos on the Algarve Coast

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There is much to see and do in Lagos on the Algarve coast in southern Portugal. Lagos is a pleasant and tourist-friendly holiday town with beautiful beaches and a fine harbour. From beautiful churches and forts to boat trips and amusement parks, this city has a history as an old seafaring town. We've listed all the things you don't want to miss in Lagos on the Atlantic coast. Plus, we've got a great place to park your motorhome if you're travelling by caravan.

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Lagos on the Algarve coast

Lagos on the Algarve coast is one of the most popular holiday destinations in southern Portugal. There are plenty of hotels here, but if you're booking during the high season, you may still need to book well in advance. There is also a caravan park here, which we will tell you about further down in this post. There is a lot to see and do in Lagos, from strolling around the Old Town to taking boat trips.

Lagos, Portugal

You can also try Portuguese cuisine, which is often characterised by fish and seafood. For example, don't miss out on this delicious stew. cataplana! Did you know that Lagos means lakes in Portuguese? There's plenty to do, from boat trips and kayaking around the coast, to hiking trails and water parks. We've compiled a list of 15 things to see and do in Lagos on the Algarve coast!

Lagos gamla stan
The Old Town is full of shops and restaurants
Ett färggrannt hus inne i Gamla stan i Lagos
A colourful house in the Old Town

15 things to see and do in Lagos on the Algarve Coast

1st Meia Praia

Meia Praia is the largest sandy beach in the region at 5 kilometres and runs in a wide arc. Along the beach, there are sandbanks out in the water that you can sit on.

2nd Ponta da Piedad

Ponta da Piedad is a beach with cliffs, hills and various formations of red and yellow limestone. They can be as high as around 20 metres and there are also natural arches and caves.

3. Praia do Camilo

Praia do Camilo is a beach with small coves and a long wooden staircase. At certain times you can swim around the caves, and when the tide goes out you can walk through them.

4. Praia de Dona Ana

Praia de Dona Ana is a beach located relatively close to the city centre. This open beach is surrounded by rock formations and the water is almost always calm as the rocks provide protection.

Algarvekusten

5. Old Lagos

Old Lagos and the historic city have whitewashed houses and patterned streets, still partly within the 17th century walls. Lagos was the capital between 1576 and 1756, and nearby is a monument commemorating a cruel period of the city's history. The Mercado de Escravos was Lagos' slave market for about 250 years from 1444, and is a reminder that the age of exploration had a human cost.

Stroll around the Old Town, where you'll find small alleys, surf shops, restaurants and a fish market. The centre, surrounded by the Moorish walls, makes this city a charming place in southern Portugal. 

6. Lagos Zoo

Located a few kilometres outside the city, Lagos Zoo is home to animals from five continents. There are many different types of birds, as well as monkeys and turtles. 

7. igreja de santo Antonio

The Igreja de Santo Antonio church is a Portuguese national monument. The church has two bell towers and is filled with wood carvings and paintings, depicting the life of St Antony of Lisbon. 

WIFI.se

8th Centro Cinecia Viva de Lagos Museum

The Centro Cinecia Viva de Lagos Museum is a science museum in Lagos. Located in Casa Fogaça, an 18th century mansion, it displays all the innovations that made Portuguese discoveries possible. In the Museo Municipal DR José Formosinho you will find out why everything happened from the beginning to the time of discovery with Lagos on the Algarve coast.

Portugal
There's plenty to do in Lagos on the Algarve Coast

9. Lagos Marina

Lagos Marina is now a marina, but was once a harbour for seafaring vessels. It offers a wide range of activities on the water and is also the city's social centre.

10. See Dolphins

Seeing dolphins, or dolphin spotting, is an amazing experience. Of course, there is no guarantee that you will see dolphins, but there is reportedly a 90 per cent chance. Among others, you can see porpoises, bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins and Risso's dolphins. Several other boat trips leave from the same harbour, including deep-sea fishing.

11. Forte da Ponta da Bandeira

Forte da Ponta da Bandeira is a fort located at the mouth of the Bensa River and defended the harbour until the end of the 18th century. Inside there is a chapel inside with Portuguese tiles.

12. Water sports

Water sports are available on almost every beach around Lagos. On the other side of Ponta da Piedade there are big waves, and novice surfers can learn the basics at Praia Porto de Mós. On calmer days, you can hire a stand-up paddleboard or body board for a few hours. 

Portugal

13th Luso Aventura

Luso Adventurea is a forest adventure with high ropeways, vertical nets and bridges, located just east of Lagos. There are different levels to challenge both children and adults. For more information see Luso Aventuras website.

14. Slide & Splash

Slide & Splash is a water park near Lagos and Zoomarine is a marine park specialising in dolphins, marine life and birds. The park also has aquariums and a water park with slides, wave pools and rapids.

15. day trips

Day trips Silves was the ancient capital of the Algarve, and in the Silves includes a massive red brick castle. There are also traditional houses and cobbled streets leading down to the river. Alternative day trips from Lagos include the tranquil resort of Luz, the shopping town of Portimão and the busy resort of Praia da Rocha. All these day trips can be reached by cheap public transport, and there is no requirement to hire a car.

Det finns mycket att göra i Lagos på Algarvekusten

Meeting with blog readers

A funny thing happened when we were walking back from the Old Town, heading towards the car park. Suddenly a Swedish couple shouted at us "Thank you for a great blog!". This was Solan and Lasse, who of course also stood at the site with their motorhome. It immediately became an intense conversation about places and travel routes of course. So much fun that we meet a lot of people through the blog. So don't forget to say hello if we meet, sooo fun!

Storkar Portugal
Two storks that have found a good place to nest, on top of a house.

Parking space for motorhomes

In Lagos, there is a large and quite ok camping site, although without electricity but on the other hand at the easy price of 3 euros/day. The only sad thing was that several times beggars came and knocked on the door, and we have actually never experienced that before ... The coast is beautiful everywhere in Portugal and it is difficult to distinguish all destinations. Everything is quite personal about what to think and how to get into a new place. on the whole Portugal is a lovely country.

Lagos ställplats
Many motorhomes fit in the caravan park
Hemmabygge husbil
Our motorhome neighbour on the site had a really cool motorhome.
All our top tips for Portugal. Click on the image!

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