Lagos in Portugal, located on the Algarve coast, lies in the southern part of Portugal.
The Algarve coast around the town of Lagos epitomizes everything I love most about Portugal. Here, you’ll find beautiful beaches and turquoise sea, and the weather is like something out of a fairytale almost all year round. Moreover, there are endless opportunities for walks and hiking adventures. To top it all off, the fantastic views from high cliffs overlooking the golden-rocked beaches and the Atlantic Ocean racing to meet the sky are the cherry on top.
Lagos in Portugal, how to get to Lagos and quick sightseeing plan
Getting to Lagos in Portugal is easiest from the city of Faro, which is 90 kilometres away. This is where the nearest international airport is located, providing connections to almost all of Europe. Once you’ve sorted out your transportation, accommodation, and everything else, you can start exploring the wonders that this extraordinary part of Portugal has to offer.
Along the entire length of the coast near the town, there are numerous trails for hiking and cycling. Of course, most places can be reached by car, and then you can head out into the countryside. The coastal strip stretches for kilometres, and to the east, towards Faro, you’ll find numerous beaches, some of which I can consider the most beautiful I’ve seen recently.
Starting from Sao Roque Beach, then Meia Praia, all the way to Praia da Lama near Odiaxere. Here, the beach is intersected by a channel connecting the Riveira de Odiaxere estuary with the Atlantic Ocean. South of Lagos, there is a rocky coastline, and it made the biggest impression on me. The rocks protruding from the blue sea have a warm golden colour, especially when you look at them towards the end of the day or late afternoon.
The first place worth visiting and staying a bit longer is Beach Estudantes. It’s a small beach hidden among the rocks. The sea in this place is quite restless, as cool currents crash against the shore here. During the tourist season, there may be quite a few people here, so I recommend arriving in the morning or moving on.
The next place is Pinhao Beach. It’s a very calm beach surrounded by rocks. It’s popular among people who like to soak up the sun with their entire bodies. So don’t be surprised if you come across nudists playing badminton.
Lagos in Portugal Torralto and local cuisine
However, the best awaits you a little further south. Before you reach the famous Praia do Camilo beach, it’s worth stopping in the Torralta district. There are plenty of nice restaurants, taverns, and places to relax. If you’re in the stage of looking for accommodation, this place is worth considering.
As for local dishes, desserts, and drinks, I must admit that I haven’t eaten so well in a long time. Portuguese cuisine is wealthy and incredibly interesting. Especially the southern part of the country is famous for excellent dishes, especially fish.
I recommend asking for Bacalhau Espiritual, which is a casserole made from cod caught in the surrounding waters. Before serving, it’s marinated in salt and then baked with onions, carrots, aromatic herbs, and cream sauce. The name of this dish, loosely translated, means “spiritual cod,” and when you try it, you’ll know why.
Another fascinating Portuguese dish popular in this area is Bitoque. It’s a stewed steak served with sauce, eggs, and rice. For dessert, I recommend Baba de Camelo, a caramel-like pudding made from stiffly beaten eggs. With your coffee, be sure to order the local pastry Pasteis de Natas, for which you can find the recipe on our website.
Well, if after all this eating you still have the strength for further exploration, I suggest heading to Praia do Camilo.
Lagos in Portugal and Praia do Camilo Beach in Lagos
Camilo in Lagos is a beach located far south on the Torralta peninsula. I was delighted by the view from the high cliff of the white waves crashing onto the golden shore below. Only after a good hour did I reluctantly decide to descend the steep path to the sea’s edge to find myself on a small beach nestled between rocks.
To get to Camilo in Lagos, one must traverse over two hundred wooden steps that separate the cliff’s peak from the sandy shore. It’s so beautiful there that I spent another hour, completely losing track of time. Among the water-carved and time-worn rock gates, tunnels, and narrow passages, boats and kayaks glide by. I promised myself that next time, I would admire the Lagos coastline in Portugal from the deck of a boat or kayak.
Praia do Camilo beach was one of the most interesting I saw during my travels along the Portuguese coast, and I highly recommend it. On the day of my visit, I was almost entirely alone there, except for a few strollers. Fantastic place.
I encourage you to continue southward, and if you’re persistent enough, you’ll reach the viewpoint of Ponta da Piedade. It’s the rugged end of the peninsula, offering a view of the vast Atlantic, beyond which lie the shores of Africa. Directly opposite lies the Moroccan coast, with the popular Rabat and the famous Casablanca.
Lagos in Portugal and Porto de Mos Beach have wide, sandy beaches
Here ends my account of the trip along the Algarve coast near Lagos. If you ventured further west, you would reach Porto de Mos Beach with its long sandy beaches, where it’s easy to find secluded spots. I travelled to those areas by car, but the next expedition will involve hiking around the area, about which I’ll certainly write.
Mos Beach offers plenty of attractions, aside from the natural ones, of course. There are bars, restaurants, and clubs where you can enjoy a nice evening or even two. Water sports like diving and motorboat rides are popular here. I suspect children, especially, will be delighted by this vast, almost endless sandbox.
Lagos in Portugal and package tours and other attractions in Lagos
Many companies operate in the area, offering exciting attractions and entertainment, albeit not in every field. However, you can also search for interesting activities on the GetYourGuide website, where incredible opportunities occasionally appear.
Popular activities include boat trips out to sea, where you can catch enormous cod. Others will take you underwater, into a world that is entirely alien but exceptionally beautiful. However, to dive with an oxygen tank, you need some experience. Several diving schools operate locally, providing opportunities to acquire further skills.
Boat trips along the coastline are also fascinating. You can choose a fast motorboat that will swiftly take you out to sea and back. Alternatively, you can embark on a large sailboat that will wander for hours through the foamy, warm waters around the Algarve coast.
Such a journey resembles scenes from the Pirates of the Caribbean film. Our acquaintance, the captain of a boat proudly named the Santa Bernarda Pirate Ship, claimed that his vessel appeared in one of the film’s parts, some of which were filmed right here on the Portuguese coast. However, I couldn’t find any evidence of that.
Nevertheless, the ship looks beautiful, and if you’re lucky, the crew will enact a few cool scenes straight out of pirate legends. Some trips even include landing at an inaccessible spot ashore, where a bonfire is lit, sausages are roasted, and there’s dancing, rum, and singing. It’s a fun adventure that I highly recommend.
Usually, the pirate ship sets sail from Pier Vasco da Gama in Portimao, east of Lagos.
Corsairs and pirates from Portugal and the famous pirate codex
Since we’re on the subject of pirates, I must mention that Portuguese pirates wreaked havoc on all seas and oceans for many years. They were particularly active in the Caribbean, where they attacked ships returning to Europe laden with spices, gold, coffee, or cocoa.
The most famous of Portuguese pirates was Bartholomew Portuguese, a ruthless captain of a pirate ship, but he valued honour and his word, which he allegedly never broke.
It was he who wrote the famous pirate code, which was a collection of rules and guidelines for other sea criminals. It aimed to civilize relations among lawless sailors. The code stipulated, under penalty of death, the observance of agreements and treaties between pirates. The symbol of a pirate treaty was crossed pistols.
The code also provided for punishments for various offences. The most popular one was leaving the convict on a deserted island without food and water with a single bullet in the pistol, giving him the choice to die slowly or shoot himself in the head.
Many parts of the old codex still make sense today
Everyone will have an equal say in current crew matters. This right gives him equal access to water, supplies and strong drinks as soon as they are on board. Likewise, everyone has an equal share in the spoils…
The code also carried restrictions and threats.
If the company cheats or steals just a speck of gold or a jewel, it will be left alone on the empty sand without water or food…
If one robs another, his ears will be cut off, and he will be sent back to the mainland, so that his other companions will know who they are dealing with.
You can drink without moderation only when there is sunlight. After dusk, whoever hasn’t had his fill in the dark on deck will be left to celebrate…
It goes on to say that women are not allowed on board. Anyone who does it secretly, for example by dressing the girl in men’s clothes, will be thrown overboard with her. It was believed that a woman on board meant misfortune and poverty.
Benefits of introducing a pirate code
The code also provided support for the maimed and injured comrades. Anyone who lost limbs or acquired diseases during joint actions was paid a severance from the common fund and was taken to a place of their choice.
Fighting or duelling on the deck of the ship was prohibited; both opponents could be thrown overboard for brawls. Of course, disputes, and animosities didn’t disappear. Whenever an opportunity arose, pirates would go ashore, and a fight would break out between the quarrelsome comrades. They fought with pistols or sabers, to the death or until first blood, depending on the seriousness of the dispute.
The pirate code also introduced the right to a common mess. This meant that none of the officers or even the captain should eat better than the rest of the crew. If someone suspected that the captain got something tastier than the others, they could approach and demand an exchange of bowls.
The pirate code was very long and detailed. Over time, it spread to all the places where pirates operated, eventually reaching every pirate ship. One of the 18th-century English pirates, John Phillips, particularly contributed to popularizing the code. He was enamoured with the vision of noble corsairs, full of pride and honour. It didn’t quite work out that way, but the era in which Captain John Phillips ruled the seas is still called the Golden Age of Piracy.
Lagos in Portugal and interesting facts from Lagos and the Algarve coast
- Portugal, spanning nearly 800 kilometres, borders the sea.
- On the Lagos coast in Portugal, some of the best surfing conditions in Europe prevail.
- Despite once being a global empire, owning nearly half of the world, including Brazil, all of Africa, and almost all of Asia, Portugal is now the poorest country in the European Union.
- Algarve is the most visited place in Portugal by tourists.
- On the coast around Lagos, cliff shores and small sandy beaches dominate.
- In the surrounding towns, you can find many works of ancient architecture, reminiscent of better times. However, the buildings are clearly neglected.
- Before travelling to Portugal, make sure to learn at least one word: it means thank you, and using it is good manners.
- It was from the Algarve region and Lagos in Portugal that the famous pirate Bartholomew Portuguese, the creator of the pirate code, originated.
- The country’s name comes from the Romans, who called it Portus Cale.
- Portugal lost its significance due to poor governance by successive rulers. The situation was further exacerbated by the loss of almost all colonies in the early 20th century.
- One very popular alcoholic beverage in Portugal is, of course, port wine. It is usually a sweet, red wine fortified with spirits. The name comes from the city of Porto, which is the centre of the Portuguese wine trade.
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