Lagos is a city in Portugal, a widely known resort on south coast Algarve, at a distance of 35 km east of the southwestern point of Europe - Cape St. Vincent. Initially, Lagos was the place from which sea expeditions led by Gilles Eanches departed (his monument is still located in Lagos). Lagos, like the whole country, was severely destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, and the restoration of the city began only in the 19th century.

Nowadays Lagos attracts attention with its pristine architecture and charm, the beautiful southern beaches of Praia do Pinhao Meia Praia and the sandy strip in the east. You can relax on the beach, and for lovers active rest There is an opportunity to ride bicycles, mopeds, and also take a horseback ride and a boat ride on the sea.

It is worth taking a walk along the coast, visiting the fort and city walls, old City. Of interest to tourists is the Republic Square, the Baroque Church of Santa Antonio, decorated with luxurious carvings and gilding, ancient fortress, the Church of St. Sebastian, the Church of Carmo (a fragment of a monastery, now in ruins), the Church of Santa Maria, the city Municipal Museum, which presents exhibitions of samples of folk crafts, religious values ​​and preserved embryos of various animals. Copyright www.site

Lagos is a cozy town with cobbled streets, lots of ceramic shops and cafes. In these cafes you can always try the products of the city's confectionery factories - marzipan (handmade almond cakes), pineapple cakes, and sweet potato cakes.

Among other things, Lagos is an important international sailing center.

In the territory historical district there is the Casa das Arcadas building, which housed a customs point several hundred years ago. Now the historical building has been converted into a Center for Folk Crafts; it often hosts interesting exhibitions and also organizes master classes. Visitors can buy many of the artistic masterpieces presented in this center.

Symbolic historical monument is Fort Bandeira, it is located near the beach of Cais da Solaria. This fort was built back in 1683 and protected the harbor from pirates for hundreds of years; it has been perfectly preserved to this day. Today, the historic building also houses an exhibition hall where local artists and photographers present their work. One of the fort towers is equipped Observation deck, available to visit every day.

A unique city landmark is the Gil des Ins square, surrounded by picturesque historical buildings. During the daytime, it is nothing special; it is an ordinary square where tourists and locals walk. In the evening, the square changes beyond recognition; street performers perform interesting performances here, musicians and dancers perform, and fairs and gastronomic festivals are often held on the square. On the day of important football matches, large screens are always installed in this square.

There is a very interesting Museum of Local Lore in Lagos, which will allow you to get acquainted with the culture and history of the local population. The opening of this museum took place in 1934; it houses a rich collection of archaeological and ethnographic exhibits, as well as ancient coins and samples of rare minerals. The founder of this museum is the famous Portuguese archaeologist José Formosinho; many of the exhibits presented here were discovered by him personally during expeditions.

1. Picturesque Lagos is located 5 km from Portimao and 45 from Faro, the capital of the Algarve. Beaches are what Lagos, and the entire Algarve coast as a whole, is famous for. After reading an incredible number of reviews about Lagos on the Internet, we decided to spend ten days of our vacation in this cozy town. The first question that logically followed this decision was, naturally, transport. How to get to Lagos? All the information we have collected, convenient routes and own experience Read more about this topic under the link “Lagos. How to get there." To summarize, you can get to Lagos in different ways; we preferred the combined option of plane and bus, although getting to Lagos from Lisbon with the greatest comfort and freedom of choice allows, of course, a rented car in Lisbon.

So, a little history. Beginning in the 16th century and continuing for two centuries, Lagos was the capital. 2. It was in this town that the official residence of the famous monarch of Portugal, Henry the Navigator, was located, through whose efforts Portugal gained fame as the homeland of pioneers. The grateful residents of Lagos erected a monument to this amazing man, not forgetting to also immortalize Captain Gil Eanes. That was the name of the sailor who was the first to round Cape Bojador, the northwestern tip of the African coast. By the way, Lagos has a sad reputation large center slave trade on the European continent. It was here that caravels came full of African slaves captured in raids on the African coast.

The town of Lagos on the Algarve coast. Portugal.

The modest Church of St. Anthony is not distinguished by the magnificent architecture of the facade, but it is worth going inside the temple to admire the skillful carvings and the abundance of gold decorating interior interior temple. The church is famous for the fact that, according to contemporaries, a mass was held here, which was attended by the young Infante Sebastian before the invasion of Morocco in 1715. The result of that military expedition was sad, the Portuguese were defeated in the battle for Ceuta, and the seventeen-year-old king fell on the battlefield. Also of undoubted interest are the archaeological exhibits collected in the local history museum. Ancient Roman mosaic panels, Greek amphorae and numerous Phoenician artifacts speak volumes about Lagos' rich past. From the turbulent times of the Middle Ages, Lagos inherited Fort Ponta da Bandeira, built around the 17th century to protect Lagos Bay from the ocean. Now the fort is given over to tourists, who never tire of admiring the most picturesque views of the Algarve coast that open from the fort’s observation deck.

Beaches of Lagos. Portugal.

3. Beaches of Lagos this, in general, is the main attraction of Lagos. Leisurely walks along the ocean coast, the surf stretching beyond the horizon, pleasant fine sand underfoot and the smell of the Ocean breeze - this is how you remember your holiday in Lagos. Pinhao Beach, we called it Pinyau. A pleasant sandy beach within the city, but, nevertheless, very clean and well-groomed. A small minus - one of the long stone stairs leading to the treasured sand was broken at the very end, approximately at the height of human height, but otherwise very decent beach, a solid five on a five-point scale of our assessment of the beaches of Lagos.

4. Dona Ana Beach (Praia Dona Ana) in Lagos is perhaps the best beach, according to our, of course, subjective assessments, in the vicinity of Lagos. White fine sand, a lot of space and therefore there is enough space for everyone, comfortable entry into the water, there are several cozy bars and restaurants right on the beach where you can spend a pleasant evening after a tiring day dedicated to the sun and ocean. A glass of good red wine, the sun slowly sinking straight into the ocean and pleasant, not loud music... Oh, romance, that’s what we went to Lagos for. Another beach worthy of mention in our little guide to Lagos is Meia-Praia. It is located a little further than Dona Ana and is notable for the fact that there are conditions for surfing, kiting, in general aquatic species sports. From here you can go to sea ​​excursion to the grottoes and caves of Ponta da Piedade. Lagos. Map. Attractions. Beaches. Lagos is cozy, comfortable, pleasant. Ideal for family vacation. There is a zoo, a water park, a dolphin show, and what’s more, you can even swim with these dolphins. If you're tired of beach holiday and if you want to see something new, you can go west from Lagos. There are many fishing villages preserved there that seem to live in a completely different time, when the main craft of men was fishing, and women took care of the house and children. Lagos. Portugal. Of course, tourists were unheard of back then. Luz, Burgau, Salema and now I live such a life. Would you like to see? Come!

Cape Ponta da Piedade, Lagos, Portugal.

5. Cape Ponta da Piedade is a picturesque rock formation in the vicinity of Lagos that attracts many tourists and local children. Judge for yourself - located almost on the outskirts of Lagos, the Ponta da Piedade cape is dotted with beautiful grottoes and caves, and nearby is the magnificent sandy beach Praia de Dona Ana.
At the top of the cape there is a beautiful lighthouse, just to the right of which there is an ancient stone staircase going down to the surf line. Locals they claim that the lighthouse remembers the times when Lagos, Portugal, was the capital of the slave trade, and this, if you believe venerable historians, is no less than 1411. It was then that Lagos Bay was mentioned in the chronicles of Zaragoza as a place of trade in “live goods”.

Lagos, Portugal, historical retrospective.

6. It is believed that Lagos was originally a Carthaginian settlement in what is now Portugal. During the Punic Wars between Carthage and Rome, Lagos entered into an alliance with the Celts against Rome. Later, Lagos became part of the quietest Roman province of Lusitania, which, by the way, received its name in honor of the son of the god of wine, Bacchus. Needless to say, the Romans knew a lot about wine; it is not for nothing that Algarve wines are popular in the markets of Great Britain and Germany, while in Russia DOC Algarve is still known only to specialists.

P.S...Lagos, Portugal, news, customs, culture...

7. The ancient Church of John the Baptist in Lagos was founded in 1174 by order of the Moorish ruler of the Algarve. These days this is the most ancient temple on the Algarve coast.

8. In general, the Algarve remained for quite a long time last stronghold Moors in Portugal. For almost 100 years after the Reconquista, the Algarve remained under the control of the Moors - the kingdom of Al Gharbe - as the Algarve was called in the 12th century. It was not until 1249 that the Algarve and part of the Alentejo province were recaptured from the Moors and became part of the Kingdom of Portugal.

9. Interestingly, Lagos became the starting point of the Great geographical discoveries, it was from here that the caravels left for the cape Good Hope. Gilles Eanesh, a famous medieval geographer and traveler, lived in Lagos and was the first to circumnavigate Cape Bojador. Bojador has long been considered the place beyond which the inhabited world ends, the so-called “end of the world.”

With this post I fill the gap Portugal, the trip to which took place in August last year. I’ll try to help those who haven’t yet chosen a place to spend their summer vacation and tell you in detail about their vacation. Portuguese coast Algarve in its resort capital - the city Lagos.

Not everyone likes, like the lightning man I do, to drive around the coast in a rented car, even to the most beautiful places. Most people have neither the opportunity nor the desire for this type of vacation.

For such tourists, the Portuguese Algarve has two of the most famous cities– two tourist capitals local significance, Lagos And Albufeira. We visited both resort capitals and if I were going on vacation with my mother-in-law, wife, nanny and three young children, choosing a classic vacation format, I would choose Lagos, which I’m going to talk about.

Lagos- an ancient port and very pretty city with more than 2000 years of history. We no longer know what it looked like before; in 1755, Portugal was shaken by an earthquake and tsunami, which destroyed most of the historical beauty on the coast.

How to find budget apartments or hotels in Lagos

I prefer Old city. In its favor are approximately the same distance from city beaches, the beautiful center of Lagos, enhanced by several attractions, and an evening promenade along the embankment.

Cheap accommodation or hotels in Lagos Room Guru (Hotels Combined)- a search engine that I use myself. The advantage of the service is that it compares the prices of dozens of booking systems - all you have to do is choose Best offer by price. In each article or report, I provide links only to those hotels in which I stayed and which I liked.

I liked the hotel near the most beautiful local beach Dona Ana, Hotel Carvi Beach Hotel. View of the rocks, a beautiful beach a stone's throw away. In addition, there is another one within five minutes' reach a nice place Ponta Piedada

Another option - expensive hotels on the embankment from booking. Forget about them, don't waste money on them, they look much better in photos than in real life. There is no special view from the windows either.

The most budget housing – camping on the outskirts of the city Lagos. It's called Lagos Camping Trindade and is located next to a cape and beautiful cliffs Pontada Piedade, there is also a beach.

Address: Lagos Camping Trindade, Estrada da Ponta da Piedade, 8600

Expensive hotels are located closer to the embankment, in the center there are hostels and inexpensive hotels, so backpackers with suitcases are absolutely normal here.

Walking around the city of Lagos (Lagos)

A good morning begins with the city market; you are unlikely to have to buy anything, but it’s definitely worth looking at what else was floundering in the ocean today. At least to know what to order for lunch at local restaurants.

Market almost the only place where you can feel the city, except for the local bus station. It is located right on the embankment, there are mainly locals here who go about their grocery and household business. There are no ostentatiously beautiful stalls, the most interesting thing here is the fish rows and local merchants.

Before the heat drives you to the luxurious ocean beaches, you can have time to see what has survived the destructive work of Mother Nature. We must pay tribute to restorers and builders of all generations, thanks to them, today’s Lagos- an attraction in itself, a very cute old Portuguese resort town.

There is a temple just behind the market San Sebastian, it’s good because its viewing room opens best view of the city, I won’t show you any pictures; we were too lazy to climb up and left a reason for the next visit.

To the classic tourist - classic landmarks without any irony, I myself like to walk around old churches or look at the city from above. Church of Santa Maria, almost on the embankment, a fountain and an almost deserted square, no wonder - August, 70 percent on the beach, the rest in local bars.

Next to the church on the embankment there is a fort and the remains of the city fortress. We’re going in just for show, we don’t want to go inside, we’ve already seen a couple of such wonders. The fort has good views of the coast, but Lagos full of free viewing spots from which the views are no worse than in the stories National Geographic and completely free, which is important, there is lunch ahead.

Where are the restaurants in Lagos? Where to eat deliciously in Lagos? The answer is simple - on the streets adjacent to the embankment Bensafin River, a little on the narrow streets adjacent to the center and a lot on the main tourist April 25th street.

It's more expensive there, but look for places where locals dine in Lagos it's not worth it, it's not Lisbon. Almost all the places here are touristic, and so are the prices. So, be willing to part with 25-30 euros for a meal for two and enjoy. If you want to dine at half the price, come during the low season, at least in February, the prices will pleasantly surprise you.

Places to dine at Lagos a lot, mostly all of them are tourist. Therefore, I will not recommend anything specific.

Maybe at the end streets April 25 I can recommend Bon Vivant cafe, it is red in the photo. A good selection of drinks, an unusual interior and most importantly - an open area on the roof, from there beautiful view outside.

The terrace on the roof of the bar, we came in the morning, it was still closed - but we were welcome.

Bar and view from the site to the street on April 25

There are such boring tourist restaurants that look like canteens. Right in the alley so that your little head doesn’t get baked. It's a solid +34 Celsius outside. Most likely they are designed for organized groups of pensioners from England.

Another one, St. Anthony's Church is located in the old center Lagos, bristling with ancient spiers and towers, does an excellent job of serving its decorative role for most tourists, adding coziness to the narrow winding streets.

Main attractions of Lagos– ocean, beautiful rocks and beaches. Let's go to Ponta Piedada– a cape and observation deck on which there is a lighthouse and the so-called “first rocks”. In our case, we went, but you can walk there in about half an hour - the place is located on the outskirts Lagos.

You can spend half a day here, swim around the rocks on a boat or sit at the top enjoying the view. Near the lighthouse there is free parking for a car, we leave the car, go down the wooden stairs and take an hour-long walk through the grottoes, underwater caves and picturesque rocks. Price 25 euros for two.

The second most beautiful place in Lagos – Dona Ana beach, in July-August there are quite a lot of people. Nearby there are a couple of hotels and unfinished, unfinished construction, I already wrote about this above. The beauty of the beach and the views from the hotel make up for minor shortcomings.

Sunbathing and swimming Dona Ana beach It’s better to do it before lunch, and take pictures closer to the evening. And even then, the sun seems to be moving along the sea, and by 17.00 the rocks are already half in the shadow.

Beaches in the city Lagos several, that’s why it’s good. On the opposite side from Dona Ana Beach there is a long sandy city Meia Praia beach. You can get there by car, or you can walk - just cross the bridge from the embankment.

This long sandy beach is more suitable for lovers of a classic beach holiday; there are no waves, a gentle entrance to the water and warm water. And this is one of the warmest beaches on Algarve coast why it is loved by couples with children or simply not very active tourists.

Other beaches nearby Lagos. There are a lot of them, but if you choose the most beautiful one, this is Praia do Marinha. I wrote about him in detail Here. Or choose the appropriate option from list of the best beaches in the Algarve . But for this you need a car and it will be a completely different format of vacation or travel, whatever.

What to see in the vicinity of Lagos (Lagos) or where to go for the whole day

Firstly, it's neighboring town of Lagoa (Lagoa) , we just lived in its vicinity. There is more local flavor and a couple of good local wine shops. One of them can be found in the very center, the selection and prices are nicer than in a very touristy one Lagos.

In addition to the liquor store, take a walk along the narrow and completely deserted streets of Lagoa, it is crowded here only in the morning on weekdays, when people go to work or to the market. For those who are tired of the crowd and bustle - a must.

The local market is also worth visiting, but in the morning, of course.

IN Lagoa much bigger than the real thing Portugal than in Lagos. The city is located about seven kilometers from the ocean, which for some reason the locals call the sea. Nearest Carvoeiro beach not bad, but interesting for those tourists who have not read my posts about Portugal and therefore chose it as a vacation spot. The place is quite sad, and the beach is very small.

Near Lagos, close to Lagoa there is a town Silves without which a walk around the neighborhood Lagos will be incomplete. IN Silves there is a cathedral and an ancient Arab fortress.
The cathedral is like a cathedral, but the fortress will be of interest only to those who are interested in the Arab period of history Portugal or those who in Europe traveling for the first time. If you decide, and if you have time, you can spend a couple of hours. For us, a small consolation was the figs that grew abundantly in the courtyard of the fortress. You can calmly pick it and eat it with complete impunity and free of charge. You won’t want to have lunch after it – that’s a guarantee.

15 minutes drive from Lagoa- village Ferragudo If you are lucky, you can see the beautiful flaming sky over the ancient city center and walk along the river bank, in any case you will get visual pleasure, at least.

Once again you can interrupt your beach holiday by going to the extreme southwestern point of Europe - Cape Sagres (Vila do Bispo). It's just over half an hour by bus, taxi or car.

If your soul asks for various activities, such as kayaking, boat rides, horseback riding or cycling, then you are welcome to Lagos waterfront. Local helpers will solve all your tourist problems; they sit in small booths that are evenly spaced along the entire embankment.

A short review about your holiday in Lagos

Choice of several beautiful and convenient beaches, city attractions in the old town Lagos, warm Algarve climate, it's easy to get here from Lisbon or Faro by bus, train or car, excellent tourism infrastructure, average European prices. With such initial data, the average tourist feels comfortable and gets full value for his money. summer rest for reasonable money. Lagos self-sufficient tourist centre and, as for me, it is convenient for those tourists who do not use a rented car on vacation and do not want to make unnecessary movements.

How to find budget accommodation in Lagos

Cheap accommodation or hotels in Lagos can be found through the booking system Hotels Combined, a service I use myself. The advantage of the service is that it compares prices from dozens of booking systems - you just have to choose the best offer. In every article or report I give links to hotels in which I lived and which I liked.

How to save on housing in Lagos

Economy option for traveling with family or group - rent an apartment or apartment in the city in Lagos (Lagos). The combination of home comfort and affordable price, although in this case you will have to cook breakfast yourself, is not the biggest problem.

How to buy a cheap flight to Lisbon

IN Lagos(Lagos) can be reached from Lisbon or Faro airport. Air travel from Kyiv to Lisbon or aviasales.ru, an aggregator that I use myself. The service offers the most advantageous offers, including low-cost airlines - you just have to choose the best by price, by departure time or from your favorite airlines.

Rent a car in Portugal

It's as easy as renting an apartment or hotel and can be done on the website Rentalcars.com- just select the country and city in which you need a car. Then you choose a car and easily and naturally drive around Portugal just like we did.

Car rental in Lisbon >>

The city of Lagos is a famous sea ​​port in the south of Portugal. It is located on the shores of the bay of the same name, not far from the place where the Bensafrin River flows into Atlantic Ocean. Lagos and Lisbon are separated by 184 km.

A little history

The history of this city in Portugal goes back more than two thousand years. Initially, the Carthaginians lived here, uniting with the Celts during the Punic Wars. After the colonization of the settlement by the Romans, Lagos (Portugal) became part of the Roman region of Lusitania. Traces of this period of history are still found not only in the city, but also in the surrounding villages.

Beginning in the sixth century, Lagos passed from the Visigoths to the Byzantines, then to the Moors. It was then that the oldest Church of St. John the Baptist appeared in the Algarve today.

Lagos passed from the Moors to the rule of King Afonso III only in 1241. In 1361 the city acquired new status and became legally independent. And after King João I assembled a fleet in Lagos harbor to conquer Ceuta in the early 15th century, the city became an important seaport. Lagos (Portugal) achieved particular importance during the time of the Great Geographical Discoveries (early 15th century - 17th century). It was from here that the son of John I directed many expeditions to West Coast Africa and Morocco, and famous navigator Gil Eanesh swam beyond Cape Bojador, disproving the theory that it was the end of the world.

Lagos today

Today Lagos (Portugal) is famous resort, which attracts travelers from all over the world with its pristine architectural decoration, the purest sandy beaches and an extraordinary atmosphere. In this beautiful city, you can stroll through the peaceful streets with stunning architecture, ride around the area on a bicycle, moped or even on horseback, sail along the coast by boat, get to the fort, dine in cozy restaurants, try local confectionery masterpieces, visit famous museums and much more.

Climatic features

The weather in Portugal, namely in this area, is largely determined. In Lagos, the air temperature is always several degrees lower than in other regions. This is also influenced by the Canary Currents, which are cold.

In summer, the weather in Lagos is pleasantly warm. The air temperature remains at 25-30 degrees for three months, and the water temperature at 20-22 degrees. Drought alternates with rainy days. In autumn, the air temperature drops to 20 degrees. In the winter months it almost never falls below 12 degrees.

Architectural landmarks

Many architectural landmarks of Lagos were destroyed by a powerful earthquake and tsunami in 1755. Nevertheless, today there are still a lot of interesting places, which are mandatory items excursion program around town:

• Lagos Castle. It is considered the main attraction and amazes with its huge walls, many corridors and rooms where hidden a large number of secrets and mysteries. The history of the castle begins in 1174. During this time, he survived several wars and a powerful earthquake. After 1755, the castle underwent cosmetic repairs and comprehensive restoration of the walls several times.
• Monastery of Nossa Senhora do Carmo. It was erected in the 13th century. At the end of the 18th century, as a result of an earthquake and fire, the library and the church connecting the monastery and the temple of Santa Teresa were badly damaged. It was possible to restore part of the building only at the beginning of the 20th century. The rear buildings are built in Baroque style, but the external decoration contains small Gothic and Classical elements. Inside the monastery there is a large amount of wood and gold items.
• Fort Meia Praia. It was built in the style of mannerism and reflects the trends of military architecture. The earthquake completely destroyed the Fort, but by 1796 local authorities had completely restored it, and in 2009 the landmark was included in the list of official monuments of the country.
• Church of San Sebastian. One of the oldest architectural structures. In addition to three naves separated by Doric columns and a stunning altar, inside the church you can discover the ancient plan of Lagos. Changes affected it only at the end of the 19th century. Then a new building was added to the plan - a tower with bells.

Natural monuments

• A divine corner - a cape overlooking rock formations. The beach here amazes with the clearest water.
• Golden grottoes.
• Laguna de Alvor. Here you can take a boat ride.
• Baran de São João National Forest.

Beaches

The beaches are the pride of this city. There are not only a lot of them, but each has its own peculiarity. All Lagos beaches can be divided into two categories: open bays stretched along the coast or closed bays of unusual shapes. What they have in common is that almost everyone has a developed infrastructure and is well equipped with amenities for people with disabilities.

Popular beaches include the following:

• Meia Praia is the largest and largest. The beach is surrounded on all sides by gentle slopes, so there is practically no wind here. Meia Praia provides everything for an active holiday: water skiing, catamarans, various attractions and so on.
• Donna Maria - perfect beach where you can retire.
• Donna Ana. Considered the most beautiful beach, near which there is one of the popular hotels. It offers stunning views of the rocks. There are two hotels nearby.
• Batata is small and picturesque. It is sandwiched between a rock, but despite this there are always a lot of people here.
• Solaria, like the beach mentioned above, is very close to the city center. But it pleases with its size. There are sun loungers, umbrellas and rental of various sports equipment.
• Praia do Carvalho. This is a very small beach sandwiched between rocks. Here you can rent a boat to visit the picturesque grottoes and caves located nearby.
• Praia do Amado. It is considered an ideal place for surfers: the waves are good and there are not many people. Both experienced athletes and beginners will like it here, because there are several surfing schools on the beach.
• Praia de Marinha - beach for relaxing holiday. There is no influx of tourists here and you can not only soak up the golden sand, but also have a good snorkeling session.

Other things to do in Lagos

Lagos (Portugal) is famous for its ceramics, products from which are sold here for a wide variety of purposes, shapes and colors. There are also a large number of shops in this area where you can buy small souvenirs made from cork: keychains, coasters for glasses and mugs, hats and even shoes. As for shopping, sometimes a fair takes place near the church, which is located in the harbor, where you can buy unique items of clothing, household items and various souvenirs.

In addition to shopping and excursions in the city, you can visit:

• large golf center;
• a zoological garden, where you can not only watch a variety of animals, but also take a walk in the green area;
• Spa;
• night clubs.

, booked hotels in the Algarve, the easiest way to buy tickets V bus Lisbon - Algarve online through the company website EVA Transportes. Comfortable buses they will drive you to the resorts Algarve in just under 3 hours with one rest stop. Of course, then there are stops in all the resort towns, but this is not annoying, on the contrary, it is curious. I read somewhere that some of our tourists traveling in Portugal, have difficulty finding the initial EVA bus stops in Lisbon. It's simple bus departs from the station Jardim Zoológico(see map). The difficulty, apparently, is finding a stop at the Zoo. Arrive early, stand with your back to the main entrance and in front of you, behind the wide highway and overpass there will be a covered station. It’s hard to see, but if anything happens, ask the gatekeeper at the gate :) (that’s what we did). The main thing is not to come back to back, “in Russian”. Enough about that. A beautiful one awaits us Algarve weather and the best beaches in Lagos.
Our apartments Casa Paula (Paula's House) was not only reasonably priced, but also well located. The center is just a stone's throw away, but Lagos beaches I’m generally silent - those that are the most picturesque, located in secluded coves, can be walked around, enjoying the magnificent views. If we take the fort by the ocean as our starting point, this beach on the right will be the very first and closest, behind which the bays and grottoes stretch, right up to the cape Ponta da Piedade.
And to the left of the fort (seen in the distance) is beach a completely different type - many kilometers, with water activities and a bunch of surfers, Praia da Meia Praia(see map below).

But first we will go to the right, through the grottoes (be careful, falling stones) to get to the next beach, Praia do Pinhao, where there are much fewer people.

Praia do Pinhao.

This beach in Lagos will delight you with picturesque pictures decorated with intricate coastal ledges, water changing its emerald color with different shades and seagulls bringing some animation to the holidays in Lagos.

Get on these Algarve beaches You can go on horseback (wooden or stone stairs go down) or through grottoes, as well as along the shore, going around protruding cliffs. But keep in mind that some coves can become traps - during high tide it is difficult to get out.


Some kind of small beach with a monumental stone staircase. Apparently, there was once someone's upstairs villa with access to your own beach.

On this beach it is interesting to wander between the stones and look for animals in the clear water. It's worth mentioning that beaches in Lagos, and in everything Algarve, often get Blue flag, international recognition of water quality and purity.

Why are they good? Algarve beaches, this is because if you get bored, you can go up and admire the views, make good photo Lagos, or even move to another beach.

So, quite by accident, while walking, I discovered one of best beaches Algarve Praia de Dona Ana .

This beach is already more lively, since there are two hotels nearby (Villa Doris Suites on the shore and Carvi Hotel Lagos a little further away). But there is no special crowd even at the beginning of July. But here you can already get a variety of water activities. From our apartment it was to the beach Donna Anna It's about a half hour walk, so if you're with children, it makes sense to book a hotel near Praia de Dona Ana beach.


But behind this ledge there is a romantic, treacherous bay-trap for those who like to retire.

If you miss the beginning of the tide, you will have to sunbathe until the next low tide, there are no stairs to the top - you can only get out around the cliff, on foot, and swimming is very dangerous, you can hit the rocks with a wave. However, with some vigilance, it is still worth visiting this secluded place.

And so Donna Anna beach looks like when ocean restless. After such excitement, the shore is full of all sorts of interesting living creatures.


About water procedures - water temperature in the Algarve highly dependent on the vagaries of the ocean and its currents. That's why even summer water in Lagos cool, the contrast is emphasized even more strongly by hot weather. It is believed that the water in the bays is somewhat warmer than on large beaches with waves.
We've sorted out the bays, now let's explore Lagos beaches to the left of the fort. From the roof of our apartment Casa Paula, where we usually liked to have breakfast and sometimes dinner, is clearly visible one of the best beaches Portugal, Total Algarve And - Praia da Meia Praia.

The only drawback was that it was a little inconvenient to get there from our side. By map you can see that the yacht canal divides the city into two parts. And to get to beach Praia da Meia Praia, you either need to go to the drawbridge and then go back to the ocean, or take a shortcut and pay a small fee for a small bot to cross it. Therefore on this beach We rarely went and spent the whole day there.

If you are attracted by these many kilometers beaches with water activities, and also with the opportunity to surf, it probably makes sense to stay in this part and choose a hotel in Meia Praia Beach. You don’t have to drag around the city with your equipment, although you can rent a car :)

The Algarve, the beaches of Lagos, and almost all of Portugal are a paradise and expanse for surfers. And although the waves on this beach are more modest than in Peniche or Lourinha, there are also waves here.

Praia da Meia Praia some photo.


Be sure to plan a short boat excursion along the coast, where everything Lagos beaches, bays and grottoes you will see from the ocean. Just buy on the day of sailing - if there is even a little excitement, the captain of the boat has the right not to enter the picturesque grottoes with blue water, because you can only get into them through arches in the rocks. Or, if you have enough cash, take a private excursion and motorboat.

Beach Praia de Dona Ana from the outside.



Praia do Pinhao beach And beach at the fort.


While vacationing in Lagos, I liked, oddly enough, to get up early and walk around the area with a camera

and leave your first footprints on the virgin morning beach.

For those who are curious, I present cards two beaches.


Beach map .