Things to do in Lagos

Lagos was where Portugal's Age of Discoveries began. Henry the Navigator governed the Algarve from here in the 15th century. Ships that mapped the African coast sailed out of this harbour.

The old town and its history

• The walls. Much of the 16th-century fortification still rings the old town, with the Governor's Castle standing over the marina.
• The Mercado de Escravos. The building on Praça Infante Dom Henrique where, in 1444, Europe's first sale of enslaved Africans took place; it has held a museum on that history since 2016.
• The Igreja de Santo António. A small baroque church next to the old market building, its interior covered in gilt woodwork out of proportion to its size.
• Inside the walls. Narrow, whitewashed and mostly pedestrian streets, built for people rather than cars long before Lagos needed to think about either.

The coast around it

• Ponta da Piedade. A headland of eroded rock arches and grottoes three kilometres south of the centre, with a lighthouse and a set of steps down to the water.
• Boat trips. Kayaks, paddleboards and larger boats run out from the marina along the same stretch of coast, often continuing east past smaller caves.
• Praia Dona Ana and Camilo. Small cove beaches under the same cliffs, both a walk from the old town rather than a drive.

Practical

• Weather. Summer runs near 29C with a softening sea breeze; winter days stay around 16C, and the water stays swimmable into October.
• Steps and cliffs. Ponta da Piedade's viewpoints have low or no railings in places; the descent to the water is steep and can be slick after rain.
• Getting around. The old town, marina and Ponta da Piedade are all walkable from each other, if not always a short walk.
• Booking ahead. Boat trips to the caves and grottoes sell out on clear summer mornings; afternoons are the easier booking, not the better light.