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Portugal: The Algarve

Your Travel Guide to Lagos, Portugal

Today we’re exploring the Algarve region, located in the South of Portugal–famous for its stunning rock formations, rugged cliffs, and grottoes. In the Algarve you will find the small charming old fishing towns Lagos which provides easy access to the algarve, sandy beaches and iconic landmarks like the Benagil caves. Here’s a short guide to help you make the most of your trip.



Exploring Lagos


Welcome to Lagos, a beautiful coastal town located in the Algarve region of Portugal. It’s known for its stunning beaches, historic old town, and vibrant nightlife. While the town is quite hilly it’s worth exploring the charming streets, historic buildings, and local shops and restaurants. Venturing around in the old town I found cute boutiques, shops, restaurants, live music and even street performers. The old town of Lagos have a lively nightlife scene, with a few bars and clubs staying open late.

Lagos is very walkable. While there are local buses available I found ride-share apps the most convenient way to get around the Algarve. Uber and Bolt are available in the area and the prices were reasonable.

You can take walk along the waterfront of Lagos where you will find tents with local vendors selling tourist tokens. You can find the marina and boat ticket sales booths on the east side of the old town, you just need to walk across a vertical-lift pedestrian bridge to reach it.

Once you have crossed the bridge you will be close to a few great seafood restaurants that came highly recommended by locals. Tasca do Kiko, Tasca da Lota, Restaurante São Roque, and my favorite which was Restaurante Al Barrigada.

Whether you’re interested in beachside relaxation, exploring historic sites, enjoying water sports, or simply immersing yourself in the local culture, Lagos has something to offer every type of traveler. It’s a destination that tends to leave a lasting impression, making it easy to understand why so many people love Lagos.


Getting to Lagos from Lisbon


It takes about 3.5 hour to drive down to Lagos if you drive the non-scenic route. The scenic route is spectacular if you have a rental car and 6 hours to spare. Otherwise you can commute by train, plane or bus. The airport in Lagos is abbreviated FAO and there are flights available from Lisbon daily. I recommend using the Oriente train/bus station if you’re coming from Lisbon. I’ll explain why below.

I booked my tickets for the train the week of my travel and I was actually refunded and told the online train tickets were sold out and that I would need to arrive early at the station to try to purchase a seat. Even though I arrived at 6:00 am, I could not get a train ticket as all of the trains leaving before 10:00 am were sold out. I was at the Oriente train station in Lisbon which I learned is also a major bus station. I purchased a bus ticket from the sandwich shop and caught the next bus to Lagos (23 EUR cash only). Honestly, I was relieved, I had 2 large suitcases and the only trains available had connections so I would have been hauling my suitcases more than needed.

I ended up on Flix-bus which is common in Europe and the U.K., and was your typical standard coach bus, there is plenty of room for your luggage in the side-carriages. There is Wi-Fi available onboard, and the bus makes one pit stop at a gas station/cafe. It took 4 hours each way from Lisbon to Lagos.

What you won’t want to miss in Lagos


Ponta da Piedade

If you’re in Lagos you don’t want to miss Ponta da Piedade. You can visit these stunning cliffs and rock formations by boat or on foot. If you are visiting on foot you will have the opportunity to see the cliff tops from the top. There is a lighthouse you can explore and you can walk to both sides of the point using one of the many paved walking trails. This world-famous landmark is about a 20 minute walk from the Old town, and is a spectacular place to watch the sunset.


Beaches in Lagos

Don’t miss the famous beaches including Dona Ana, Camilo, and Batata Beach. Meia Praia is another option, this one is a beautiful long sandy beach. I took one of my days to enjoy Meia Praia. The water is cold but not nearly as cold as it is near Lisbon. There are a few cafes along the beach you can rent sunbrellas and beach chairs or enjoy a meal while you take in the sea side. Meia Praia is technically walkable from the Old town or you can take a shuttle if you are staying at the Tivoli Lagos hotel.


Sagres – The End of the World

Consider taking a day trip out to nearby Sagres, the most Southwest point of Europe and is said to be the point that Christopher Columbus departed from.

I chose to go for the sunset jeep tour in Sagres. It was by-far one of my favorite experiences Portugal. On the jeep tour you will have the opportunity to visit: Vila de Sagres, Cape of S.Vicente, an off-road secret beach spot, and another secret spot with 140 meter high cliffs where you will get to watch the sunset while enjoying Portuguese wine and a typical Portugese snack.

I would highly recommend the sunset jeep tour to anybody who is visiting the Algarve, it is definitely the best way to explore Sagres Natural Park.


Explore the Algarve

The best way to get up close to the cliffs, caves and grottos of the Algarve is to get out on the water. Lagos is the perfect hub for this. You can book your tours at the marina where you can also departure from. You will find water sports like surfing, paddle boarding, and kayaking. You’ll see multiple booths set up along the marina walk-way during the high-season. There are full-day and half-day and even 2 hour tours available, you can choose a party-style catamaran or enjoy a more private low-key day, there are family friendly options — there’s something for everyone. I chose to take a half-day catamaran tour, unfortunately I thought the trip was at 11:30am, turns out the boat departed at 11:00 am and I missed the tour. Nor the boat company or the office where I booked the tour would offer a refund for my ticket. So, lesson-learned — make sure you are on time for your boat tour. Plan to get there early and leave some extra time to get across the pedestrian bridge (it can take up to 15 minutes if the bridge is lifting for a passing boat).


Faro

Faro is the capital of the Algarve region in Portugal, it offers some great hiking opportunities in its surrounding areas. Faro itself is a relatively small which is why most travelers opt to stay in nearby Lagos. Though Faro is also an awesome option with plenty of beautiful natural landscapes and trails within a short drive from the city.


Benagil Cave – Everything you need to know

Benagil Cave is a stunning sea cave located in the Algarve region of Portugal, not far from Faro. While you can’t exactly hike to the cave due to its location along the coast, you can reach it by various means, including walking and boat tours.

Below you can explore options to decided how you will visit the Benagil Cave:
Boat Tours: Taking a boat tour is one of the most popular ways to visit the Benagil Cave. You can depart from Faro, Lagos or choose from one of the many local tour operators in Benagil. You will be offered many different guided boat tours that take you to the cave. These tours typically depart from various locations along the Algarve coast, and they provide a unique opportunity to see the cave and its surrounding coastline from the water. Most tours also offer the option to stop and explore the cave. Be sure to verify that your boat will be allowing you to disembark in the cave as not all do, some boats will just swim into the cave and swim right back out.

Kayaking: If you prefer a more active approach, you can rent a kayak and paddle to the Benagil Cave. It’s an enjoyable way to explore the coastline and get up close to the cave’s entrance. Be sure to check weather conditions and tides before embarking on a kayaking trip.

Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP): Stand-up paddle boarding is another option for reaching the cave. SUP allows you to explore the coastline at a leisurely pace while enjoying the scenery. I chose the early morning SUP tour with Brotherootz company. I had to take an Uber from Lagos which took about 40 minutes cost me less than 30 euro. There is also parking available at the meetup point (if you drive there).


The Benagil cave tour with Brotherootz begins at Carvalho’s beach (which is an adventure in and of itself). Carvalho’s beach is gorgeous and completely surrounded by limestone cliffs, after descending the stairs you will access the beach through a tunnel carved staircase. My tour was about 2.5 hours and started at 7am. I would highly recommend an early/morning tour if you are planning to visit Bengail cave as this will help you avoid the crowds. During your tour you will also visit several caves along the way and learn about the natural history of these strikingly beautiful algarves. Brotherootz provides all equipment needed (life jackets, paddles/SUPs, and even a waterproof bag).

Carvahlo’s beach is a part of the “seven hanging valleys” hiking trail. You can begin your hike after your paddle boarding adventure.


The 7 hanging valleys trail

This 3.7 mile long coastal trail is an out and back trail (7.4 mile roundtrip), it is moderately challenging, mostly flat and takes about 3 hours (each way) on average to complete. The trail is clearly marked with yellow and red paint marks (you’ll see them on rocks and wooden posts) and making it easy to follow. The trail runs from the world-renowned Marinha Beach to the Praia do Vale de Centianes in Carvoeiro. If you are visiting in the summer months I’d recommend starting early from Marinha Beach, this way you won’t have the sun in your face on your way back. There is also more parking available at Marinha beach. The views are great both ways so you can’t go wrong by starting at either end or even in the middle.

The scenery on the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is just spectacular. You will see rugged limestone cliffs, bizarrely shaped rocks sticking out of the water, picturesque sandy beaches, stunning lookout points, dramatic cliff drops and underground caves. It is truly one of the most beautiful coastal hiking routes in the world. I’d definitely recommend planning a full day trip here so you have enough time to walk the trail without rushing, enjoying the scenery, and stopping to enjoy some beautiful beaches along the route.

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