Beautiful riverside, patterned promenade in Lagos and other Lagos, Portugal Things to Do Tips

What strikes you first when you arrive in Lagos is the long park-like riverside promenade which runs right from the highway and past a section of the old cities stonewall. It’s a lovely cobblestone and mosaic-patterned promenade stretching the length of the estuary to the new Marina, uncluttered, nicely landscaped, very clean and pedestrian-friendly. It is reminiscent of similar promenades on the Costa del Sol and the French Riviera.

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One of the most formidable milestones in the quest for a sea passage to the Orient was Cape Bojador, a headland on the bulge of Africa that struck terror in the hearts of medieval seafarers. It was an awesome promontory because of the myths and legend surrounding it, and because of the very real and treacherous winds and currents that made it difficult for sailing ships of the day to both round it and return.

The first European captain to accomplish this feat was Gil Eanes, Lagos' most famous son. He did so in 1495 at the behest of Henry the Navigator after many other sailors had failed.

Both Prince Henry and Gil Eanes are justly commemorated with statues. Prince Henry’s statue presides over the Praca da Republica while Gil Eanes’s statue is in front of the town walls a little farther along to the west. Lagos also has a third statue, one of the boy-king, Sebastiao, who precipitated the demise of the Aviz dynasty in the 16th century by sailing from Lagos to a disastrous defeat in Morocco.

Just before they set sail, Sebastian, then aged 21, is said to have given a final pep-talk to his troops from a small Manueline-style window, which you can see, fairly high up, in a corner of the town walls just to the left of Henry's statue.

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It was from Lagos that Prince Henry the Navigator, sponsored missions of exploration along the West Coast of Africa. This resulted in the opening of the sea route from Europe to India and the subsequent development of the empires of not only Portugal, but also the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Belgium.

So Lagos came to be the major port from which explorers set out to discover lands in Africa and Asia and build the trade routes that made Portugal rich. Many seamen on the voyages of exploration originated from Lagos, which resultantly turned it into a commercial and naval port of consequence. It was from Lagos that the caravels, developed by Portuguese shipwrights, sailed to encounter new worlds in Africa and America and subsequently brought back gold, ivory and, sadly, slaves, all of which greatly contributed to the wealth of both the city and nation.

At that time in history, no trade was richer than that of trade in slaves and the first slave market opened in Europe to accommodate this trade still stands here in central Lagos.

Situated on the Praca do Infante Dom Henrique in Lagos, the building with four arches, shown in the picture, was the site where the first slaves brought from Africa were sold beginning in 1444 AD. On the walls, one can see a stone bearing the coat of arms of the Marques de Nisa, dating from the 17th Century, and on one wall a window dating from the 15th Century, which originally was a door.

Today this building has a much nobler use as it is now used as an art gallery where local artists exhibit their works.

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Access to the old town is easy through entrances in the wall. The main shopping and tourist area is closed to vehicles, so you can browse and take in the sights at your leisure. Once inside, you'll find a market and neat, well-supplied shops specializing in silver filigree, copper, leather, a good selection of wines, great breads and delicious pastries. There is also a wide variety of restaurants for all tastes. The great earthquake destroyed or damaged many of the historic buildings, but left unscathed one that you absolutely should not miss. It's one of Portugal's national treasures, the military chapel of Santo Antonio.

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