Check out the chimneys in Lagos and Sagres and other Lagos, Portugal Off The Beaten Path Tips

In olden days, in the south of Portugal and especially in the area of Lagos and Sagres, the decorative chimneys on the homes were used as a gauge to show comparative wealth of the families living inside the home.

The more ornate the chimney was then obviously the more wealth the family had.

Nowadays, the chimneys on the modern structures are all inexpensive and prefabricated - although still decorative - so they have lost that old time, unique identifying quality. But you will still notice that the folks here like to decorate their chimneys in the old fashion!

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The beaches around Lagos are some of the most beautiful of the Algarve, like Praia de Dona Ana, which can be reached after a 25 minute walk from the center of the town, Praia do Camilo, a bit further on, and Meia Praia, whose sands stretch for about 2.5 miles (4 km) east of Lagos.

However, the most admired feature around the vicinity of Lagos for its tourists seems to be the unspoiled peninsula called Ponta da Piedade fronting the bay of Lagos. This is a wonderful walking area with spectacular sea views. It has scenery of matchless beauty with many colorful cliffs, caves, arches, rocks and some wonderfully transparent waters. The crystal clear water allows you to see the many and varied underwater rock formations.

The rocks full of holes - chosen by sea birds to make their homes and contrasting with the greenish blue water - turn these beaches into sheltered coves, protecting them from the North wind that often refreshes Lagos.

Here you have nature doing some of its best artistry as the wide Atlantic Ocean crashes upon and erodes the soft limestone cliffs creating, along with the wind, a very special sea-art gallery for your pleasure.

There are impressive caves located along the coast here. Cathedral; Belas Artes; Living-room; The shoe; and The kitchen. And look for the small entrances in the rock that allow natural light to make reflections on the water, providing a beauty all its own.

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The sun-soaked coast of southern Portugal is well known to holidaymakers for the quality of its beaches, resorts and golf courses. But the Algarve has a secret: it harbors plenty of deserted beaches and a whole section of coast where you can see life as it was in the region before the onslaught of tourism.

On the far western strip of the Algarve – from Lagos to Sagres and reaching up the west coast to the village of Odeceixe – is the little-known and undeveloped Vincentina Coast, a protected nature reserve of stunning, rugged beauty.

Nearby to the city of Lagos are many, many nice beaches. The main beach is Meia Praia which lies to the east of the town and is long enough that you’ll find a space, even on the most crowded summer days. West of Lagos are the pretty cove beaches, like the one in the photograph that is Praia do Camilo Beach.

Praia Dona Ana is one of the most picturesque, with its weird sandstone rock formations rising out of the sand. The beach is 650 feet long (200 m) and accessible via a stairway. It is situated in a slightly curved half-circle formed by the surrounding cliffs, and during the tourist season more visitors come here than is probably good for this beautiful spot. Unfortunately, the water here can sometimes be somewhat dirty during the tourist season. The restaurants at Praia Dona Ana provide visitors with drinks, grilled sardines, and other snacks.

Close by the harbor you can find tourist boat tours that will acquaint you with the local marine areas with the highlight being the tide and wind sculptured cliff-side caves and gardens.

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