"Lagos, Algarve" a Lagos Travel Page by haiamisa

We had rented a car in Lisbon in the morning and driven via Sines and some interesting villages to Lagos. We arrived in the afternoon and checked in the hotel Sol e Praia that I had booked via Internet.
We were tired from the drive, but very happy to reach Algarve. Our feet still hurt alot from all the walking in Lisbon, so the drive was a good rest for us and we planned to take the three days we would have in Lagos more easy.

Lagos is one of the most ancient settlements in Algarve, founded by the Phoenicians who were attracted to its natural harbour. It was an important trading post under the Moors until its reconquest by Christian armies in 1241. The town has a medieval wall around it, there is a fishing port, marina, market center and many restaurants and cafes. It has developed into a major holiday resort and during the summer the population of 20000 stretches to 200000.
Visitors come for some of the best beaches on the Algarve coast, to the east of the town is a long sand beach, Meia Praia, and to the west is an extraordinary network of coves, cliffs, tunnels and grottoes.
Lagos was a favoured residence of Henry the Navigator, who used the town as a base for the new African trade, to which is owed the town's least proud relic... Europe's first slave market, whose arcades survive alongside the old Customs HOuse in the Praca da Republica near the waterfront.
Most of Lagos can be seen explored comfortably by foot but the best way to see the outlying sights in season is by the Toy Train (if you don't have a car) which has a a good route along Avenida dos Descobrimentos to the beaches of Praia dona Ana and Porto de Moz and Ponta da Piedade.

We had two full days in Lagos (three nights) and we spent them walking on the beach early mornings and in the evenings , walking around Lagos in the evenings. On our first day there we made a trip by car to Sagres and Cabo e Sao Vincente. On the second day we made a cruise to the grottoes. The days in Lagos were a great experience.