"Lagoa - Small, charming town near Silves" Lagoa by Willettsworld

Lagoa is a small, charming, unassuming town that's located 8km (5 miles) east of Portimao and 7km (4 miles) south of Silves. I came here one afternoon after visiting the latter and found a gem of a untouched, unspoilt and little visited town of whitewashed buildings. According to historical sources, the earliest settlement of Lagoa was on the edges of a small lake or marsh (Lagoa in Portuguese means lake), which was drained in order to create fertile land and habitations which in turn were later occupied by the Muslims. When the area was reconquered in the mid-twelfth century by the Christian forces from the north, it was integrated into the Portuguese kingdom. Lagoa was within the area governed from Silves. On the 16th January 1773, by a charter of King José I (Joseph I), gave the town the title of municipality (concelho) after its principal settlement was elevated to town status.

The town features a nice church which was closed when I visited, an unusual looking market building and the Convent of Sao Jose, said to have been founded sometime between 1710 and 1713 by members of the Carmelite order of nuns, who fostered and educated abandoned girls. Worth a visit if you're visiting Silves.