Lagos Portugal - Beaches, Eats, and the Best Places to Drink

Location:

Lagos, Portugal

Getting there:

Fly to Faro and get a train (1.5 hours) or cab (45 minutes, €90), catch a bus or train from Lisbon (4.5 hours, €20) or bus from Seville, Spain (4.5 hours, €10-25).

Nights spent:

Six

Hostel:

Algarve Surf Hostel

AirBnB:

Private AirBnB in Lagos Centre

Budget:

€-€€

PRAIA DO CAMILO

Our favourite beach in Lagos. A gorgeous little beach not too far from the main beach (Dona Ana), and easy enough to get to. Loved by locals and tourists who know about it. This beach gets quite crowded, so if you like personal space then this beach isn’t for you. There's also a secret beach that you can get to, via a literal hole in the wall at Camilo. Prepare for stairs.

Tip: Arrive no later than 10 AM (earlier is better), as the crowds start arriving and beach space becomes very limited due to the tide. The tide went out at around 1 PM (check online for seasonal tide times), and loads more people pack onto the beach. Pack an umbrella as it is super hot, although you can hire umbrellas on the beach for €5 with a €5 deposit. Buying an umbrella in town is €10-12 . Bring something to lay on, as there are no sun beds. Bring food and plenty of water, as there is only a small kiosk that only sells beer and soft drinks.

PRAIA DONA ANA

The main beach in town. Super easy to get to, and not as many stairs as in Praia Do Camilo. There is a lot more space on the beach to lay, so you don’t feel as though you are sitting on top of the Portuguese family next to you. More space to swim, although the sand is mostly broken shells, so it hurts your feet to get into the water. Swell is also pretty rough, and waves can crash quite close to shore.

Tip: Don’t worry about the time you get here, as the beach is large enough that you wont struggle for space. Definitely pack an umbrella, as there is very limited shade from the cliffs (we don’t recommend sitting under the cliffs, as rocks regularly fall from above). Bring food and water, as there is a cafe/restaurant on the beach, but the reviews aren’t amazing. Plus, it's cheaper to bring your own food. Bring something to lay on, as there are no sun beds.

OUR FAVOURITE EATS

OTHER AWESOME EATS

Beats and Burritos—Amazing Mexican food

Casinha Do Petisco—Recommended by a local friend, and friends from home who have been to Lagos. Amazing seafood.

Casa Do Prego—Awesome Tapas restaurant with a rooftop bar. Book in, as it packs out really quick.

Coffee & Waves—Perfect spot for breakfast. Think great coffee, smashed avo, poached eggs, and acai bowls.

Cafe Odeon—€3 English breakfast.

Churra Squeira Praca D’Armas—The best flamed, butter fried Portuguese take-away chicken shop in town. €7 for half a chicken, chips, and drink.

Resturante O Charco—€8 Piri Piri chicken, chips, and salad. If you don’t like Piri Piri (who doesn’t), then the grilled chicken is the same without the spicy sauce.

DRINKING SPOTS—BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS

The Black Cat—Two for one cocktails (€7 for two)

Red Eye Bar—Cheap drinks and a pool table. Mostly Top 40 and old-school music.

Joe’s Garage—Decent atmosphere and relatively cheap drinks. Free pouring for the win.

Grand Cafe—Nightclub. €5 entry.

3 Monkeys—Cheap cocktails (€4-6) and an awesome espresso martini.

The Tavern—We dare you to try "Walk the Plank."

The Garden—€5 cocktails, and cheap starters and drinking nibbles.

Whytes Bar—Pretty standard, but fun nonetheless.

Old Bastards—Expensive cocktails (€10-12), but really good. Some awesome creations and nothing tacky. Live music, and amazing fish and chips across the road in their sister restaurant.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Lagos was an awesome place to spend five days. We wish we could have spent longer on the beaches, but unfortunately we lost a day due to getting our phones and bags stolen from our accommodation. There is so much that The Algarve has to offer, and we highly recommend hiring a car and visiting the other beaches in the area.

You can also do kayak and stand-up paddle boarding tours in the area, as well as cave exploring tours and boat trips. The Algarve has so much to offer, and Portugal has been one of our favourite places to date.

N and G

OurGetawayLife.com