Summer in Lagos Portugal

Having never been to Portugal before, I was really looking forward to this holiday in Lagos. I travelled with my family and two young children for a week in July 17 and I was not disappointed. Lagos is about an hours’ drive from Faro Airport on the Algarve. The resort has a lot to offer families and couples alike. The beaches were very clean, and the town had a nice feel and atmosphere. It has four beaches around the town, and within walking distance from the resort. The Marina

There is a lovely big Marina that the main beach backs onto, with lots of lovely restaurants and bars. There is a bridge you can walk across to get to the Marina or further down near the old town you can cross by a little boat taxi which will take a few minutes, and only costs a small amount. From here you can book lots of different boat trips to take in the wonderful coastline and if you are lucky enough to see some dolphins.

The Old Town

The Old Town is a great place to wander around by day or night and has some great hidden authentic Portuguese restaurants with lovely fresh fish. I can recommend O’Mexilhao Restaurant and Gin Bar (amazing fish.) Here you will also find some great gift shops with the lovely Portuguese painted earthenware available to buy. In the evenings during the summer they have some great street entertainers performing around the main square.

Beaches

The main beach (Meia Praia) next to the Marina is a beautiful natural beach with small dunes. It has a wide and long expanse of sand. There are two lovely beach bars offering some shelter on a hot day and the added bonus is they both have really great food. The other beaches are smaller than the main beach and are more like sheltered coves, which are great to head to if it’s a bit windy. These are located next to the old town.

Another beach worth a visit is Porto Do Mos beach approx 3.5km from Lagos and approx 10 Euro in a taxi. This beach is the second largest in Lagos and flanked by tall cliffs that add to the beautiful scenery.

Waterpark

Having little one’s we also opted to visit the waterpark Slide & Splash, again we were not disappointed as it had something for everyone and all ages. It is about 20 minutes from Lagos. They had a large young children’s area with lots of little slides and fountains. The park also features a large pool with a wave machine and there are plenty of bigger slides for older children and adults. I found the park was clean and would definitely return if we went back to the Algarve.

Where to stay

We stayed in a private apartment, but one of the hotels I noted that would be great for families and couples is the Villa Gale Lagos, it has a huge pool and is just opposite the main beach Meia Praia.

The Belmar Spa & Beach Resort is a luxury resort that overlooks the lovely beach of Porto de Mós and the sea, it’s a few minutes’ walk to the beach and this hotel would suit families and couples.

For couples looking for wellness and spa the 5* Cascade Wellness and Lifestyle Resort is for you. It too overlooks the beautiful Porto Do Mos beach (10 min walk.)