Lagos – The Algarve’s Maritime Playground and a City Fit for Henry the Navigator’s Caravels
A popular coastal resort town on Portugal’s crowded southern coast, Lagos serves as a gateway to the stunning Algarve region and understandably so! The whitewashed buildings of the old city may give it a quaint – regional feel, yet what may seem like a small city to today’s tourist has played an oversized part in the development of maritime Portugal, one of the great colonial powers of the era.
Table of Contents
- Geography
- A Brief History
- What to do in Lagos?
- Outside of the Old Town
- Algarve Beaches
- Nightlife and the Sunburned Fool
- Conclusion
Geography
Lagos is located on a sandy bay overlooking the Atlantic ocean. Due to its geographic position, Lagos became the port of importance during the Portuguese age of exploration before the rise of Lisbon. The city itself is built on the west side of a river inlet in which the modern marina/port is located.
The Land of Citrus
As mentioned in my Porto article, Portugal is the plentiful land of fruit. Although lemon and orange trees can be found just about anywhere throughout the country, the Algarve is renowned for its harvests, specifically the area around the town of Faro. You will surely see plenty of citrus during your time in the Algarve and you should definitely start every morning with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. The fresh taste of the sugary substance will blow your mind!
A Brief History
Antiquity and the Fall of Rome
The name of Lagos is derived from that of a Celtic settlement. Little is yet known of this era and as such I will refrain from expanding on this era in the city’s history.
Lagos would rise to prominence as part of Carthaginian Spain when it would become an important Punic colony. Being under direct control of Carthage (Present day Tunis) had its advantages. Carthage was at the time the most important Phoenician city state on the African coast, allowing Lagos access to the vast trading network of a Mediterranean superpower. During times of conflict the Celtic tribesmen of Portugal and Spain were often recruited to help Carthage fight. This was especially true in the case of its ongoing conflicts with its rival Rome. This series of events was called the Punic Wars, a drawn out squabble that would eventually signal the rise of the young upstart Rome and the decline of Phoenician Carthage as a Mediterranean power. During the course of the Punic wars, Rome burned Carthage to the ground, yet in Portugal they took a more conciliatory approach. Valuing Lagos for its harbor, it became an important Roman colony, thus the city actually thrived after the loss of its protector.
During the Marian-Sullan Civil War (the first civil war of the Roman republic, featuring a young Julius Caesar and Pompey), Sulla fought supporters of the general Quintus Sertorius nearby, Sulla’s side winning. The city was sacked by the Visigoths in the 6th century during the collective collapse of the empire better known as The Fall of Rome and was briefly recovered by the Byzantines (the Eastern Roman Empire). In the 8th century the city was taken by the Moors, Muslims from North Africa.
Medieval Kingdom of Portugal
The city, along with the rest of the Algarve, stayed in the hands of the Moors even as the Portuguese began their reconquista from Guimares in the North of the Country under their king Afonso Henriques. It would fall to the Portuguese during the 13th century after a long bout of fighting. To stress the importance of the region to the crown, early rulers would style themselves King of Portugal and the Algarve. The Portuguese Crusade in North Africa was launched from Lagos in 1415, and the important port of Ceuta on the Moroccan coast was captured and added to the crown (now owned by Spain). From there it was used as the launching point for subsequent Portuguese forays into Muslim North Africa.
The Age of Exploration
The legendary Portuguese noble, Prince Henry the Navigator made Lagos his home. Somewhat of a visionary he launched caravels, the sturdy ship of the era, from Lagos to far flung areas of the globe. A first these expeditions started close to home with vessels discovering the island of Madeira in 1419 and then the Azores in 1427. From here on in the Portuguese would set their sights on the coast of Africa. The African venture in particular made the city rich beyond belief. It was the first European city to receive and sell slaves at a huge markup additionally dealing in spices.
After the passing of Henry, Portugal expanded its horizons to the New World and Lagos began to lose its position as one of the great maritime cities of the world to Lisbon, the better located city for trade with Brazil. During a period of Union with Spain the city was raided by Sir Francis Drake, after being repelled by the inhabitants he took out his ire on nearby Faro. Although in decline, Lagos was the most important city and capital of the Algarve and as such it retained status. Yet after a disastrous earthquake struck the city in the 17th century, it was delt a fatal blow.
Two Naval Battles are named after the city, the Battle of Lagos (1693) when French flotilla defeated a combined Anglo-Dutch force, while in the Battle of Lagos (1759) an English fleet crushed a French squadron.
What to do in Lagos?
Lagos has a small old town that, albeit pretty, bears little resemblance to the bustling medieval port it once was. The sleepy city was almost completely rebuilt during the 17th century after a massive earthquake leveled the town. What attracts most people to the city is the town’s rugged coast landscape, home to stunning beaches and the sublime climate of the Algarve but more on that later.
One of my chief complaints about the city (and this applies to Lisbon as well) is that the city has been overrun by annoying American frat boys and intellectually shallow sorority girls! If my latest statement offends anyone due to its general nature, please don’t be. I am friends with many Americans and not all of the frat/sorority crowd acts like this.
The Old Town of Lagos
Like many towns in southern Portugal and Southern Spain, Lagos is known for its shimmering whitewashed buildings and its historic slave market. When entering and leaving the old town by the west side (and trust me you will, the beaches are that way), you will see a thick stone wall with square guard towers enveloping a section of the old town. The walls were built by the Christian king of Portugal while the old Castle of Lagos was built by the Moors.
Just outside the walls, on your way to the beaches you will find the Forte da Ponta da Bandeira, a 17th century castle guarding the mouth of the Lagos Harbor.
The old town consists of historic whitewashed buildings stacked on top of each other, hugging narrow streets without any setbacks. I recommend renting a place built high enough to have a view of both the city and the ocean as it is truly stunning sight.
Not far from the above mentioned castle you will find a large plaza containing a statue of Infante Dom Henrique (Prince Henry the Navigator), a central figure in the Age of Exploration as well as the Development of the city and the Igreja de Santa Maria de Lagos, the most important religious structure in the city. The late 15th century building has a pretty interior, worth exploring if you have a chance.
Just north of the statue you will find the historic slave market of Lagos, the first in Europe and a place deeply connected to the statue mentioned above. The original structure dated from 1444, but was reconstructed in 1691 and was converted into a customs house in 1755. It was Prince Henri that started the Portuguese foray into the African slave trade sending caravels to the west coast of the continent to bring back slaves. The house is now a museum.
Another building of note in the old town is the Santo António de Lisboa church. The baroque building is dedicated to Saint Anthony of Lisbon, believed to be born in Lagos. The old town itself is pretty with its small cobblestone streets subdivided into small pieces, often to make patterns such as circles in town squares, but can be explored fairly quickly. There are many patios and places to eat so just enjoy the sun and the atmosphere.
Outside of the Old Town
There is not much to modern Lagos, a place I only explored due to my need to find a proper grocery store. One part that is quite nice is the Marina, located by the train station. The marina is pretty and can be accessed via a footbridge. You will not get the authentic Lagos experience staying in this area as it is filled with resorts.
Algarve Beaches
On the east side of downtown, you will find a wide stretch of beach forming a crescent shape. This is the main public beach and it stretches out for miles. On the west side of the old town, starting at the seaside fort, forte da Ponta da Bandeira, you will see the start of a more intimate stretch of beaches. Near the fort you will find kayak rentals and a beach bar, the former a particularly useful tool if you wish to explore the rock caves near the lighthouse (to be discussed later).
This rugged part of the shoreline is the most photographed part of Lagos. The eroded rocks have resisted both sea as well as wind and protrude into the sea, creating secluded stretches of sandy beach. To reach these one needs to either swim around the rocks or pass through stunning natural portals in the rocks.
Alternatively you can walk on the ledge overlooking the beaches. Paths permeate the landscape and you will get a good look at the beaches below.
Along the way you will encounter a few hotels, many with their own beach bars such as the Marisol at Praia de luz Especial . One of the first beaches of note is the Praia dos Estudantes, a cove with a rock tunnel leading to the next cove nearby. This one is as equally stunning and contains the Lagos Roman Bridge, a massive arched passageway with sweeping view of the bay from its top.
More secluded coves exists father down the coast but as you walk this path they become less and less accessible. Up next you will find the Praia do Pinhão and the Baía dos Segredos, other popular coves.
Up next is the Praia de Luz Especial, the largest of the “cove” beaches, it is usually quite busy due to the resorts built at its peak. As mentioned earlier you can find a beach bar here. The best part about this beach is the massive stand alone stones rocks that dot the beach like looming giants, resisting the erosion of the sea and winds.
From here the coast gets craggier, to continue you will have to either swim along the shore’s edge, kayak or walk in from above (and take a staircase down). The next beach is the Praia do Camilo and it can be accessed via 200 steps. Although I had swam here I went up the steps for the view!
Finally you will see the lighthouse point in the distance.
From here it is easy to see how far from the coast you have walked. It is farther than you think!
The point that the lighthouse is built on (Miradouro da Ponta da Piedade) is perhaps the most stunning in Lagos. It has a rock formation that many boat tours hover around. Like Swiss cheese, the rocks are filled with holes and permeated with seawater. You can visit some of these “caves via a staircase leading down an escarpment on the east side of the lighthouse.
The central, or southern portion involves a cavern with a hole allowing the filtering of daylight. This is the most stunning part of the site and is best seen from the water but I was surprised at how far you can walk along the rocks at the top.
Finally, you will find many resorts and beaches to the north of this area. But they are not as stunning as the coves seen previously.
Nightlife and the Sunburned Fool
After walking all the way to the lighthouse and exploring the coastline I was ready to take it easy. I found a sunny spot on the beach, unfortunately I had been swimming and I had fallen asleep before renewing my sunscreen (yes, I know my pale self has a low tolerance to sun). I woke up a few hours late to the worst sunburn of my life and… I had committed to going out that night with people from the hostel so I toughed it out. I basically bathed myself in aloe vera and picked up a 3 euro bottle of wine to consume before going out! I am proud to say I survived the pub crawl though the old town of Lagos but I had to sharply reduce the intake of alcohol and I was sleepy due to the sun. It is not hard to find a bar in Lagos but I found the nightlife to be lacking.
Conclusion
I left Lagos, battered and heavily sunburnt, for my last night in Porto. I had a flight to catch in the morning and my time on vacation was unfortunately coming to an end. I returned to Canada greeted by cold temperatures and the only reminder of my trip being my heavily bronzed skin, already returning to its default paleness. The combination of Malta and Portugal had done me (and my pale complexion!) wonders.
