I need to start this post with complete transparency, if you come to Lagos it’s going to destroy you for the rest of your life. It is such a perfect beach town that so many other places just don’t live up to it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
The atmospheric town of Lagos is an excellent place to base yourself in the Algarve. Considered the region’s prettiest town, with its colourful streets and historical buildings and some of the best beaches in the region. Golden sand, crystal turquoise waters, all hugged by dramatic limestone cliffs? This is the basic standard of the beaches in Lagos, it truly feels like a postcard. If this isn’t enough Lagos has a lively town centre with historical sights, thriving street art scene and incredible restaurants.
2 days in Lagos is the perfect amount of time to see the town, the stunning natural scenery and lay on the beach. Its not a big town therefore it’s easy to hop between all the top attractions.
In this guide we cover a perfect 2 day Lagos itinerary that features all the best of the old town, gorgeous beaches, boat trips, kayaking (even surfing), hiking and if that’s not enough some of the best cafes, restaurants and gelato in the town. Oh and a handy map, all for free!
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Do I Need A Car In Lagos?
No you can easily walk to all the best parts of Lagos including the nicest beaches. A car is needed if you would like to explore the south east of the region such as Rocha Negra, Praia da Luz and Sagres, which are all insanely beautiful but there is enough to see in Lagos without a car. My 2 day Lagos itinerary is a car free itinerary.
2 Day Lagos, Portugal Itinerary + Map
Day 1
Morning: Explore Lagos Old Town
Day 1 of 48 hours in Lagos is a self-guided tour around old town. Lagos Old Town is quaint, picturesque and compact. Although it’s touristy, you will see more tourists than locals and lots of souvenir shops, it has held onto its authentic Portuguese charm. Walking around the colourful tiled and pedestrianised streets you will be surrounded by historical baroque buildings and medieval remnants.
Before we go in to what to do here it’s good to get a brief history lesson on Lagos. This town has quite a past! Throughout history, it was conquered by various civilizations: the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, and the Moors, who held it for two centuries until the Portuguese reclaimed it in the 13th century.
In the 15th and 16th century, Portugal was one of the leaders during the Age of Discoveries, with Lagos serving as a crucial starting point for African explorations . The town became a hub for trading African goods including ivory, spices, gold, and sadly, slaves (the old slave market still stands at Praça da República). However, the devastating earthquake of 1755 heavily damaged Lagos, leading to Faro becoming the new capital of the Algarve. Class dismissed!
What To Do In Lagos Old Town
- Igreja de Santa Maria de Lagos: built in the 15th century, it’s white facade is beautiful. Inside it small but it’s open to the public and has daily mass
- Lagos Castle Walls: you cannot access the castle it’s only the walls but it’s worth a look at this grand entrance to the town
- Igreja de Santo António: striking intricate gilded woodwork circling most of the interior, colourful ceiling and painting depicting St Anthonys miracles
- Forte da Ponta da Bandeira: old but well maintained with nice views. You can walk around it and there is a small museum inside
- Old City Wall: this wall circles most of the old town, you can follow it along the narrow streets and parks
- Mercado de Escravos: an old slave market turned museum educating visors on Portugals role in slavery in Europe. The museum includes interactive tablets with English language
- Find some cool street art: amid the historical buildings are some colourful murals
- Mercado Municipal de Lagos: colourful and lovely fresh food market. For anyone with cooking facilities you could purchase delicious fresh fish and local vegetables to make a meal but if you are kitchen-less then it’s still a good place to visit and upstairs has a cafe with panoramic views
LAC’s 2011 project ARTURb has been bringing Europe’s best street artists to transform the abandoned buildings and street corners of Lagos into colourful murals.
Brazilian artist Tarso Silva creates realistic painting of celebrities, his mural of Alicia Keyes can be found close to the post office on the marina, his mural of Mexican Catrina can be found at the Santa Maria restaurant and his Mad Hatter painting is next to GoodTimes skateshop. Check out Tars82 on Instagram, he posts his latest art here. Additionally, Street Art Map has a detailed post about the local street art in Lagos that is kept up to date.
You might also like: 17 Best Things To Do In Lisbon
Midday: Kayak Or Surf
This is just optional as not everyone will want to spend the full day in Lagos Old Town. Lagos is the perfect place for kayaking, the scenery is truly breathtaking with warm crystal waters beneath you and rugged cliffs and unique rock formations beside you. It’s especially enjoyable from May to September when the water is calm. If you have time after visiting old town or kayaking is just more of your thing, this kayak tour takes you to all the beauty spots along Lagos’s dramatic coast.
Lagos is also a popular surfing spot, Meia Praia and Porto de Mos are the main beaches for surfing, you’ll find a number of group lessons covering all levels with a professional coach, or you could rent a board and go solo.
Evening: Sunset Dinner + Drinks
After a day brushing up on the history of Lagos it’s about time you put your feet up and have a well deserved cocktail. Bon Viviant is a cute cocktail bar, the roof has views of the tops of the buildings, we were there for sunset and it was very pretty. I recommend the Tiki cocktail!
It probably will come as no surprise that the Algarve, a place surrounded by water, is famous for its fresh fish and seafood, yes what a shocker! Dishes like Caldeirada de Peixe (fish stew), sardinhas assadas (grilled sardines), cataplana (claypot) and of course variations of bacalhau (dried and salted cod), are what you can expect to find on many menus. Check out Taninos Wine & Kitchen, Restaurante Pescador for something fancy or Ol’Bastards for some casual fish and chips.
Fancy something sweet? Gelato in Lagos
Day 2
Morning :Benagil Caves Boat Tour
Day 2 of this 2 day Lagos itinerary and we are kicking it off with the top thing to do here, the Benagil Caves! What’s so special about it I hear you ask? It’s basically a natural phenomena, the caves large domed ceiling allows light to filter in. The sunlight reflects off the water and the small beach, and it’s just beautiful.
The Benagil caves can only be reached by boat, kayak or paddle board so you will need to book a tour to see this attraction. This tour also includes Dolphin watching with a marine biologist so you get two memorable experiences in one go!
The journey out the caves is also spectacular with the Algarve’s golden cliffs in sight.
For those who want to see the Benagil caves but don’t like the water, you can see them from above if you do a short hike. The scenery and experience is just as fun from this perspective, but you remain dry. It is part of the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail which is a 3 hour hike, but the Benagil Cave section is just 40 minutes.
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Midday: Beach Hopping
After a morning of hardship watching majestic dolphins and taking in some of the worlds best natural scenery you probably need to unwind. I couldn’t put together a 2 day Lagos itinerary and not include some beach time, after all some of the best beaches in the Algarve are situated in Lagos, it would be a crime not to take advantage of it. I’ve listed some of my favourites below.
- Praia de São Roque: large beach located east of the marina. A few beach bars line the shores and it’s also a good surf spot.
- Praia da Batata: the closest beach to Lagos Old Town, on the foot of Forte da Ponta da Bandeira, there is also a tunnel connecting to another beach
- Praia de Dona Ana: pretty beach with dramatic cliffs that give you some natural shade
- Praia do Camilo: small but beautiful that you need to climb down 200 wooded steps to access, the view from these stairs is stunning. Once you are down there is a small tunnel that connects to another beach.
If you go to Praia do Camilo you will be very close to the next activity on this itinerary.
Evening: Walk To Ponta Piede For Sunset
What a way to end 48 hours in Lagos, watching the sun go down at Ponta Piede. A result of a storm, Ponta Piede is a set of rock formations that sprout out of the Atlantic with grottos and sea arches.
To get here without a car you have 3 options;
- Walk the main road from town which is mostly flat (45 minutes)
- Hike the Ponta Piede Coastal Trail past Praia de Dona Ana, Praia do Camilo, and Praia dos Pinheiros. This is much more scenic and takes about 1 hour
- If you are visiting between July and September you can take the hop-on hop-off tourist train. You can find the schedule and stops here.
Once you reach Ponte Piede you can walk a boardwalk that then leads you down 182 steps to the grottos where you can witness one of the most breathtaking spots the Algarve has to offer.
That’s the end of the 2 day Lagos itinerary, keep reading for some essential information to know before your trip.
Where To Stay In Lagos
The compact size of Lagos means that you are never too far from a beach. I suggest staying close to old Town for the proximity to restaurants and bars, additionally you will be just a short walking distance to some beautiful beaches.
Budget | Orange3 Hostel – located in old town this hostel has colourful and spacious private rooms fitted with air conditioning and direct access to a patio.
Mid-range | Hotel Marina Rio – located on the busy marina, only 10 minutes walk to town and 15 minute walk to the beach. Room are cosy and modern with a balcony. The hotel has a shared TV-lounge, a games room and a rooftop pool.
Luxury | Vila Gale Lagos – 4 star resort located along Meia Praia Beach. The facilities of this resort are excellent and include a children’s playground, 3 tennis courts, gym, indoor and very large outdoor pool, jacuzzi, spa and Turkish bath. Rooms are large and apartments are also available.
Getting To Lagos
How To Get From Faro Airport To Lagos
During May – October the easiest option is to take the number 56 bus, the journey takes 2 hours and 10 minutes. Tickets cost €15, and can be purchased at the ticket desk in the airport, onboard (cash only) or on the Vamus app. Check the timetable here, it does not operate from November to April.
During November – April the best option is to get the train. You will need to take the no.16 bus or a bolt/uber into Faro city train station. Train tickets cost €7.50, the timetable can be accessed here.
The most expensive but definitely the most comfortable way to get from the airport is to book a private transfer in advance. It will cost approximately €30 per adult and takes 90 minutes. This is the best option if you are arriving late to Lagos.
How To Get To Lagos From Lisbon Or Porto
From Lisbon journey will take approximately 4 hours, you will need to transfer train in Tunes. Most of the journey will be on a high speed train but the second train is a bit slower.
Check trains on Omio.com.
From Porto journey is approximately 7 hours, transferring in Lisbon and Tunes. The trains from Porto and Lisbon are high speed but as above the train from Tunes is slower.
Check trains on Omio.com.
Best Time To Visit Lagos
Peak season is July to August, its the best time for the beach with high temperatures and low rainfall, however it is the busiest time for tourists which is reflected in the hotel prices. The mid-season is April, May, September & October which still has sunshine with temperatures in the low 20’s but there are less visitors. It’s an ideal time for anyone looking to score a good deal on flights and accommodation.
The low season is November – March, during this time the most rainfall occurs, temperatures hang around 12 – 15 degrees, many businesses are closed and the days are much shorter with 5pm sunsets. I would avoid Lagos at this time as you won’t get the full experience.
Lagos FAQ
2 days is the perfect amount of time in this small coastal town. If you like to relax on the beach then extend your trip but to see and experience Lagos you need just 2 days here.
Absolutely, you can walk between all the top attractions. The Old Town is pedestrianised and the roads to the beaches outside of the town are well maintained.
Porto and the Algarve are completely different. Porto is a historic city with towering bridges, a winding river and extensive wine valleys whereas the Algarve is a coastal beach region with kayaking, surfing and hiking. Both of these destinations deserve a visit.