Lagos is one of the most visited cities in the Algarve and Portugal, due to its variety of tourist-friendly beaches, rock formations (Ponta da Piedade), bars, restaurants and hotels, renowned for its vibrant summer nightlife.Yet, Lagos is also a historic centre of the Portuguese Age of Discovery, frequent home of Henry the Navigator, historical shipyard and, at one time, centre of the European slave trade. In 2012, travel website TripAdvisor, classified Lagos as the number 1 travel destination, on a list of “15 destinations on the rise” worldwide.
Monuments:
- Igreja Paroquial de Santa Maria de Lagos
- Igreja de Santo António
- Igreja de São Sebastião
- Castelo dos Governadores
- Forte de Nossa Senhora da Penha de França ou da Ponta da Bandeira
- Antigo edifício dos Paços do Concelho de Lagos
- Mercado Municipal da Avenida
- Igreja e Convento de Nossa Senhora do Carmo
- Forte da Ponta da Bandeira
Beaches:
- Meia Praia – the most popular tourist beach, consisting of soft, white sand, Meia Praia is one of the largest open bays in Europe, resulting in calm seas, permitting conditions for many nautical sports, while cliffs provide sheltered coves from strong windy conditions;
- Praia da Batata – a small beach tucked between two small cliffs (where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean), it is known for the small music festivals that take place there during summer
- Praia dos Estudantes
- Praia do Pinhão
- Praia da Dona Ana – its areal is slightly thicker than the beaches in the surrounding area and it is surrounded by striking rock formations. At high tide the beach is split by the geomorphology of the cliffs
- Praia do Camilo
- Praia dos Pinheiros
- Praia Grande
- Praia da Ponta da Piedade
- Praia do Barranco Martinho
- Praia do Canavial
- Praia do Porto de Mós
- Praia da Luz
