We're basing ourselves for 3-4 days in Lagos this spring (early May to be exact). Can anyone recommend any good day trips from there? Anything maybe within 1-1.5 hours by car? We like quaint towns, shorter hikes, great scenery and fantastic local restaurants. We're not big museum people nor do we plan on simply sunbathing on a beach all day if that makes any difference.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
Sorry, but you have picked the wrong part of Portugal for quaint towns. The closest you will get is Silves and Aljezur.
A drive up to Monchique and Foia is worthwhile and hike around there. Walk the top of the cliffs towards Luz. Walk around Carrapateira up the western coast and see the rock formations up close.
I haven’t had a bad meal in Lagos or the surrounding towns.
Posted by
Bristol, UK
1455 posts
Carvoeiro is worth visiting. There’s a wooden boardwalk along the cliffs that’s fun to do. Ferragudo still has a fishing village ambiance and some good seafood restaurants. I love eating at Rei das Praias which is a restaurant right on a gorgeous, very quiet beach. Bit more expensive but it’s worth it for the setting and atmosphere.
Silves is a nice old town and the walk around the castle ramparts was enjoyable.
In an hour and a half you can reach the Alentejo region which is a very rural cork and olive farming region and a lot less developed than the Algarve. I don’t know it well but I’ve been to some of the coastal areas around Vila Nova de Milfontes and it’s absolutely stunning.