My hostel was located a street up from the centre of the action, but it got so noisy at night, we simply had to shut the window dispute the stifling heat. The window of my shared dorm was at street level, and after two nights of hardly any sleep, I snapped. I realized that I haven't had a full night of undisturbed sleep since I left my Aunt Marie's house in Ireland almost a month ago. It was time for me to shell out for a decent hotel so I could get some sleep and also some space from dorm life. I moved up the hill to a rather posh guesthouse, but the cost of the stay was worth the sleep and peace I got in return. Plus, it was closer to the Praia do Camilo beach that I found on my second day here in Lagos.
But first, some scenes from the town. Lagos is easily walkable, even if you are a bit outside of the town. There are a few hills, but nothing like the ones in Coimbra! The main square is called the Praça do Infante, after Henry the Navigator (also known as D. Alfonso Henriques), and his statue sits gazing out at the sea.
Above: Henry the Navigator, perched at the edge of his domain.
Below: the beautiful main square of Lagos. The church nearest (left side of the frame) is Santa Maria. The church towers in the distance (middle frame) belong to the impressive church of Santo António.
Santo António is no longer an active parish church. Instead it is now a museum and it's adjoining rooms hold the rather eclectic ethnological collections of the Meseu Manicipal Dr José Formosinho. Entrance to the church and museum costs a mere €3 for adults. The interior of the church is astonishing to behold. The lower half of the walls are covered with blue azulejos tiles; the rest is covered (and I mean covered) with carved, gilded and painted woodwork of cherubs, angels, and spiralling vines, a rather overwhelming example of Baroque style run amok. Around the church are eight paintings depicting the miracles of Saint Anthony. You are not allowed to take photos inside (probably to help preserve the paint etc) so I had to settle for taking a photo of a postcard I bought instead. But you get the idea.
Just across the main square is an edifice of sad history - the first slave market in Europe. Slaves were brought here from the Sahara in 1441 by Henry the Navigator's explorer Nuno Tristão. There is a commemorative wall and apparently a cultural centre with a film but I couldn't locate it despite walking around in circles for the better part of half an hour (signage is important people!) Still, I'm grateful that the Portugese here own up to their history.
Below: the first slave market in Europe. And yes, there are bars on all the windows. Sigh.
Next two photos: Along the waterfront of the Avenida dos Descobrimentos is the imposing-looking Forte da Bandeira, a 17 Century fortress (built between 1680-90) that used to defend the harbour. At the time, it was considered the most advanced military fort in the Algarve due to its quadrangle layout, moat, and drawbridge. I wanted to go in, but like many attractions in Portugal, it was closed from 12:30-2pm and I walked by right at 12:25. Oh well.
The main walks of the town are filled with cafés, bars, restaurants, souvenir shops, beach-wear stalls etc. One really awesome store is called the T-shirt Shop, which is owned/operated by a lovely Polish couple named Agata and Michael. They have some really fun and funky designs for all ages/sizes, check them out.
Like other towns/cities in Portugal, it has the classic square-shaped cobblestone streets and paths. The streets of this town are very narrow, and mostly one-way - I wouldn't recommend driving here! Especially as most of the roads are crowded with people as well. Still it's a really pretty place.
Below: a toy shop below and apartments above. This building stands out in Lagos due to its unique green azulejo tiles.
The town also has some really amazing graffiti murals. Here are some samples that I really liked. Some took up entire walls, and the bear one took up the entire side of a highway underpass.
One of the main reasons why I wanted to come to Lagos is to have some beach days. I was not disappointed. The views from along the cliffs of the Ponta da Piedade are stunning, almost too beautiful for words. The entire cliff face is eroding sandstone, and so the formations along the water are otherworldly and beautiful. I spent two days on the Praia do Camilo beach as it is quieter than the main beach, and women can go topless there (just say "No" to tan lines!) The Praia do Camilo has two sections of beach, to get to one section, you have to walk through a tunnel. The water is safe to swim in and it's high salt content helps keep you afloat with minimal effort. Here are my favourite photos:
Seriously, how picturesque is this place?!
All in all, I had a good time in Lagos. I think that four or five days is plenty time to spend here. Next stop: Faro, capitol of the Algarve.
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