Algarve Villa Holidays - Spotlight on Lagos

If you are thinking about an Algarve villa holiday next summer, then why not come and stay in Lagos? Read on to find out more about this popular Algarve villa holiday destination.

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Lagos Town

The A22 motorway now takes you all the way from Faro International Airport to Lagos and without pushing it, the journey should take about an hour. You’ll pass some lovely scenery en-route but don’t worry; there are many more photo opportunities to come. The historic town of Lagos is now a lively and very busy place, popular among tourists and holidaymakers. This belies its quiet fishing village past, of which there are still plenty of reminders.

Lagos is in the western Algarve, not the point breaks and craggy rock faces of Sagres, where all the adrenalin junkies hang out, but a chilled out, more grown up version of its loud and kiddy-centric neighbour in central Algarve. The town is guarded by a 17thC fort, which was erected to protect the town and their piece of the coast. The building now houses a small museum with information about Portugal's maritime history and is worth a look if you’re into that sort of thing.

The third largest town on the Algarve, Lagos is a maze of winding cobbled streets, lined with pavement cafés, restaurants and bars. Some dimly lit, brooding and seductive, others laced with neon and pumping out eurotrash. Antiques and art shops abound here in a town desperate to cling onto its culture and history. Somehow though, this quaint old fishing manages to serve both masters, combining the charm of it's past, with the demands of a modern and popular Algarve holiday destination.

One of the ways Lagos manages this juxtaposition of both age and style, is by staging street entertainments on a regular basis. Throughout the year you will find buskers (some paid, some not) and performance artists displaying their skills, eager to pose for a photo or two. You’ll find street markets and a whole calendar full of festivals and many times the two will clash, filling the main square and streets with revellers. The Portuguese are also passionate sports fans, especially when it comes to their football, so if a high profile game were also to coincide with a festival, as often happens, there’ll hardly be room to move on the streets – It’ll be fun though.

The Accommodation

At Villa in Algarve we have a wide selection of Algarve villas and apartments for rent in Lagos, sleeping up to 10 people. Villas to rent and apartments for hire in Lagos in Portugal are extremely popular and are sure to suit almost everyone. In the beautifully landscaped Jardim da Meia Praia, development for example, you’ll find superb 2 and 3 bedroomed townhouses, sleeping 4 to 6 people respectively. Elsewhere in the town, you’ll find self-catering apartments for rent with fully equipped kitchens, comfortable beds and balconies, some affording superb views of the countryside, whilst others present breathtaking views of the coast. You’ll find individually styled Algarve holiday villas which offer a luxurious base, from which you can either explore the beaches or simply lounge around your own private pool surrounded by lush green gardens.

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The Beaches

Lagos lays claim to eight beaches, namely; Batata, Estudantes, Camilo, Dona Ana, Luz, Meia, Pinhão and Porto de Mós, though, it should be said that 1 or 2 of them are shared with the neighbouring town of Luz. Meia is by far the largest and most popular beach in Lagos, stretching from the edge of the bay, to the Alvor estuary. The beach presents miles of soft white sand and crystal blue waters, and there is a wide range of beach bars and restaurants to choose from.

The Marina

The recently constructed marina is postcard pretty and a wonderful place to while away a few hours people and boat watching. Besides its permanent moorings, many of which, themselves are not cheap, it is usually full of expensive yachts passing through on their way to or from the Mediterranean and the Americas. From the marina you can book boat tours, hire yachts and go on deep sea-fishing outings. Or if you’d rather stay on firm land, you could climb the steps of the 17th Century “Forte da Bandeira" which guards the entrance to the harbour. If you climb the steps, to the top of its outer perimeter the view from there is amazing. The Fort houses a small but very interesting museum which is dedicated to the Portuguese Discoveries.

The Coastline

The coastline here in Lagos is a great mix of soft sanded beach and rugged rock formations, making this location ideal for families and groups of mixed ages. You can choose between laying on a beach, reading a book and sunbathing, or clambering around the rocks, looking for sea creatures in the small pools of water left behind by the tides.

If you fancy going on a boat trip, pop down to the harbour at Lagos, you’ll find several guides there that will be only too pleased to take you for a tour to the many caves along the coast. They are very friendly and will happily regale you with stories of pirates and smugglers, some true, some maybe not quite so true. Other guides will give you a running commentary on the different rock formations, their names and the folklore that goes with them. These interesting and informative tours tend to last for around three quarters of an hour but the guides are more than happy to extend this, stopping to explain some of their favourite features in detail. They will navigate around and in some cases, under the intriguing rock formations and take you into caves, pointing out the many secluded beaches that surround the town.

The Dolphins

If you do decide to go on the dolphin safari you really need to book the day before, as they tend to be very popular. Your party will be taken out in a rubber inflatable boat, with an outboard engine. The captains are very experienced and you are issued with life jackets so it is very safe. The boats can get up to about 40knots (46mph) which is great because even if its really hot, the breeze will cool you down. Remember to take lots of sun cream with a high spf number though because the sun reflects off the water, intensifying its power.

Dolphin watching is a truly exhilarating experience. The dolphin's relationship with man has been well documented throughout history and many stories are told of how these magnificent creatures have saved lives by protecting people from sharks and guiding lost ships to safety. Sadly, most people only ever get to see the dolphin in captivity but on a Dolphin safari, you get the opportunity to see the dolphin in its natural environment.

Villas in Lagos - click here to view our Lagos Algarve Holiday Villas