Lagos, Portugal - Best Ways to Experience Portugal's Surf Capital

Portugal is one of Europe's fastest growing tourist destinations. I know this because every second person I talk to has either thought about going, planned a trip there, or has actually traveled there at some point in the last six months. After spotting Lagos, Portugal on a list of the world's best surf towns, I, too, got caught up in the Portugal hype and knew I had to experience it. After researching the country, travelling there, and hanging out on the Portuguese coastline for a week, I will say that the hype is well warranted.

Now, the cities of Lisbon and Porto are among the most popular spots in Portugal to travel to right now, as Lisbon is the capital and one of the oldest cities in Europe, and Porto, as the name suggests, is an old Port city rich with Instagram photo spots. I, as a person who typically likes traveling to spots with rugged landscapes and nearby surf breaks, decided to focus on Lagos, Portugal which is in the country's Algarve region. Lagos, Portugal is a small European surf town. This means that the streets are filled with cobblestones, white stucco, euro-style homes, patios and, yes, tons of surf shops and surf culture. It is also, as I found out, a world class beach location packed with some of the most incredible beaches / landscapes I've ever seen.

So, if you're into surfing, looking for a European beach vacation or would just simply like to see why Portugal is getting all of the travel hype these days, Lagos, Portugal could be the place for you. Drinking on the beaches was one of my favorite things to do here, but, if you'd like to experience the town and surrounding area in a little bit more detail, here are a few of the ways you can do just that:

Exploring the Beaches

To say the beaches in Lagos, Portugal are stunning would be an understatement. The beaches here range from long, white sand beaches that wrap around turquoise water, to beaches surrounded by jagged limestone cliffs and giant rock formations rising above the tide. My favorite beach (and possibly the Algarve's most iconic beach) was Praia de Dona Ana. This beach is about a 10-15 minute walk from the downtown area of Lagos, Portugal is surrounded by massive cliffs, and, from on top of the cliffs, provides expansive views of Lagos's coastline. Because of this, the beach is typically fairly crowded, however laying in the sand, diving in turqouise water and drinking Sagres (one of Portugal's beers) underneath massive, rugged limestone cliffs makes you quickly forget about the crowds. If you would like a potentially quieter beach to hang out on, Praia de Camilo has a similar vibe. The Camilo in its name means "Camel," as the massive cliff walls here look like a camel when viewed from the ocean. The beach is a little farther from town than Praia de Dona Ana, so pack an extra beer for the trip.

If massive cliff-walled beaches aren't your thing for whatever crazy reason, Meia Praia is a massive (and I mean massive) white sand beach that starts right beside the Lagos town centre and travels all the way to the next town. The beach, because of its lack of cliff walls, provides views of Lagos's architecture, the ships rolling into the port, and the endless miles of turquoise water. There are also restaurants and beach clubs all along the beach, so you can stop and snack without ever taking your eyes off of the beach.

Kayaking / SUP Boarding

As stated in my article, Kayaking in Lagos, Portugal, kayaking or SUP boarding along Lagos, Portugal's coastline is one of the best ways to take in all of those rugged cliff walls, beaches and turquoise water. The other cool thing is that your guides will take you in and out of grottos and caves, which, in itself, makes the trip (which costs about 35 euros) totally worth it. There are several tour companies located in Lagos. Most of these companies operate tours multiple times a day (a few times in the morning, and then a few times in the afternoon / evening).

Booze Cruise

Now, this is something I didn't do, but, having experienced a party bus ride in Costa Rica, I can only imagine how fun this would be. The booze cruise leaves from one of the pubs catered to hostel-stayers in town, which means the party will start well before you even get on the boat. Like the kayaking / SUP boarding tours, cruising through the Algarve on a boat will give you an incredible viewpoint of all of Lagos, Portugal's beaches and rugged coastline, except, unlike the kayaking and SUP boarding, you will be able to drink as much as you want along the way. You will also most likely make some new friends that you can party with for the rest of the trip. This will come in handy when you start spending your days drinking on the beaches like I, inevitably, ended up doing. You can sign up for the tour here.

Drink / Eat on the Town

This will inevitably happen during your stay in Lagos, Portugal, but it does need to be stated on a "best of Lagos" list that drinking and eating on the European-style terraces and patios is one of the best ways to experience the culture and vibe of Lagos, Portugal's town centre. There are countless bars and restaurants ranging from hostel-style hole-in-the-walls to high end seafood restaurants, so one of your best game plans may be to just walk around, find a place that looks intriguing and try it out.

One place I will recommend, however, is a place called Mar. Mar is a small restaurant at the base of town. It is also situated on top of cliff, offers a patio, and provides probably the best view of the Algarve coastline from any restaurant. They serve several different options for food, including pizza, pasta and, of course, seafood (I had the sea bass, and it was probably the best sea bass I've ever had in my life). The wait staff is also incredibly nice, and the restaurant is almost worth the visit for their hospitality alone. So, if you're tired after a long day of hanging at Praia de Dona Ana, stop by Mar on your walk back. It's on the way. There website can be found here.

Surfing in Lagos, Portugal - aka Portugal's Surf Capital

There are several surf shops in town that offer surf lessons and surf trips. The only thing to be aware of with surfing in Lagos is that you can't actually surf in Lagos, Portugal. The beaches mentioned above are all along the south coast, and they rarely ever get waves. Most of the waves roll in on the Algarve's west coast (towards Sagres), which takes, at a minimum, about thirty minutes to reach. Because of this, the surf shops pick you up in a van in the morning, drive you out to the west coast, and then spend the day surfing with you. They also, typically, provide a basic lunch. If you would like more freedom, you will need to rent a car to make it to the coast. The surf lessons / tour is probably the most laid back / hassle free way to get out there, however be aware that you are committing to being out on the waves all day, as the tours leave first thing in the morning and then don't get back until around 5 o'clock. We used Lagos Surf Centre, which is right in town, making it an easy jaunt in the morning of your lesson / tour (which starts at around (9:30 am). They will also pick you up from your hotel / hostel in their van if requested.

So, if you find yourself drinking / laying on a beach in Lagos, Portugal day after day, feel free to keep doing just that. If you'd like to get a bit more adventurous and see what Lagos truly has to offer, just know that there are tons of options to do just that.

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