Hotels near Lagos Old Town

Lagos was the launchpad of Portuguese maritime exploration in the 15th century, and the walled old town still wears its history visibly. The original Moorish-era walls enclose a knot of cobblestone streets between Praca Gil Eanes (the main square with its statue of King Sebastiao) and the marina. The Igreja de Santo Antonio - a small church with a 1715 gilded interior considered one of the finest Baroque rococo carvings in Portugal - is the must-see indoor sight; entry is via the adjacent Lagos Museum at 5 EUR.

Other anchors include the Mercado Municipal (open until 2 pm Mon-Sat, the best place to buy fresh sardines and Algarve almonds), the small Slave Market memorial in Praca do Infante (Portugal's first colonial slave market site, now a sobering exhibition), and the city walls themselves which can be climbed in sections near Forte da Ponta da Bandeira. Evenings, the streets around Rua 25 de Abril fill with seafood restaurants and the bars stay open well past midnight in summer.

Pro Tip: Eat dinner inland, not on the marina - the restaurants on Rua 25 de Abril and the back streets around Largo do Convento da Senhora da Gloria serve the same grilled fish for 30-40% less than the waterfront tourist spots.