Lagos, Portugal 2024: Best Places to Visit (with Map & Photos)

Lagos is a beautiful port city with more than 2000 years of history. It is often referred to as the tourist capital and one of the trendiest and most popular resorts on the Algarve coast. Ancient city walls, streets paved with multi-colored paving stones, numerous souvenir shops, picturesque landscapes ... All this attracts numerous tourists, forcing them to return to this port again and again. And this phrase itself - Lagos Portugal attractions - has long become synonymous with an excellent and eventful vacation.

Lagos Portugal
Lagos Portugal

And so that you can be convinced of the veracity of these words, we suggest taking a virtual tour of 6 unique places of Lagos. What is their uniqueness? The fact is that after the terrible natural disaster that shook Portugal in 1755, this is what little remains of the rich historical heritage of this country.

Old town - cultural center of Lagos


If you don't know what to see in Lagos, head to the Old Town. This is a special area that combines old and modern. On the territory of Centro Cultural de Lagos, surrounded by ancient fortress walls, the main historical and cultural monuments of Lagos are concentrated. One of them is Fort Bandeira, a fortification built in 1683 and separated by a deep moat.

Lagos Portugal
Lagos Portugal

Behind the fort is the gate of St. Gonzalo and the watchtower. Here you can also see the former slave market (one of the first in Europe) and the ancient customs house, which now houses the center of folk crafts, and many other very interesting places. Tired of admiring the ancient architecture, you can stroll along the embankment, sit in a cozy cafe and go shopping.

Location: st. Lanzarote de Freitas.

Church of St. Anthony - a temple of pure gold


The Church of St. Anthony is an example of the South European Baroque, built in 1707 and restored in 1755 after a strong earthquake.

Lagos Portugal
Lagos Portugal

Being restrained in appearance, the temple amazes with its interior, for which it is very often called Golden. The coat of arms of Portugal is painted on the ceiling of the church, while the walls are decorated with gilded inlays and blue and white mosaics made from azulejo tiles. The temple was carved by famous engravers - Custodio Mesquita and Gaspar Martins. Another distinctive feature of the Church of St. Anthony are asymmetrical bell towers.

Lagos Portugal
Lagos Portugal

Nowadays, the Museum of Local Lore is opened on the territory of the attraction. Joseph Formasino. The service is held only once a year.

  • Where to find: st. General Alberto da Silveira (Rua General Alberto da Silveira).
  • Opening hours: 10:00 - 17:30.


The governor's castle is the hallmark of Lagos


Describing the sights of Lagos and Portugal, one cannot but stop at this beautiful castle. The Governor's Castle, which was once the seat of the governors of the Algarve, is considered the hallmark of the city.

Lagos Portugal
Lagos Portugal

The two-storey palace in the Moorish style impresses with its grandeur. The height of its walls is from 7.5 to 10 m, the width is about 2 m, the top is crowned with battlements and loopholes located along the entire perimeter of the building. But the most interesting thing is inside - they say that spirits roam the corridors of this ancient castle every night, and the doors of many rooms keep terrible secrets.

Since its foundation (1174), the castle has experienced several wars and natural disasters, after one of which its walls underwent cosmetic repairs and partial restoration. Since 1924, Lagos Castle has been included in the list of monuments of national importance in Portugal.

Location: Constitution Garden (Jardim da Constituicao).