The Algarve in 3 Days
The Algarve has my heart. Its limestone cliffs with red sandstone layers and beautiful blue water combined with a multitude of outdoor activities made for a dreamlike vacation. As with Lisbon, the people were the true stars of the trip. Their kindness, helpfulness, and genuine enjoyment of life are not to be missed (and definitely were not taken for granted).
GETTING THERE
Here is how we got there. Starting in Lisbon (read more here)…
Lugging our 9 day trip luggage, we took the metro to the train station (we bought our tickets the previous day). The train went south out of Lisbon to Tunes where we were to catch another train to Lagos. Similar to using public transportation in Lisbon, we were glad for the teaching experience provided to our children (let’s be honest, to us too).
Once we arrived in Tunes and off the train, we discovered there was a strike and the train to Lagos was delayed by four hours. Luckily, a kind woman filled us in on the strike and told us that we should just take an Uber. It was about a 45 minute Uber ride and was absolutely the right thing to do. We arrived at our resort ahead of schedule!
WHERE TO STAY
The Belmar Spa and Beach Resort was absolutely beautiful and we would highly recommend it. The staff was incredibly helpful and friendly. The accommodations were just what we needed. We had a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment (meaning we also had a kitchen, dining, and living room). Perhaps the best part was having a washer hidden in the kitchen. We had multiple balconies, two of which provided ocean and pool views. There were several pools and a very nice workout facility. The beach was a two minute walk away.
Porto Mós beach was gasp worthy with tall sandstone cliffs, surf schools everywhere we turned, and two restaurant options. We did not go in the water but commented that it was probably like Lake Michigan in June… cold but you get used to it. The long stretch of sand was perfect for our son to get some much needed sprinting in.
WHAT TO DO/WHERE TO EAT
The resort was about a 5 minute Uber ride from downtown Lagos. We met our friends halfway at Luca’s Rooftop for dinner. The food, company, service, and views were sooooo good!
The next day we checked out a nearby trail…. And took 1002 photos of the peaceful paradise. We saw the Ponta da Piedade lighthouse. A postcard moment for me was the staircase down to a stunning, somewhat secluded beach. About halfway to town, we stopped for a snack and sodas outside Camilo Restaurante. Again, the vistas were incomparable.
Lagos seems to have it all: beauty, history, outdoor activities, Portuguese charm, and a vibrant nightlife (or so I read). Lagos was a good sort of busy in early April with a plethora of restaurants to choose from. We settled on Millenium and were not disappointed.
We then walked down to the marina to catch a boat tour of the grottos. (Our concierge at the resort had helped us purchase tickets that morning.) The Blue Fleet came recommended from both our friends and the hotel. Not only did we learn about the rock formations, history, and a little celebrity gossip, but we were also thoroughly entertained. Our kids were cracking up and still mention some of the jokes on occasion.
After the tour, we walked around Lagos, did some tourist shopping, and got our afternoon gelato (not to be confused with our after dinner gelato). We waited for our Uber in front of St. Mary’s church where people have gathered to worship since 1498.
After freshening up back at the resort, we walked down the hill to the beach restaurants. We were fortunate to get a table at Campimar, especially since it was Holy Week. Again, the food and service were amazing. I was in awe as two elementary aged boys at the next table got up and started gently kicking the soccer ball around. Not only were the waiters tolerant of the kids attempts at kicking the ball through their feet, but they even smiled and feigned stealing the ball. No one was annoyed. Everyone was happy and relaxed. It was the best! Side note: our waiter shared photos on his phone of different soccer teams and players who had visited the restaurant. Signed kits were also hung on the walls. It seems like a good place to be if you are wanting to run into some soccer fame.
Sagres
Because we were so close to Sagres and what was once believed to be the “edge of the world,” we called a couple of car rental places in hope of some extended Algarve exploration and a leisurely drive back to Lisbon. Fortunately, we were able to secure an automatic rental in Lagos (and have since vowed to learn to drive manual before our next European trip). We stopped for more surf watching and lunch in Sagres by Mareta Beach. Sagres is less busy that Lagos, more rugged, and laid back. It feels like it is mostly for outdoor adventurers (surfers, bikers, hikers).
We then headed up the road to Cabo Sao Vincente to get our touristy photo on the “edge of the world”/ the southwestern most tip of Europe.
It was about a 3 hour drive back to Lisbon. The car rental return was quite close to our hotel and took less then 20 minutes. It was super sad to leave Lagos and I wish we had more time (at least one more night). I would have also loved to have had more time to explore all of the different beaches in the area as well as Tavira (we did not have time to go that far east on this trip) and Salema (in early April, we heard that it might be a little too sleepy). Having spent a significant portion of the trip in Lisbon, when we go back, we will likely flip flop our time… 2-3 days in Lisbon and 5-6 days to infinity in The Algarve.
