About Philip Giddings

I am Philip Giddings. I live in the Graça neighbourhood of Lisbon with my Portuguese wife, Carla, but you will often find me down in Lagos with a notebook in hand. Researching, updating, and writing this site is my full-time work. Carla's family and friends are in the Algarve, so the region has been part of our life for a long time, rather than somewhere I pass through on a holiday.

My first trip to Portugal was in 2001, and I have been coming back to Lagos ever since. In 2009 I grew tired of travel guides that were thin, out of date, or clearly written by someone who had visited once. So I started writing my own. The aim was simple: the practical, carefully checked, in-person guides I wanted for my own trips.

How I research

That is still how this site works. I do not lean on recycled write-ups or AI summaries. I walk the coastal footpaths myself, checking for erosion and noting where the light falls best for photographs. I know which coves hold their shelter when the north wind picks up, and which beaches suit families with small children. I have taken the boat tours into the grottoes at Ponta da Piedade many times over, so I know which operators run them safely and look after the coastline. And I remember the marina before it filled out. Over twenty-five years I have watched the old town's restaurants come and go, which is how I can steer you past the tourist traps towards the family-run places that have lasted.

Independence and trust

This site has LagosPortugalGuide.com independent guides on Lagos. No tourist board, tour operator, or attraction pays to be included, and none of them stand me a free trip or a perk for a write-up. The site is reader-funded. It runs on affiliate commissions from tour [and accommodation] bookings, which are disclosed on every page that carries them. Every practical detail, from ticket prices and opening hours to bus routes and boat-tour policies, is checked against the official sources and confirmed in person on the trips I make through the year.

I personally re-walk the coastal footpaths to check their condition and note the best photo spots. My knowledge of the beaches goes beyond just their names. I can tell you which coves offer the most shelter when the north wind blows, or which are best for families with small children. I've taken the small boat tours into the grottoes of Ponta da Piedade many times, and I know which operators consistently provide the best and safest experience.
For my full story and my guides to Lisbon, you can read my main profile here.

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About this guide: I am Philip Giddings. I live in Lisbon with my Portuguese wife, Carla, whose family and friends are in the Algarve, and I am down in Lagos most months to research these guides, which are now my full-time work. I made my first trip to Portugal in 2001 and have written independent guides since 2009.
My Lagos guides are part of a wider set of almost 2,000 I have written across Portugal. No tourist board, tour operator, or attraction pays to be included, and the site is funded by affiliate commissions on tour and accommodation bookings, disclosed on every page that carries them. Every practical detail (ticket prices, opening hours, bus routes, boat-tour policies) is checked against the official sources and confirmed in person on the trips I make through the year. Read my full story here.