Lagos is a popular holiday destination that offers its visitors fantastic beaches, historic sights, and a delightful city center filled with open-air cafes and restaurants. As the largest city in the region, Lagos is ideally situated as a base from which to explore the fascinating Western Algarve.

These destinations include the historic town of Silves, the dramatic natural scenery of Sagres, or the charming fishing villages of Burgau and Ferragudo. As a major city, Lagos offers excellent public transport links to the surrounding towns, allowing you to discover the region without the need for a car.

This guide will detail the most popular day trips from Lagos and help you make the most of your holiday.
Related articles: Introduction to Lagos – 1 week in Lagos

The pretty village of Ferragudo

There are many enjoyable day trips from Lagos and some of the best include:
Silves –A historic fortified town known for its impressive Moorish castle and insight into the rich history of the Algarve. (Silves guide)
Sagres – At the far western tip of the Algarve, there are raging seas, vast beaches and dramatic natural scenery; however, a car is needed to explore due to its remoteness. (Sagres guide)
Zoomarine - A fantastic marine-themed water park that is fun for the whole family.
Praia da Rocha and Portimão - A lively resort town and a characterful port city; two very different destinations that are easily combined in a single day trip.
Alvor - A charming fishing town and popular holiday destination situated on the Odiáxere lagoon.
Slide and Splash - Portugal's largest waterpark, and the place to go for a day of waterpark excitement!

 

 

Monchique and the Algarve hills - Explore the towns of the Serra de Monchique hills and marvel at the view from the top of Mount Fóia. (car needed)
Burgau – An authentic small fishing village that remains almost untouched by tourism.
Benagil Cave boat tour – Explore the dramatic coastline of Carvoeiro with a boat tour.
Praia da Luz – A relaxed resort town known for its great hiking opportunities and beautiful coastal views.
Ferragudo - A pretty fishing village sitting on the Arade River and close to pristine beaches.

The dolphin show at Zoomarine

Boat tours to the Benagil Cave

The Trilho dos Pescadores coastal footpath follows the cliff tops from Lagos to Praia de Luz

If you are on holiday in Lagos, you should visit these day trip destinations in the following order:
1) Sagres 2) Silves 3) Zoomarine 4) Portimão and Praia da Rocha 5) Alvor

If you want day trips to escape the tourist masses, you should visit Burgau and the coastline towards Sagres.

The interactive map below shows the locations of all these day trips. Note: Zoom in or out to see all of them.

Key 1) Silves 2) Sagres 3) Alvor 4) Portimão 5) Praia da Rocha 6) Burgau 7) Praia da Luz 8) Benagil Cave 9) Ferragudo 10) Zoomarine 11) Slide and Splash

The following sections explain why you should visit each of these destinations:

Silves is an ancient fortified town, which during the Moorish era (9th-12th century) was the capital of the Algarve, serving as a major port and trading town. Today, Silves is a sleepy and unhurried place, but remnants of its former importance are still visible throughout the town.

The skyline is dominated by the massive red brick castle, while standing on the main square is the heavily fortified gateway. Silves is a delightful mixture of historic monuments, cobbled streets, and traditional buildings that boast the unmistakable charm of southern Portugal. Silves is the best non-coastal town in the Algarve and is small enough to be easily explored as a day trip.

Silves is connected to Lagos by a regional train (40 km, €2.90, 35 minutes), but there are limited daily services. See the Comboios de Portugal website for details (www.cp.pt/). Silves train station is located 1.5 km south of the historic center, and the walk is not scenic as it follows a busy road.
Related articles: Our guide to Silves

The pretty town of Silves and the imposing castle

We have worked with Getyourguide.com over the last seven years, and a selection of their best tours from Lagos includes:

Sagres is like nowhere else in the Algarve. Its remote location, rugged landscapes and ceaseless winds mean few tourists venture this far west. The colossal Atlantic waves that break on the vast sandy beaches have made the town a popular destination for experienced surfers.

This mix of isolation, surfing, and hardened fishermen gives Sagres a unique atmosphere, making it a fantastic destination for a day trip if you enjoy the outdoors and nature's raw beauty. The main sights of the town are the fishing harbour and the Fortaleza de Sagres, a unique fort protected on three sides by towering cliffs.

Even further to the west is the Cabo de Sao Vicente, the southwestern tip of mainland Europe. This bleak and windswept headland was thought to be the end of the known world up until the 14th century. Standing at the edge of the cliffs is a lighthouse with the second most powerful beam in Europe, visible from up to 50 km out to sea.
Related articles: Guide to Sagres

The Fortaleza de Sagres with the Cabo de Sao Vicente headland in the distance

The fishing harbour of Sagres lies on the sheltered side of the peninsula.

The dramatic cliffs of Cabo de São Vicente, Europe's south westernmost point

Zoomarine is one of the Algarve's top attractions, perfect for a fun-filled family day trip. This marine-themed water-park combines the best aspects of a zoo and water-park to offer entertainment, education, and adventure for all ages.

The main attractions include impressive dolphin and sea lion shows, bird of prey demonstrations, and tropical bird performances. For thrill-seekers, the park features water slides, flumes and a wave pool along with a relaxing beach area. Zoomarine also offers the Dolphin Emotions Experience, allowing visitors to interact closely with dolphins.
Simply a fun day out for everyone.

The beach area and flumes of Zoomarine

Portimão and Praia da Rocha may be close together, but they are different in almost every conceivable way.

Portimão is the largest city in the western Algarve and was traditionally a centre for sardine fishing, shipbuilding and fish processing. For a day trip it offers a scenic waterfront, bustling shopping streets, and a historic centre with grand plazas. The hidden gems of Portimão are the excellent fish restaurants close to the Ponte Velha de Portimão bridge.

Praia da Rocha is a lively holiday destination that lies on one of the finest beaches in the Algarve. The town caters for everyone, with themed bars to the western side and a stylish marina and trendy beach clubs at the mouth of the Arade River.

There is a lot to see in Portimão and Praia da Rocha, and they both make for an enjoyable day trip.
Related articles: Guide to Portimão

The stunning Praia da Rocha beach

The Convento do Colégio dos Jesuitas in Portimão

The scenic waterfront of Portimão, transformed from its industrial past into a vibrant promenade.

The highest point in the Algarve is Mount Fóia (902m), located within the picturesque Serra de Monchique mountain range. If you have a car, exploring this region can make for an enjoyable day trip.

The recommended route follows the N266 into the hills, with your first stop at the charming village of Caldas de Monchique. This village is famed for its hot springs (31°C), which are reputed to have healing properties due to the rich mineral content and a pH of 7.6. In Caldas de Monchique, spa hotels have been constructed over the springs, but there is a natural spring at Fonte dos Amores in the shaded forests, just as the N266 winds around the valley. This picturesque spot is also perfect for a picnic.

Next is the pretty town of Monchique, with the 16th-century Igreja Matriz church, the ruins of the Convento de Nossa Senhora do Desterro monastery and many wonderful viewpoints, such as the Miradouro de São Sebastião.

From Monchique, it is only a short drive to the summit of Fóia, with its spectacular view southwards over the Algarve and out to the Atlantic Ocean.

For the final part of the day, you could drive westwards along the scenic N267 as it twists through the rolling hills down to the village of Aljezur. Here you can visit the Castelo de Aljezur or take a short drive to the stunning Praia da Amoreira beach.

The magnificent panoramic views from the top of Mount Fóia

Alvor is a charming gem in the Algarve, perfect for a relaxing day trip. The town sits on the Ria de Alvor Estuary, where you’ll see colourful fishing boats bobbing gently on the water, while to the south is the glorious Praia de Alvor beach.

It offers a perfect mix of authentic Portuguese charm and the best of modern tourism, while retaining a peaceful atmosphere. For your day trip, enjoy a stroll through the narrow, cobbled streets lined with traditional whitewashed houses and discover a variety of cafes and local shops, along with the Igreja do Divino Salvador church.

Afterwards, take a walk along the Passadiços de Alvor, a scenic boardwalk that meanders through the Alvor estuary wetlands and along the beachfront. For the final part of the day, head to the eastern side of Praia de Alvor to view the Praia dos Três Irmãos rock formations.

The picturesque Ria de Alvor Estuary

The scenic Passadiços de Alvor boardwalk crossing the wetlands.

Alvor is the perfect destination for a relaxing day trip.

The coastline to the west of Lagos is lined with small and delightful resort towns, each one with its own distinct character and appeal. This day trip can make for a good bike ride and bikes can be hired from Lagos for €15-20 per day.

The cycle route follows quiet back roads but be warned there are some very steep hills. It is possible to visit each of the towns via public transport, as there are good bus services from Lagos to Luz, Burgau and Salema but there are limited services between each of the towns.

Luz is a peaceful town that is positioned on wide sandy beach and stands in the shadow of the huge and distinctive Rocha Negra cliffs. The town has a welcoming atmosphere where a large expat (English) community relax in the numerous beachfront cafes.

There is a pleasant promenade which follows the beach front and leads to the whitewashed church and town centre. The walk to the summit of the Rocha Negra cliffs provides a short but challenging hike which rewards visitors with amazing panoramic views.

The glorious beach of Praia de Luz

Further along the coast is the pretty fishing village of Burgau, with a small sandy bay, cobbled streets and traditional fishermen’s houses. Burgau maybe small but it is delightful place to visit.

The final village of the tour is Salema, which is situated in a narrow valley that opens out onto a pretty beach, where fishing boats are still pulled onto the sands. The village is lined with traditional fishing houses and the peaceful ambience is far removed from the hectic Algarve.

The pretty beach front of Burgau

Ferragudo is one of last remaining unspoilt fishing villages of the central Algarve, and is a delightful place to visit. Within the village is a traditional fisherman's quarter, a charming harbour front and an abundance of Portuguese character.

The village lies on the sheltered waters of the Arada estuary on the opposite side to Portimão, with a ferry connecting them during the summer.

As it is only a small village, Ferragudo can be fully seen within an hour, however a day trip could be easily extended by taking in the beautiful beaches to the south. From Ferragudo there is a scenic coastal path along the Praia Grande beach to the picturesque Praia dos Caneiros.

Ferragudo maybe small but it is delightful

Vila do Bispo coastline extends along the western edge of the Algarve, and this remote region offers unspoilt beaches, amazing hiking routes and dramatic scenery.

Much of the coastline is protected from tourist development as it lies within the Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina nature park and this has helped maintain the idyllic natural setting. To discover the region a rental car is required as there almost no public transport. The main town of the region, Vila do Bispo, has a laid back and relaxed ambience that is very hospitable and welcoming.