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The best independent guide to Lagos
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Praia do Porto de Mos, Lagos
The Praia do Porto de Mos is the second largest beach in the Lagos region, after the massive swathe of sand that is the Meia Praia beach. Porto de Mos lies 4 km to the south west of the main tourist center and makes for a pleasant alternative beach that is set amidst steep cliffs and lined with soft golden sands.
Praia Mos faces a south-westerly direction and unlike all the other beaches in Lagos it is not sheltered from the powerful Atlantic Ocean by the Ponta da Piedade headland. This means that the Porto de Mos beach is the best beach for surfing/body boarding but can sometimes have a strong breeze. The other main advantage of Mos is that it is always significantly quieter and less crowded due to the distance from the city center.
Related articles: Beach guide - Introduction to Lagos - Sights and activities
The Praia do Porto de Mos has a beautiful natural setting
The eastern end of the beach is surrounded by tower sandstone cliffs
Mos Beach Tourist Information
The Lagos Santa Maria beach front comprises of two beaches the larger Porto de Mos and the smaller Praia do Canavial both beaches are separated by a small cliff head land. Porto de Mos is more popular and busier than Praia do Canavial and this is where to head to escape the crowds at the weekend. Porto de Mos beach is a family friendly beach that provides clean bathing waters and is lifeguard supervised during the summer season.
At the beach front and main car park there are two good beach restaurants/cafes the Restaurante O António and the Campimar Restaurante Bar both able to serve up a filling lunch or hearty meal after splashing in the sea. The main entrance to the beach is at the lowest point of the cliffs and the access is suitable for all with no stairs or steep slopes. As with all beaches in the area parasols and lounges can be hired at €12.
The Praia do Porto de Mos as seen from the Ponta da Piedade footpath
The golden sands of the Porto de Mos beach
Travel to the Porto de Mos
There is an hourly bus service (line number 2) which servers all of the Lagos beaches, which starts at Forte da Meia Praia heads to the central bus station and ends at Praia Porto de Mos. A single bus ticket costs €1.20 and can be purchased from the driver but generally a taxi is an easier option which will cost between €5.00-€5.50 for the 10 minute drive. For the more energetic the walk to the beach takes just over 30 minutes but the route is not very scenic or along the coast.
What to do at Mos Beach?
Apart from the obvious of topping up a tan, reading a book and playing in the sea the Porto de Mos does offer a couple of alternative activities. From the beach kayak tours of the stunning Ponta da Piedade depart at 10:00 and 14:00 everyday, these tours last for 2.5 hours and cost €25 per person. The cliffs and beach offer good walking and hiking trails that pass through the varied landscape. The most popular walk follows the coast and cliffs to the Lighthouse at Ponta da Piedade.
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