Local activities

While in Lagos you can enjoy a lot of different water sports and activities without having to go very far for them.

If you prefer to stay quietly at a beach, sunbathing and soaking up the sunshine while listening to the calming sound of the sea, there are plenty of nice beaches to enjoy in and around Lagos.

Whether you are looking for long stretches of sandy beaches, or cosy retreats away from it all, you will be spoiled for choice. Meia-Praia, which is only a 15 minute walk from the apartment, is a sandy beach that stretches for about 4 km, further than the eye can see, with nice villas dotted alongside. Historians say that it was off these beaches that the galleons carrying the treasure of Moctezuma, an Aztec emperor captured by the soldiers of Herman Cortez, were shipwrecked in 1522. The fishing village of Praia da Luz is now a small tourist village and is very close to Lagos. Nearby, the coastal village of Salema has some small Roman ruins that remind us of its previous occupiers. Sagres is situated at the most western point of Europe, and offers scenery of rugged but incredible beauty, with its cliffs stretching out to bathe in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The promontory is called Cabo de S. Vicente (Cape St. Vicent) and it was here that Prince Henry the Navigator planned his voyages into the unknown.

If sunbathing lazily in the sun is not for you and you prefer to add some physical exercise to your day, you can opt for sports fishing www.pescamar.info, learn or practice sailing at www.rusailing.com or scuba diving. There are a number of Padi registered diving companies in Lagos, where you can book scuba diving and deep sea diving trips and courses tailored for all, including kids! For example, Blue Ocean Divers www.blue-ocean-divers-de and Dive Time www.pt.dive-time.net are diving schools based in Lagos.

But the options do not end here. Meia-Praia is particularly popular for kite surfing or windsurfing and equipment can be hired locally. There is a choice of surfing schools offering surfing trips not just around Lagos, but up to Carrapateira, which is the hot spot for these sports. Wind Surf Point in Lagos offers not just windsurfing, but also wakeboarding, water skiing and kayaking.

For a more gentle pace, why not take a coastal cruise or a BBQ cruise on a sailing boat www.bomdia-boattrips.com, or simply watch the dolphins tease you as they follow your boat www.algarve-dolphins.com or www.dolphinseafaris.com or spend a day at Lagos Zoo, Parque Zoológico de Lagos http://www.guiadacidade.pt

If you would rather venture into the country, then a Mountain Bike Adventure may be what you are looking for, as they go from serene to extreme www.themountainbikeadventure.com or perhaps a horse riding trip to experience the stunning open countryside.

If you are determined to improve your knowledge of the regional wines, then you can book a wine tasting visit to Sir Cliff Richards' vineyards Adega do Cantor, near Albufeira www.winesvidanova.com or at Monte da Casteleja near Lagos www.montedacasteleja.com

If you are a fan of motor sports, check out the provisional calendar for 2015 and spend a day at the races at the Autódromo do Algarve, which is a 15 minutes drive from Lagos, in the direction of Portimão. Visit autodromoalgarve.com.pt and click on "Events and Activities".

Going beyond Lagos you will find numerous other alternatives to enjoy and to make your holiday a truly memorable one. Visit Monchique, a spa town where you can unwind or explore the mountains on foot (Walking tours) or bike (Mountain biking) www.alternativtour.com, drive to Silves and visit the Castle www.silvesuncovered.com and finish your visit with a meal at the restaurant Fábrica do Inglês www.fabrica-do-ingles.pt

For the little ones a visit to the Aqua Parks is a must and you have a choice of Slide and Splash www.slidesplash.com, Zoomarine www.zoomarine.pt and Aqua Show Park www.aquashowpark.com

And the International Festival of Sand Sculptures, which takes place every year between the end of May and October at Armação de Pêra, is an amazing show of spectacular works of art of dozens of artists from all over the world. Under one theme that varies from one year to the other, these artists exhibit their stunning sculptures which can be admired during the day, under the bright sun light, or at night, lit up by colourful and strategically positioned lights.

The weather

The Algarve enjoys nice weather throughout the year, so you do not need to plan your holidays at the peak of Summer in order to enjoy the sunshine and the warm weather. The following link gives you an idea of the temperatures you can expect.
http://www.holiday-weather.com/lagos_pt/averages/

The website of the Meteorological Institute gives a 5 day and a 10 day forecast for the whole country in English www.meteo.pt/en/index.html