Lagos, Coastal municipality in Algarve, Portugal
Lagos is a coastal town in Portugal's Algarve region, sitting where the Bensafrim River meets the Atlantic. The old quarter lies partly inside defensive walls from the 1500s and leads through narrow paved lanes to small squares lined with cafés and shops.
In the 15th century the town became a key departure point for maritime exploration under Prince Henry the Navigator. Fortifications were built later to protect the coast from North African raids.
The name comes from the Latin Lacobriga, a settlement later expanded under Moorish rule. Houses in the old center are whitewashed, with bright accents on doors and shutters, and the fish market still displays the day's catch in the traditional way.
Beaches lie west and east of the town center and can be reached on foot or by local buses. During summer months the central areas get busier, while off-season offers a quieter visit.
The natural bay provided a sheltered anchorage in the 1500s for caravels returning with spices and goods from distant lands. Today at low tide you can walk through rock passages beneath the Ponta da Piedade cliffs.
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