Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Lagos?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Lagos?
Most visitors spend three to five days in Lagos when visiting. The beautiful resort town offers so many things to see and explore, so you'll want to take full advantage of the limited time you have. Highlights include the beaches, the beautiful scenery, scuba diving and snorkeling, and the hiking.
Lagos has long been a favorite holiday destination for both European and international travelers. The resort town is famous for its stunning golden beaches that have dramatic rock formations as well as stretches of sand. The town itself has a historic center with many great restaurants and a fun atmosphere. The area is popular with all types of travelers, from backpackers to families, honeymooners, and resort-goers.
Do you have one or two days to visit Lagos? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Lagos?
One day is generally not enough time to experience the beach and other activities of Lagos. A shorter schedule may leave you with a sense of urgency to enjoy the most popular activities such as the beaches, the beautiful scenery, scuba diving and snorkeling, and the hiking. To genuinely appreciate the beautiful resort town, a longer visit is recommended so that you can have more time to relax at the beach. Many tourists opt for at least 3 or as many as 5 days here, after all. After all, As a popular and famous resort town, Lagos offers a large number of activities and attractions for visitors. However, if you're working with limited time, we have some great ideas for making the most of your stay below.
How to spend a day in Lagos
The beautiful beaches await you in Lagos, so spend the day (or several, if you can) relaxing on the sand or swimming in the water. The beaches are long, flat and sandy with beautifully dramatic rock formations. The largest beach in the area is Meia Praia and arguably one of the best beaches is Praia Dona Ana. For convenience, Praia da Batata is the closest beach to town. Praia de Porto de Mós is one of the more quiet beaches, but it's still along a bus line. For beautiful nature head to either Praia dos Estudantes or Praia dos Pinheiros.
A few tour suggestions include:
- TUK TUK Tour around Lagos Old & New Town & beaches - Best way to know Lagos ($32)
- Kayak 2H30 Grottos Ponta da Piedade - Lagos ($44)
- 2 Hour Surf Lesson at the Beautiful Algarvian West Coast ($71)
Lagos is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. With its dramatic landscapes and beautiful beaches, this area is truly one-of-a-kind.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Full-Day West Coast Adventure with Hiking, Sunset, Dinner & Wine ($120)
- Boat trip to the grottos at Ponta da Piedade, Lagos ($25)
- Boat Trip to Ponta da Piedade from Lagos ($25)
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Lagos?
Lagos offers plenty of activities and attractions and remains a top choice for tourists. Given only a weekend, you will likely be rushed to lounge on the beach, admire the wonderful scenery, explore the underwater world, and discover the nearby hiking trails. To truly savor all that the resort town offers along with the beach, a more generous amount of time is usually needed. Many travelers opt for three to five days to relax and explore here. However, if your schedule is tight, we have a handful of recommendations for making the most of your visit.
Lagos, Portugal
How to spend 2 days in Lagos
If you have more than a weekend (two to three days) in Lagos, you'll appreciate the added time for everything the resort town has to offer.
Don't miss Ponta da Piedade during your trip to Lagos, as it's one of this destination's most well-known attractions. You should make sure to set aside enough time to see it.
You'll absolutely want to spend some time enjoying the food scene in this resort town, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine for a meal or two. The city offers some of the best food in the Algarve. The old town has plenty of restaurants that are both affordable and high quality. Seafood is the obvious choice, but you'll also find tapas, paellas, and local dishes such as cataplana (a seafood and chorizo stew). Most restaurants serve up a local fish of the day as well as prawns and other seafood items.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Lagos Wine Tasting and Tapas ($44)
- Classic Food Tour - Lagos ($97)
- Small-Group Day Tour of Silves and Monchique with Wine Tasting ($86)
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Lagos, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
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