Everything in Lagos seems to invite you to the beach and simple pleasures. But there is also a history of navigators and pirates, the result of a complicity with the sea that persists in the colourful trawlers that bring fish to the fish market, or in the Marina where yachts from all over the world bob.

This connection to the sea reached its highest point in the 15th and 16th centuries, since it was in Lagos that Prince Henry the Navigator set sail on the caravels that reached the coast of Africa, beginning the epic of the Portuguese Discoveries, and from where Gil Eanes set sail, the navigator who demonstrated that the world did not end at Cape Bojador and that the sea was not populated by monsters. His name was given to the square where a controversial statue by João Cutileiro evokes King Sebastião, who made Lagos the capital of the Algarve, a privilege it retained until 1755. It was also from here that this king left for the battle of Alcácer-Quibir, from where he never returned, causing Portugal to lose its independence to Spain, which it only regained in 1640. The people were always waiting for him to return on a foggy morning, a feeling of hope in a saviour that became engraved in the Portuguese soul and was called “Sebastianism”.

Although built on top of earlier constructions, some of the main monuments, such as the Governors’ Castle, date from this period. Or the city walls and the Ponta da Bandeira Fort, which protected it from invaders, especially privateers, and which today offer beautiful panoramas of the town and the sea. It was also in Lagos, under the arcades of Praça Infante D. Henrique, that Europe’s first slave market was held, a space that has now been transformed into a cultural centre with exhibitions and handicraft sales.

But there’s much more to see. Strolling through the streets of the historic centre, we discover the charm of this centuries-old city, noticing the stonework on the doors and windows, the wrought ironwork on the balconies and the patios that guarantee coolness in summer. Or at the Church of St Anthony, which surprises us with its rich interior covered in gilded woodwork and tiles, plus the curious fact that the image of the saint it is named after has the rank of lieutenant general, a promotion earned because this church served as a chapel for the Infantry Regiment. Next door, the Municipal Museum has interesting sections on archaeology and sacred art.

And we can’t help but delight in its gastronomy. Fish and shellfish are the main ingredients in various delicacies: from appetisers with clams, barnacles, roe or octopus, to soups and açordas, or specialities such as horse mackerel and stuffed squid. The sweets are another highlight, especially the dom-rodrigos, a recipe from the nuns of the Convent of Nossa Senhora do Carmo.

From the long Avenida dos Descobrimentos you can see the city’s profile and the Marina, full of life and animation. This avenue leads to the sea and the beaches, which are some of the most beautiful in the Algarve, often honoured by international organisations and magazines. To the east is Meia Praia, a long stretch of sand about five kilometres long that ends at the Ria de Alvor. To the other side, there are smaller beaches bathed by transparent waters, to which the rocks sculpted by erosion add breathtaking beauty. These are the beaches of Batata, Pinhão, Dona Ana and Camilo, all accessible from the city centre. Further on, Ponta da Piedade, the region’s ex-libris, is an impressive rock formation with jagged shapes and excavated caves that can be fully appreciated on a boat trip. Canavial, Porto de Mós and Praia da Luz complete this offer, which also includes many sand shells that are difficult to access, some of which can only be reached by sea. These are little paradises waiting to be discovered.