Lagos & Sagres Tour

Lagos, Sagres and São Vicente Cape Half Day – 4 Hours

This tour will take us to the most Southwest place in Continental Europe, the Cape of São Vicente.

This is also the more secluded area in Algarve, tourism is still starting here so a lot of
undiscovered small villages and secluded beaches...

Forever linked to Henry, the Navigator, and his legendary naval school, Sagres is a testament to

Portuguese history and maritime expansion. As a World Heritage Center, it has an invaluable heritage of historical monuments. Inside the Sagres Fort, there is the enigmatic mariner’s compass built on the ground and the windmill wall with false battlements allowing views of the promontory, Ponta de Sagres, jutting out to sea.

The Cabo de São Vicente (Cape of St. Vincent) was a reference point for naval maps. In 1515, to improve safety for navigators, the Bishop of Algarve commissioned the building of a lighthouse which was rebuilt in 1924.

Nearby is the town of Lagos, The glowing gold of Baroque carving on church walls; battlements evocative of past conflicts; the presence of Prince Henry and the seafarers who unveiled the ocean’s first secrets at the helm of fragile caravels: all fascinating points of interest on an itinerary through a city proud of its history and the role it played in the voyages of exploration known as the Discoveries.

Although the earthquake of 1755 caused great damage, the streets and squares of Lagos have retained much of the charm of a town hundreds of years old. On the site of the old medieval town - a quadrilateral defined by the town walls and two streets (Rua de São Gonçalo and Rua 5 de Outubro) - the houses preserve much of their former character in the stonework around their windows and doors, in their wrought iron balconies, in the cool, shady areas created by the narrow streets, and in the patios where flowers, fig trees and vines are to be found growing.

The part of the town that grew up as a result of expansion between the 15th and 19th centuries has its heart in Praça Gil Eanes and in the meandering streets where tiles in the “art nouveau” style are to be found alongside grand houses, impressive façades and white walls, broken only by the stonework of windows. From the Avenida dos Descobrimentos, on the other hand, it is possible to view the profile of the city, to look out seawards to the horizon, to watch the bustle of fishing boats and the shimmering masts of yachts mirrored in the still waters of the marina.

Entrance Fees Included: Sagres Fort