The Romans – who called it Lacobriga – are thought to be the first to occupy the town of Lagos, at the mouth of the Bensafrim River.
Roman ruins lie beneath the oldest part of the city; for example, the bridge leading over the river to Meia Praia has Roman foundations. The Romans liked the salted fish, and used it to make the special Roman condiment called garum. The Portuguese garum was highly prized and shipped direct from Lagos to Rome.
As with most of the Algarve, the Moors also had an influence on the town, which they called Zawiya. At that time, Chelbs – modern-day Silves – was the capital of the province known as Al Gharb, which means “the West”.
The church of St John the Baptist is thought to be the oldest purpose-built church in the Algarve. The church was built by Lagos’s Christians, who were granted permission to build it outside the town limits by the Wali, a town guardian, in 1174. This little church can be found next to the roundabout on the road north to Lisbon and east to Portimão.
The Bay of Lagos was used by the Portuguese fleet as a gathering point after coming round Cape St Vincent from Lisbon, and leaving to fight the Moors at Cueta, in Africa. The harbour was renovated to make it more suitable for the construction of caravels – long, shallow ships that were rigged with lateen sails to make them more manoeuvrable in unknown waters. Their shallow keels allowed them to come very close to shore.
Henry the Navigator’s body rested at the old parish church of Lagos, before it was transported north to Batalha. With the royal family gone, many traders lost interest in the Algarve and moved their businesses north to the capital, Lisbon.
Promotion to a city
The town was given city status at the end of the 16th century by the boy-king, Sebastian. As a young man Sebastian thought of himself as something of a warrior, and while still in his teens gathered an army to invade Morocco. The fleet assembled at Lagos, and the troops mustered in front of the castle, where tradition says that they were addressed by the young king from the Manuelin window in the walls of the Governor’s Palace. It was an ill-fated expedition. The young king died, leaving no heir except his elderly uncle Henry, the cardinal.
The Great Earthquake of 1755 caused almost total devastation. Many buildings, such as the parish church of Santa Maria da Graça, were destroyed, while others, such as the church of St António, were badly damaged but still retain some of their earlier features. Just as Henry’s death had removed commercial opportunities from the town, the Great Earthquake removed its political importance.
With his castle and all the main buildings in ruins, the governor of the Algarve moved to Tavira. Fishing was the backbone of this once highly prosperous town. In the Middle Ages, whales were brought ashore at many points along the coast, as is indicated by the place-name Baleeira, derived from the Portuguese for whale. As whaling declined, the fishermen’s attention turned to tuna. These were caught in great funnel nets, which were set up offshore along the routes that the fish took in their migration to the Mediterranean. The nets were stored in a large warehouse, called Armação. As the tuna became scarce and their runs made further out to sea, the next harvest to be exploited was that of the sardine. In the late 19th century there were four sardine canning factories in the vicinity. The chimney-stacks of these remain to this day, to provide nesting platforms for the white storks.
Things to do
As well as the historical aspects of the old town, there is plenty for the visitor to see. The Marina is a good example of the renewed investment in the city. There are several churches to visit, such as the church of Santo António, which has a small municipal museum containing curiosities and traditional artefacts as well as city documents and archaeological finds.
The ruins of the Franciscan Monastery are built on a hill outside the walls. The stables for the local Guarda Nacional de Republica (rural police) now occupy part of the building. There are two mounted officers who sometimes patrol the countryside. Before the rural police used modern 4x4 transport, it would often take them more than an hour to reach emergency callouts in the outlying rural areas of the district on horseback.
Founded in the middle of the 15th century, the small chapel Ermida de S Pedro do Pulgão is situated on the road to the municipal aerodrome. The congregation listens to notices and sermons delivered from the pulpit outside the main building.
Nights out
Lagos has plenty of restaurants, offering a range of cuisine from traditional Portuguese food to more exotic Eastern dishes. The city also has many bars and nightclubs to keep people entertained in the evening.
The Cultural Centre has regular exhibitions, and holds concerts and theatrical events in its auditorium. Another open-air auditorium, set within the west walls, holds summer concerts.
Several of the larger hotels host folk evenings, with folk dancing or Fado singing. Details can be found in the local press.
Afloat, there are boat trips, deep-sea fishing trips and tours of the grottos that lie beneath the Ponte de Piedade. Windsurfers can be hired at the larger beaches. Divers can explore the seabed, but you must bring the appropriate certificates to allow you to participate.
An Algarvian society arranges nature walks, and nature and bird-watching tours. And don’t pass up the chance to go horse riding!
Finally, if you want to do nothing but laze in the sun, there are beaches of all shapes and sizes, from the long sandy stretch of Meia Praia to the small cliff-bound hideaways of the Ponte de Piedade.
