Lagos is home to some of the Algarve’s most instagrammable spots making ideal for taking photos!
I’m not gonna lie, when I visited Lagos, I spent half my time taking photos but can you blame me really? The whole place is absolutely stunning and I couldn’t get enough.
I spent a lot of time hunting down the most instagrammable spots in Lagos so that I could take the best photos.
Keep reading to find out where they are, the best time to visit, how to get there and some insider tips!
(Hint: I’ve included a few hidden gems thats few people know about).
Table of Contents
1. Restaurante Mare
Ok so the first stop on your Lagos Instagram itinerary should definitely be Restaurante Mare which is a rooftop bar/restaurant that is located above a fish market!
You do have to climb some stairs through the fish market to get to the rooftop. P.S. you might wanna hold your breath whilst you do this.
Luckily the fishy smell doesn’t linger on the rooftop and you’re certainly rewarded for your challenges by impressive views of the Lagos old town and the river.
You can grab also yourself an Instagram-worthy cocktail. I tried out the Long Island Iced Tea and the SOTB and both were super delicious and definitely worthy of a photo.
(Be aware that the drinks in Portugal are STRONG!)
I headed up to Restaurante Mare in the early afternoon and it was fairly busy but there were still a couple of seats left by the edge.
I imagine that sunset would also be a great time to visit too!
2. Meia Praia
Next up is one the best beaches in Lagos which is Meia Praia.
It is actually the longest beach in Lagos at over 4km meaning that it has plenty of room for everyone!
There is so much open space which makes it super easy to take beautiful photos without lots of people in the background.
This can be a problem at other beaches in Lagos, such as Praia Dona Ana and Praia do Camilo, as these beaches are much smaller and get very busy.
Who wants a photo with a gazillion other people in the background? Not me so that’s why I absolutely loved Meia Praia.
You also don’t have to worry about being hit on the head by a rogue beach ball whilst posing for photos here.
And on top of that, it’s also extremely beautiful! Soft white sand and crystal clear blue ocean – what more could you ask for?!
The photos below were taken on the beach at Duna Beach Club which is where I spent several days of my trip.
Photos on the Meia Praia beach in Lagos, Portugal.
3. Beach Arch at Praia dos Estudantes
The beach arch at Praia dos Estudantes in Lagos is definitely a bit of a hidden gem as not many people know about it (and the ones that do know about it, can’t find it).
The beach arch sits between two cliff tops on the Praia dos Estudantes beach. It is also known as the ‘Lagos Roman Bridge’ on Google Maps.
You do need to be careful about when you visit as at high tide, this area is covered in water so you won’t be able to access it.
I tried twice and the first time, the tide was too high so I couldn’t get anywhere near the arch!
The best time to visit is during low tide which tends to be in the middle of the day. You can check the latest tide times on tide-forecast.com.
You can get an Instagram perfect photo by walking up to this arch just like I did (see photos below).
This place is kinda hard to find (I got lost several times) so here’s exactly how to find it.
Enter the beach at Praia da Batata and just keep walking along the beaches until you get to Praia dos Estudantes.
You will need to walk through various tunnels in the rocks along the way but just keep going until you see the arch.
The beach arch at Praia dos Estudantes in Lagos.
4. Tivoli Lagos Algarve Resort
I stayed at the Tivoli Lagos Algarve Resort during my trip to Lagos and it couldn’t have been more perfect.
The hotel is absolutely stunning with the front being covered in pretty trees with lots of flowers. It was one of the most instagrammable places in the whole of Lagos.
The hotel is located within close walking distance to the main old town area meaning it’s close to all the action.
Although I actually stayed here, anyone can come and take photos outside so still add this one to your list even if you’ve already booked your hotel.
The photos below were all taken on the walkway leading up to the entrance. It is decorated in a beautiful Algarve-style and features lots of greenery and flowers – it’s perfect for photos and very easily accessible from the road.
I personally think that Tivoli Lagos is one of the best places to stay in Lagos. Not only are the grounds and rooms really beautiful, they also run a free shuttle bus to their beach club on Meia Praia.
5. Parque da Cidade de Lagos
I accidentally stumbled across this scenic park whilst I was walking around and exploring the old city walls which run right through it.
It’s located right by the Pro Putting Garden – a mini golf course that is also super fun to visit (I had a great time making a fool of myself trying to play golf).
The park has lots of open space and places to sit, I particularly liked the beautiful blooming trees all around!
As you can see in the photos below, this park was full of colour and I couldn’t resist taking a few photos amongst the flowers!
6. Lagos Old Town
Another one of the best photo spots in Lagos is the old town itself which is super scenic and charming.
Just take some time to walk around the streets and you’ll come across so many beautiful Portuguese buildings, many of which are brightly colored!
I came across so many amazing photo spots in the old town as there are houses painted blue, pink, yellow, green…literally every single color.
Make sure you explore the backstreets too as you often come across hidden buildings that other people don’t know about!
7. Marina
Another one of Lagos’s most instagrammable spots is the Marina de Lagos.
It’s filled with fancy-looking yachts and boats and is lined by a little promenade which contains various restaurants and bars that overlook the marina.
The promenade has 2 levels. My favorite photo spot is along the balcony on the second floor as you get a fantastic view over the marina (see the photos below).
It’s a perfect spot for sunset as the marina is western-facing and, let me tell you, the sunsets are magical here!
I ate dinner up at one of the restaurants on the second floor as the sun was setting and it was such a magical evening.
8. Praia do Camilo
Would this list really be complete without mentioning Praia do Camilo which is one of the Algarve’s most famous and beautiful beaches?
It does live up to it’s hype as it is a dazzling beach with perfect white sand and crystal clear waters however one downside is that it does get very crowded due to its small size.
Visit the beach in the early morning or late at night for fewer crowds. I noticed that the beaches in Lagos tend to get very deserted around sunset (no idea why).
If you’re wanting to take photos then the best spot is from the cliff tops above or on the staircase that leads down to the beach.
From up here, you get a great view of the beach but it’s much quieter than the beach itself.
Praia do Camilo
9. Ponta da Piedade
One the best things to do in Lagos is explore the impressive rock formations, sea arches and caves of Ponta da Piedade.
You can get some pretty epic photos from up on these cliff tops which overlook the Atlantic Ocean.
I could have stayed up there for hours and hours, it was so beautiful as the coastline seems to stretch on forever.
Be careful not to get too close to the edge as it can be unstable in places. I did see some people climbing up some rocks that didn’t look very safe – it made for a great photo but it’s not worth the risk for me.
There are still plenty of amazing photo spots up here that are perfectly safe. Just keep to the main pathway and you’ll be fine.
Insider Tip: It gets super windy up here so bring a jacket. When I visited it was around 80ºF (27ºC) but I felt a bit cold due to the strong wind.
Ponta da Piedade rock formations.
10. Castle of Lagos
Another great place for taking photos in Lagos is at the Castle of Lagos which is actually an old medieval castle that’s still in pretty good condition.
Back in the day this castle, along with the ancient city walls, used to protect Lagos from attack but today, it serves as a great tourist attraction (and Instagram opportunity!).
It’s pretty enormous in size so send your Instagram boyfriend (or girlfriend) far back to get the whole thing in.
Castle of Lagos
11. Statue of Sao Goncalo
Another Instagram spot in Lagos that I just stumbled across is the Statue of Sao Goncalo.
The statue itself is quite nice but the whole area around it is also really beautiful as it overlooks the ocean, several beaches, the fort and the entire Algarve coastline.
It’s located just before you get to Praia da Batata by the coast, near to the old town of Lagos.
The absolute best time to visit is at sunset. The sunsets in Lagos are unimaginably beautiful so you definitely won’t be disappointed.
This spot does get very windy though, especially in the evenings so it was a little difficult to take photos as my hair was constantly flying all over the place!
12. Praia da Batata, Praia do Pinhão, Praia Dona Ana
Did I mention yet how beautiful the beaches are in Lagos?
I personally think that Lagos is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Europe. I’ve never seen anything this good.
Surrounded by jagged cliffs and rock formations, the white sandy beaches and turquoise waters are a perfect place to relax and take some photos.
The best ones are Praia da Batata, Praia do Pinhão and Praia Dona Ana. They’re kinda all located in a row so you can walk between them pretty easily.
These beaches do get super busy during the day so it can be difficult to take good photos without having someone else in it.
To avoid the crowds, I’d recommend visiting in the evening just before sunset.
At this time of day, most people are heading out to dinner and almost nobody is on the beaches so you’ll have them all to yourself!
I did this a few times and just couldn’t believe my luck.
You’ll also get to view the most beautiful sunsets from these beaches. Walking along those beaches at sunset is an experience I’ll never forget.
Walking along Lagos’s beaches at sunset.
13. Jardim da Constituição
Another one of the most Instagrammable places in Lagos is the Jardim da Constituição which is a garden, located just by the Castle of Lagos.
This charming little garden is lined with palm trees and you can see the ocean in the distance making it the perfect place to take photos.
I visited this spot several times and noticed that it doesn’t get too busy (I had it to myself once or twice). You can go here at any time of day and there won’t be too many people.
A good time to go is at sunset as you get a pretty good view from here with the sun setting behind the palm trees.
14. Cliff Top Trail Above the Beaches
Another great Instagram spot in Lagos is up on the cliff top trails that run along the top of the beaches.
These trails run all the way from the Lagos old town to Ponta da Piedade. If you walked the whole route, it would take around 40 minutes each way.
I took an Uber to Ponta da Piedade and then walked back along the trails and finished in the old town. This was a pretty good way to do it without getting too tired.
Along the way, you’ll notice many staircases that run down to the beaches so you can venture down to the shores if you want or you can stay up on the clifftops for some epic views of the Algarve.
This is honestly one of the most beautiful walks I’ve ever been on in my whole life. My phone literally ran out of charge because I was taking so many photos.
It is especially beautiful at sunset (see photos below).
15. Avenida Dos Descobrimentos
The final spot where you should take photos in Lagos is along the riverfront promenade which is officially named ‘Avenida Dos Descobrimentos’.
This walkway runs beside the river and is also lined with tons little market stalls selling authentic Portuguese crafts (or at least that’s what they told me).
It’s pretty long so it also makes for a nice, relaxing walk. You’ll get to see lots of boats sailing up and down so feel free to sit down by the edge and watch them cruising past.
This spot is super charming and is also lined with palm trees. You can visit at anytime of day although it can be quite busy around midday.
And that’s it!
Thanks for reading my ultimate guide on the most Instagrammable spots in Lagos, Portugal.
All of the photos in this post are my own. They were mainly taken on a Canon EOS 200D/Rebel SL2.
Make sure you check out my fun list of the best Algarve Instagram captions too to complete your post.
Related Posts:
