Bordered by a river on its southern side that often forms a shallow warm-water lagoon, beautiful Praia da Bordeira is a mammoth swathe of sand merging into dunes. It's 1.7km northwest of town.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
27.6 MILES
One of the Algarve's – and Portugal's – most emblematic sights, this huge natural seaside cave has a hole in its ceiling through which streaming sunlit…
25.7 MILES
This russet-coloured, Lego-like castle – originally occupied in the Visigothic period – has great views over the town and surrounding countryside. What…
15.26 MILES
Protruding 2.5km south of Lagos, Ponta da Piedade is a dramatic wedge of headland with contorted, polychrome sandstone cliffs and towers, complete with a…
25.68 MILES
Just below the castle is the sé, built in 1189 on the site of an earlier mosque, then rebuilt after the 1249 Reconquista and subsequently restored several…
20.91 MILES
Housed in a 19th-century fish cannery, the ultramodern, award-winning Museu de Portimão is the city's number-one draw. The museum focuses on three areas:…
13.01 MILES
Europe’s southwesternmost point is a barren headland 6km northwest of Sagres' town centre that was the last piece of home that Portuguese sailors once saw…
13.78 MILES
Blank, hulking and forbidding, Sagres’ fortress offers breathtaking views over the sheer cliffs, and all along the coast to Cabo de São Vicente. Legend…
Museu Municipal de Arqueologia
25.66 MILES
Built tight against the defensive walls, this archaeological museum has a mix of interesting finds from the town and around. The modern building was…
Nearby Carrapateira attractions
1. Museu do Mar e da Terra da Carrapateira
1.06 MILES
The Carrapateira Land & Sea Museum is a must for visitors – surfers or otherwise. Up a steep hill 200m east of the town square, its contemporary design…
2.08 MILES
Known for its exposed, left- and right-handed beach breaks that work year-round, surfer favourite Praia do Amado is 2.3km southwest of the town square.
3.92 MILES
One of the more remote west-coast beaches, this wide, magnificent stretch of sand has an ethereal beauty, backed by stratified cliffs hazy in the ocean…
4. Ruinas da Fortaleza de Arrifana
7.01 MILES
A boardwalk leads through the remaining gate of this 1635-built fortress. Largely wiped out by the tsunami following the 1755 earthquake, the fortress was…
7.02 MILES
Embraced by cliffs, this seductive crescent-shaped cove 10km southwest of Aljezur has a small fishing harbour and an offshore pinnacle. It's wildly…
8.42 MILES
This zoo is a shady 3-hectare kid-pleaser, with many small primates and a children’s farm housing domestic animals. There are 150 different species in all…
9.87 MILES
On the site of an Iron Age fort, the polygonal castle was built by the Moors in the 10th century, conquered by the Christians in 1249, then abandoned in…
8. Casa Museu Pintor José Cercas
9.98 MILES
This quaint house belonged to Portuguese painter José Cercas (1914–92) who left his home and belongings – a collection of furniture, artworks and personal…