Portugal for me was a mix of solo travelling and travelling with friends, all in 10 days visiting 2 cities, Lagos and Lisbon.

This trip was a little bit different because of the planning… or better said, the lack of it. And this is how it went.

Arrival and First Impressions in Lagos, Portugal

My friends were flying from Romania, and since our flight dates didn’t match, I decided to extend my stay because I had more holiday time. I flew from London to Faro without making any plans in advance.

At the airport, I realised I didn’t know how to get to Lagos and didn’t want to spend much on taxis. I met three other travellers in the same situation, and we decided to share a taxi to Faro city and take the train to Lagos after having lunch. After a 1 hour and 40-minute train ride, we arrived and each went to our accommodations.

When I reached mine, I discovered there were two complexes with the same name, and mine was the one farther from the city. Fortunately, they found me an apartment for a few nights before moving me to a villa. Although still a 30-minute walk from the centre, it was close to the beach, beautiful, and even had a private pool, I felt very lucky.

Solo Days in Lagos – Exploring Beaches and Coastal Boat Trips

I spent three full days alone before my friends arrived. On the first day, I wandered around without using Google Maps, which I find is the best way to truly discover a place. At the port, I booked a 3-hour boat trip along the coast and caves for less than €10. Since there were many similar stands, I even managed to bargain for a discount.

Later, I explored the city a bit more, then returned to the villa to get ready for dinner before heading out and coming back early.

The next day was more relaxing. After changing accommodation, I spent most of the day reading by the pool. In the evening, I had dinner and a lovely night out with the girl from Switzerland I had met on my first day.

Lagos Adventures with Friends: Kayaking, Coastal Hikes, and Benagil Cave

The next day, I moved to a hostel to stay with my group of friends. Before they arrived, I had lunch by the beach with my new friend, enjoying fried shrimp and vinho verde. Later, my friends joined me and we went out for sangria, dinner, and tried pastel de nata for the first time.

Over the next few days, we explored the area. We hiked along the coast to Praia do Camilo, one of the most beautiful beaches.

Afterwards we went kayaking, which was even better than the boat tour since we could get closer to the cliffs and hidden beaches. It was a lot of fun, although some of the girls fell into the cold water! The water was quite chilly and the wind strong, so sunburn is definitely something to watch out for.

Another day, we took a speed boat tour to Benagil Cave and were lucky enough to see dolphins on the way. It was an amazing experience, though not ideal for anyone with back pain.

Each evening we tried different restaurants, enjoying local soups and fish, and for our last night we had bottomless sushi. Some nights we explored the lively town, while others we relaxed on the hostel terrace. Since Lagos is small, the nightlife is easy to find, just follow the music and the crowds.

Farewell to Lagos, Portugal: From Algarve Beaches to Lisbon

The next day, the girls went to Seville before heading home, while I took a four-hour FlixBus to Lisbon since we couldn’t find matching return flights from Faro. It was a practical travel decision, and that’s how my Lisbon chapter began.

If you’re planning a trip to Portugal, I highly recommend combining the coast with a city visit, as they offer completely different experiences.

👉 You can read about my time in Lisbon here: Lisbon & Sintra: Solo Travel Itinerary