Ballyhoo: Lagos, Day 2

We anticipated a little bit of rain while in the Algarve, but were hoping it would be limited to some scattered showers in the afternoon and not affect big plans. Mother Nature does her own thing, though, and you must adapt. Rain and dreary skies wiped out our morning activity, which was going to be the Seven Hanging Valleys Hike. For anybody traveling to the Algarve, make this hike a priority. It's definitely one of the top things to do. One day hopefully I can go back and do it. Although I was disappointed we missed it, I knew we'd be doing the boat tour to Benagil Cave the next day (weather permitting), and it would give us a vantage point from the sea. You'd be able to observe the Seven Hanging Valleys from that perspective, and see people hiking it. That would help make it for it. Another silver lining is that we had a chance to recover from ten days of nonstop action in Andalucia (Southern Spain), where we probably averaged walking 7 miles a day. And the weather was perfect there. So recovery is a good thing. Our airbnb in Lagos (except for some wifi issues) was about as good as you could get. Perfect for resting our wearing bones. And from my bed, I had views of storks and seagulls making the most of the morning. I read my Frommers Portugal guidebook and would look up to enjoy the birds.

Our late afternoon/evening plan was to go to Sagres, the most westerly town of the Algarve, and a place rich in maritime history. The idea was to get out there for a sunset at the lighthouse, at the end of the cape. But since we didn't rent a car, we opted to go out there a bit earlier. And we went by bus. It was so easy. We bought our bus tickets (at the station) a few hours before departure. Walked right up to the window and got it. And it was so cheap. There's no doubt that renting a car gives you a certain amount of freedom, but taking buses from town to town, and especially for long distances (2+ hours or more), can be a lot less stressful. Sit back and let somebody else do all the work. And if you're traveling with somebody and you don't want to feel distracted when chatting, nice buses are the way to go. And don't forget the ease of power naps!

We got to Sagres in about an hour, and then took a taxi out to the lighthouse, where we stayed for about thirty minutes. If you have more time to explore Sagres and hang out near the cape for some hiking, most definitely do it. And if you are into surfing, the West Coast of the Algarve is supposed to be ideal. There's a lot to do out there, yet also it's an environment and pace of life that might encourage you to "just be." Doing something is not always wise. Sit. Enjoy a picnic. Soak up some sun. Take in nature. Observe people.

Unless you're staying in Sagres, the best advice I could give is to plan at least a half day out there, and know your transportation options (from Sagres to the lighthouse and back) before you get there. The latter can be a little tricky, especially if your goal is to get back to Lagos or other eastern Algarve towns for the night. Click here for Algarve bus information. And here's a helpful bus map.

Our evening was capped by a nice meal in Lagos. It was made even nicer because we met three fun, lovely Norwegian ladies who had just arrived in town. They left behind their jobs, relationships and kids for a much needed vacay (holiday). You could tell they were gong to have a good time.