Lagos City Walls

The Muralhas de Lagos, the old city walls, still wrap around much of the historic centre of Lagos and are one of the clearest reminders of the town's past as a fortified port. Their best-preserved stretch runs along the riverside Avenida dos Descobrimentos, where the stone ramparts and towers face the Bensafrim river and the marina, and further sections climb through the streets on the landward side of the old town.

Lagos was defended by walls long before Portugal existed: the Romans and later the Moors fortified the settlement at the mouth of the river. The circuit visitors see today is largely the result of rebuilding and enlargement in the sixteenth century, under King Manuel I and later King Sebastião, when Lagos was one of the most important ports of the Algarve and the walls were extended to protect the town as it grew. The walls are classified as a national monument.

The most striking point is the Porta de São Gonçalo, a gate flanked by two towers on the waterfront side, close to the Castelo dos Governadores, the old castle that served as the residence of the governors of the Algarve when Lagos was the region's capital. Tradition holds that the young King Sebastião addressed his troops from a window here before sailing to Morocco in 1578, the campaign that ended in his death at the battle of Alcácer Quibir. Along the way you can see bastions, battlements and gateways where the old streets pass through the walls.

The walls are free to see and are best explored on foot as part of a walk around the old town. Start on the waterfront avenue, then follow the line of the walls inland, passing the Igreja de Santo António, the Praça Infante D. Henrique with the Mercado de Escravos museum, and the Igreja de Santa Maria. Finish with the views from the small Forte da Ponta da Bandeira at the harbour mouth.