Top 10 Cocktails to Try in Lagos

Portugal is devoted to the gin and tonic, served long in a balloon glass over plenty of ice with carefully chosen botanicals. In Lagos there's a local point of pride to ask for: Alma Luz, an award-winning dry gin distilled right here in the Algarve by three local friends, built on juniper, coriander, angelica, cassia and orris with regional botanicals. Order it with a good tonic and a twist of citrus — it's the most Lagos way to start the evening.

The most genuinely Portuguese aperitivo on this list: chilled white port topped with tonic water, over ice with a sprig of mint or a slice of lemon. Light, refreshing and far easier-going than a glass of ruby port, it's the drink Portuguese families reach for before dinner — a perfect warm-evening opener.

Medronho is the Algarve's own spirit — a fiery fruit brandy distilled in the hills around Monchique from arbutus berries, traditionally sipped neat as a digestivo. A growing number of craft bars now build it into cocktails, and a medronho sour — the spirit shaken with lemon and a little sugar — is the friendliest way to meet it. The most authentically Algarvian drink you can order.

The undisputed king of the terrace at golden hour: Aperol, prosecco and a splash of soda over ice, bright orange and just bitter enough. In a town built around its sunsets, it's the glass you'll see on every other table as the light turns. Easy, sparkling and made for a sea view.

Brazil's national cocktail has long felt at home on the Algarve coast: cachaça muddled with fresh lime and sugar over crushed ice. Punchy, citrusy and endlessly refreshing in the heat, it's a beach-bar staple from the afternoon into the night.

White rum, lime, sugar, soda and a generous handful of fresh mint — the Cuban classic is everywhere along the Lagos seafront, and for good reason. Cool, herbaceous and low on fuss, it's the drink to nurse with your feet near the sand.

Pure holiday in a glass: rum, coconut cream and pineapple blended until smooth and tropical. Unashamedly sweet and creamy, it's the drink that turns a Lagos beach afternoon into a proper getaway.

Made for a country that runs on coffee: vodka, coffee liqueur and a fresh shot of espresso, shaken hard to a velvety foam. Bittersweet and reviving, it's the after-dinner cocktail that bridges the meal and the night out.

Tequila, lime and orange liqueur, served with a salted rim — sharp, balanced and always a crowd-pleaser. It's a natural order at the town's Mexican-leaning spots, and a reliable lift on a warm Lagos evening.

For the serious cocktail bars: equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, stirred over ice with an orange peel. Bitter, elegant and uncompromising, it's the grown-up end of the list — and a fine showcase for a good local gin like Alma Luz.