Top 10 Day Trips from Lagos

The Moorish capital of the Algarve, Silves wears its history on its sleeve — crowned by a magnificent red-sandstone castle, the best-preserved in the region, with sweeping views over orange groves and the river below. Wander the cobbled old town up to the cathedral, then stop for lunch by the riverside. An easy, atmospheric half-day about 40 minutes away.

A picture-perfect former fishing village built into the cliffs, Carvoeiro is all whitewashed houses, a small beach and one of the Algarve's loveliest clifftop boardwalks at Algar Seco, where the rock has been sculpted into arches and pools. It's also the gateway to the famous Marinha and Benagil beaches just along the coast. See how to visit the Benagil cave nearby.

The Algarve's second city is best known for two things: sardines and Praia da Rocha, the long, cliff-backed beach on its doorstep. Come for a grilled-sardine lunch on the riverfront (Portimão's signature), browse the marina, or visit the Museu de Portimão in a former sardine cannery. Just half an hour east, it's an easy mix of city, beach and history.

Lagoa is the heart of Algarve wine country, and a relaxed day here is all about the cellar door. Several adegas in and around town open for tastings of local reds and whites, often paired with regional cheeses and cured meats. Combine a visit with the nearby beaches or Carvoeiro and you have a gentle day mixing wine and coast, about 35 minutes away.

Trade the coast for the cool green hills of the Serra de Monchique. The mountain town is known for its thermal spa at Caldas de Monchique, its fiery medronho firewater and honey, and the cork forests all around. Drive up to Fóia, the Algarve's highest point, for views all the way to the sea. A refreshing, scenic change of pace about 50 minutes away.

At the wild south-western tip of Portugal, Sagres is a windswept surf village with an end-of-the-world feel. Explore its vast clifftop fortress, watch the Atlantic crash against the headlands, and drive out to Cabo de São Vicente, mainland Europe's most south-westerly point, for an unforgettable sunset. Add a seafood lunch and rugged beaches and it's a full, dramatic day about 40 minutes away.

Cross to the wild west coast and the Costa Vicentina natural park, where Aljezur sits beneath a ruined Moorish castle. This is surf-and-nature country — uncrowded beaches like Arrifana and Monte Clérigo, dramatic cliffs and trails, and the famous local sweet potato on every menu. Slower, wilder and beautifully unspoilt, about 40 minutes from Lagos.

The Algarve's capital is often skipped, and that's a mistake. Faro's walled old town (Cidade Velha) is a maze of cobbled lanes, an orange-tree square and a cathedral you can climb, all entered through a Moorish arch. From the harbour, boats head out into the Ria Formosa lagoon and its island beaches. About an hour east — and reachable by train.

Many people's favourite town in the Algarve, Tavira straddles a river crossed by a low arched bridge, with handsome churches, a hilltop castle and a genuinely Portuguese feel that the resort towns have lost. In summer, a ferry runs out to the long sandy beach on Ilha de Tavira. It's about an hour and a quarter east — a little far, but worth it, and also reachable by train.

For one big adventure, cross the border into Andalusia. Seville is about two hours away, but its show-stopping cathedral and Giralda tower, the fairy-tale Alcázar palace and the buzzing tapas bars of its old quarters reward the early start. Take your ID or passport, set off at dawn, and you'll have tasted one of Spain's most beautiful cities by nightfall. The most ambitious day on this list.