My Experience in Lagos, Portugal. By Ana

How is it living in Lagos? Would you recommend the city?

Living in Lagos is lovely! The city is very calm, very pretty, doesn't have a rush hour and there is always beautiful countryside to admire! I would highly recommend Lagos to anyone who wants to have a quality holiday!

Talking about Lagos without talking about the beach makes no sense! There are many and distinctive beaches to visit and enjoy! Since Lagos has always been linked to fishing, the roads look like fishing areas: small houses, very modest, very bright, with blue bars around the doors and windows. To contrast with this, there is a wall along the lowest part of the city, which was used for transport in medieval times.

The Lagos climate is best in the summer! There's only the small disadvantage of being a bit windy, but's it's not really a problem!

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What's the student environment like in Lagos?

Lagos isn't a student city, but a tourist city. It doesn't have a university.

On average, how much does it cost to live in Lagos?

Living in lagos is really cheap! The prices in the supermarkets are very accessible; house rents in winter are almost inexistent and in summer are accessible; nights out aren't expensive low down, it gets more expensive in the bars on the beach.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Lagos? Do you have any advice you can give?

It's really simple to find accommodation in Lagos! Almost everyone rents houses/rooms because it's a tourist city! It's equipped to accept many people, who normally only come in the summer to enjoy the beautiful Lagos beaches. You often have to be very careful with online accommodation advertisements, but that doesn't apply to Lagos. You have to look for accommodation in trusted areas with real people, or there's a risk of being cheated.

What's the food like? What are your favourite delicacies?

The food is excellent! There are different places to try good quality shell-fish! Cockles, mussels, prawns, crab, percebes, clams, there are so many different types of sea-food that you can find in Lagos, with the advantage that they are very fresh! The shell-fish rice is one of the dishes that reflects the taste the sea has offered through all the shell-fish. The fish is also very good quality! Sardines, mackerel, swordfish, tuna and salmon are only some of the best examples of fish made in the fish-oven! "Alimado" mackerel (mackerel cooked and served fried with potatoes, tomato, onion and olive oil) is a very typical dish, particular to the Algarve gastronomy. You have to try it!

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On the other side, dishes with bean stew, baits, or grains with meat are prepared in a very Algarve way.

We also have various typical desserts. I would highlight coffee cake with "Gombá" pastry, "Dom-Rodrigo", the golden slices, fried cakes, and the "bolo de doce-fino". This last one is even the theme of a cake competition held every year in the city, in which art and gastronomy are combined and authentic structures are made with the pastry that is characteristic of this dessert.

Where would you recommend for a visit in Lagos?

I would recommend visiting the beaches of the coast! The "Meia-praia", in spite of it's deceiving name, is an enormous beach; the "Dona Ana" beach, small but very nice and clean; the "Porto-de-mós" beach, where there are natural clay sources (great for the skin and bones); the "praia da Luz", whose beauty is magical; the little beaches, beginning at the Batata Beach, and which you can cross by the little rocks that separate them. The beaches are diverse and enchanting!

After, I would advise a historical tour of the city: get to know the wall, the various churches of the council, the replica of the "Caravela da Boa Esperança" which is next to the Marina, the museum of the council, the library, the cultural centre, the historic centre of the city.

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At night, I would recommend doing a round of the bars in Lagos which are in the city centre, in the Marina and around the beaches. There is usually lots of live music in the summer!

I should also call attention to the activities in the Cultural Centre of Lagos: concerts and exhibitions.

What's the quality of the restaurants like in Lagos? Can you tell us the best restaurants for eating?

In general, in Lagos, there are very good restaurants. I would highly recommend the "Restaurante da Mena" (menus between €8 and €10, typical Algarve dishes and great quality of cooking); the "Adega da Marina", the "Pinguim", the "Prato Cheio", the "Escondidinho" and the "Casinha do Petisco".

What's the night-life like in Lagos? What are the best places to go out?

The night-life in Lagos is very quiet in winter, but very dynamic in summer!

In summer the streets are very animated and lively! The bars are filled with people! There is lots of live music of various styles, in the bars and in the street! Whoever comes to Lagos at this time of year really loves night-life! In the winter people end up going to calmer and more modest events, like a good concert in the Cultural Centre for example.

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What advice would you give to future students who go to Lagos?

Students who travel to Lagos will definitely have a great holiday! Full of leisure, kind people, sun, beach, extensive landscape and lots of magic!