Meia Praia

If you're already there.

The hang

Lagos's municipal beach: 4km of flat, wide, sand-and-beach-club. No cliffs, no drama, no mystery — just a long, competent beach with a row of restaurants that exist to separate you from €30 and a sunburn. Fine. Useful. The beach equivalent of a reliable sedan. Go if your hotel's here and you can't be bothered to drive anywhere better.

The real intel

Best months: May–Oct. It's a town beach — open year-round, swimmable May onwards.
Getting there: Walk from Lagos train/marina. It's right there.
Where to stay: Lagos — the beach fronts the town.
Cost reality: Sunbeds €15–20/day. Beach clubs €30–50 lunch. Public, free to lay a towel.
The catch nobody tells you: It's flat and featureless. If you came to the Algarve for cliffs, you're on the wrong beach. Also: winds pick up in the afternoon.