Lagos, being an old working city which has adapted ( incredibly well in our opinion ) to tourism, is not totally vehicle friendly, and, for this reason, amongst others, is best appreciated on foot.
Whilst the Avenida, parallel with the river, mixes the original with the modern, and the Rua 25 Abril caters almost exclusively for the tourist with its wealth of restaurants, bars and gift shops, the heart of the Old city remains off the beaten track and offers an insight into the Lagos of bygone times for those adventurous enough to explore a little.
Unfortunately the old canning factory, one of Lagos’ erstwhile employers of local residents, has succumbed to the march of tourism and has been recently converted into luxury apartments, but, for history lovers, a walk through the back streets of town still brings rich rewards.
At the back of town an archway in the town walls gives access to that part of Lagos which still retains much of its original charm. Almost all the narrow streets are made of the familiar cobbles and were clearly designed before the motor car was dreamed of. Footpaths are no more than a half metre wide and barely give enough room to take refuge from passing vehicles, so take care !
Make a point of looking up whenever possible as many of the old fishermen’s cottages are adorned with the coloured tiles ( or azulejos ) that are a feature all over this beautiful country; you will also see brilliantly coloured bougainvillea cascading from walls and window boxes and many windowsills are bedecked with flower and plant pots. Many of the properties have small balconies to the upper rooms and often these are protected by hand-wrought rails and festooned with colourful plants which thrive in the Algarvian climate.
Never be surprised should you stumble upon an unexpected shop or café - save your surprise for the genuine welcome and unbelievable value you’ll get in these little places. The mini supermarkets that you’ll find are there basically to serve the local communities and will stock products that can’t be found in the larger stores at prices that can’t be found there either. Look for the local bakery and be amazed at the truly give-away prices charged for oven fresh bread and cakes.
Starting your tour from the back of town means that, should you lose your bearings, following a downhill route will always return you to the centre of town and we’ve no doubt that, having wandered off the beaten track once, you’ll almost certainly want to try it at least once again before you leave this gem of a town.
Guide contributed by
VinhotintoComing Soon ... Printable maps to help guide you on your route.
