Praia do Forte da Bandeira

Drop anchor off the Forte da Ponta da Bandeira, a striking 17th-century fortress that guards the entrance to Lagos harbor. The view from the water — sandy shore, stone battlements, and open Atlantic sky — is genuinely hard to beat. The fort isn't always open to visitors, but the setting alone is worth the stop, and it puts you right at the doorstep of the historic town of Lagos.