On the Road: Lagos, Portugal

Lagos is a small seaside town in the southwestern part of Portugal, about 3 hours drive from Lisbon. It is in the region of the Algarve, known for its stunning vistas, succulent seafood and beaches for days. Couple this with some amazing street art by the likes of ROA, Bezt and Aryz and you have the makings of an epic beach holiday with a bit of culture thrown in.

The art that covers the walls in town, at least with regard to the larger murals, is curated by the Laboratorio de Actividades Criativas (LAC), a Portuguese cultural association which has organized the Artistas Unidos em Residencia (ARTURb), a project which has brought some of Europe's most-talented street artists for residencies in Lagos since 2011.

Many of these walls lie on the main road leading to the beach, Rua Lancarote de Freitas. The rest are found spread around town, mostly in walking distance. As in other Portuguese cities, I used the "Urban Art Portugal" app to locate these. For the most part it was fairly accurate, although the "dead flamingo" wall by ROA was just painted over by Third.

So, if you are looking for a beach escape from the city with a little art mixed in, Lagos is just what the doctor ordered. Plan on spending a few days there, soaking in the sun and the sights. You surely won't regret it.