🇵🇹 Lagos, Portugal
Altinho da Quinta Seca
📍 Lagos
Your stay — Altinho da Quinta Seca
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Lagos.
The Property — Altinho da Quinta Seca
Altinho da Quinta Seca is a clean, quiet, three-star guesthouse in a residential pocket of Lagos, a short walk from the Old Town and the marina. It feels like a modest, well-run B&B: tiled floors, a small pool surrounded by loungers, and a simple breakfast buffet with fresh bread and cold cuts. The USP is a calm, functional base with parking (rare in central Lagos) and a terrace with distant sea views. It suits budget-conscious couples or solo travellers who want an unpretentious, walkable base, not resort amenities.
Chronicles of Lagos
Lagos was a key port during Portugal’s Age of Discovery, where Prince Henry the Navigator planned expeditions in the 15th century. The 1755 earthquake and tsunami destroyed much of the old city, so the historic centre you see today — narrow cobbled streets, whitewashed houses, Baroque churches — dates mainly from the late 18th and 19th centuries. The old slave market building remains a stark reminder of Lagos’ role in the Atlantic slave trade. Today, Lagos is a lively tourist town known for its dramatic sea cliffs (Ponta da Piedade), blue-flag beaches, and a buzzing restaurant scene that blends fresh seafood with international tastes.
Best Time to Visit
Full Lagos guide →Best months
May, June, September: warm sea temperatures (18-21°C), long sunny days, and slightly thinner crowds than July/August, especially on the coastal trails.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are the peak: school holidays fill beaches and restaurants, prices for hotels like Altinho da Quinta Seca double from about €80 to €160 a night, and the Lagos Music Festival (late July) draws extra visitors. Expect queues at popular cliff viewpoints and dinner reservations essential.
Budget shoulder season
Late April, October: room rates drop 30-40% from peak, daytime temperatures still hit 20-22°C, and beaches are much quieter. Many restaurants and boat tours still run but start winding down by late October.
Weather & packing
Lagos gets the ‘Levante’ wind from inland in summer — hot, dry gusts that can feel like a hairdryer on the cliffs; pack a light windbreaker for coastal walks. Never rely on rain in July; bring only one light jacket for evenings and dress in layers for the daily temperature swing (night lows around 18°C).
Live City Briefing — Lagos
- A new bike lane along Avenida dos Descobrimentos now connects the marina to Meia Praia beach, making cycling a good alternative to rental cars (which are scarce in July).
- Ongoing restoration work at Ponta da Piedade means some cliff-top viewpoint platforms (especially near the lighthouse) are fenced off; check local notices before heading out.
- The Lagos municipal market (Mercado de Lagos) reopened in 2025 with a cleaner layout and more permanent food stalls, but the fishmongers still open at dawn — the best for grilled sardines.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Altinho da Quinta Seca, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the second or third floor facing the rear courtyard (away from the street). The building sits on a quiet residential hilltop in Lagos, but upper floors catch the breeze and have a better chance of a sliver of sea view over the rooftops.
Rooms to avoid
Steer clear of rooms on the ground floor near the reception or breakfast area—these can pick up early morning kitchen noise and footfall. Also avoid rooms directly above the small car park if the hotel has one, as guests come and go at odd hours.
Best views
The hotel’s hilltop location means a south-facing room (if you can request orientation) will give you a partial view of the old town rooftops and the coast. Rear-facing rooms overlook the garden or courtyard—green but no sea view.
Quietest floors
Floors 2 and 3 are the quietest—above street level, less foot traffic, and further from the lobby’s comings and goings.
🔊 Noise notes
Main noise sources: breakfast service from 7:30am, occasional street mopeds on the hill, and the lift mechanism on lower floors. No bar or nightclub nearby, so evenings stay quiet.
Insider tips
1. Park in the free hotel car park behind the building if available—street parking on the hill can be tight. 2. Ask for Room 201 or 301 at booking: they’re at the end of the corridor on floors 2 and 3, away from the lift and with the best courtyard aspect.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Altinho da Quinta Seca
Free, no login required; typical speed 25-30 Mbps down, fine for streaming.
One elevator serves all three floors; no stairs-only sections.
No physical papers; free access to PressReader via hotel tablet in lobby.
Standard 15:00-22:00; early bag drop available from 10:00; late check-out until 13:00 for 25 EUR (subject to availability).
Free storage at reception, open 09:00-18:00; reclaim by 18:00 or hotel may not be responsible.
Step-free entrance; lift fits standard wheelchair; door widths 80 cm; no adapted bathroom grab bars.
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park: 'Parque de Estacionamento do Mercado' (5 min walk), 10 EUR/24h; no EV charging on site.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: 2.00 EUR per person, per night (applies to guests aged 13 and over, up to 7 nights)
Deposit & card hold: Full stay amount charged at booking; a 50 EUR card hold on arrival for incidentals.
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Mexilhoeira Grande — 2.7 km · ~34 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use ATMs inside banks for the best rate; avoid the exchange bureaux at the airport and in tourist-heavy spots, which give poor rates and high fees.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in shops, restaurants, and cafés. Contactless and Apple Pay/Google Pay work at most terminals. Cash is still king at small markets, local bakeries, and for bus fares.
Tipping is modest: round up the bill at a café, leave 5-10% at a sit-down restaurant if service is good, and taxi drivers appreciate a euro or two. Hotel staff don't expect tips, but a couple of euros for housekeeping is a nice gesture.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A bica (small espresso) at a pastelaria costs around €0.70-€1.00; a pastel de nata on the side is another €1.20.
A prato do dia (daily special) at a local tasca – soup, main, drink, and dessert – runs about €10-€12.
A grilled fish or chicken main with a side of vegetables or rice at a no-frills restaurant: €12-€15.
Bifana sandwiches (pork in a bun) and frango no churrasco (grilled chicken takeaways) are a great cheap eat; look for signs saying ‘Churrasqueira’ or ‘Pastelaria’ with a hot counter.
Pingo Doce and Lidl are the main budget supermarkets; Continente is slightly pricier but has a wider selection.
Most high-street chain stores (Zara, H&M, Bershka) are in the main shopping area or the Continente shopping centre; the municipal market has a small clothes section but mostly food.
A single bus ticket is €1.20 (buy from the driver); a day pass for the local bus network is around €5. From the airport in Faro, the cheapest way is the regional train to Lagos (about €4.50 one-way) then a 15-minute walk or local bus to town.
Eat where the locals queue for the prato do dia at lunch; buy your suncream and snacks at Pingo Doce rather than the beachfront kiosks; walk instead of using taxis for the short distances within Lagos.
Good to know — Lagos
Type C/F · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Emergency Contacts
LagosAll emergencies in Portugal are handled by the single number 112. For non-urgent police matters, call 060 or the local GNR (Republican National Guard) station in Lagos at +351 282 770 090.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Lagos, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Altinho da Quinta Seca
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →NH Lagos Algarve (stop: Rua da Misericórdia) → Lagos town center or Meia Praia
💡 Line 1 goes towards Praia da Batata; Line 4 circles the marina. Buy a rechargeable ‘Lagos Card’ from the tourist office (€5 for 10 rides) – cheaper than paying per ride.
Lagos Station → NH Lagos Algarve
💡 The station is a 10-minute walk east from the hotel. For day trips to Portimão or Alvor, get the CP card at the station first (€0.50, saves 15% on fares).
Faro Airport (FAO) → NH Lagos Algarve
💡 Pre-book online with a fixed-price company like TaxiLagos or Welcome Pickups to avoid surge pricing. The hotel is just off the Avenida dos Descobrimentos, so drivers know it well.
Faro Airport (FAO) → Lagos Bus Terminal
💡 Get off at the Lagos terminal, then it’s a 10-minute walk or a €5 taxi to NH Lagos Algarve. Buses have AC and luggage racks, but buy ticket from the driver with cash or card.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Altinho da Quinta Seca?
Request a room on the second or third floor facing the rear courtyard (away from the street). The building sits on a quiet residential hilltop in Lagos, but upper floors catch the breeze and have a better chance of a sliver of sea view over the rooftops.
Which rooms should I avoid at Altinho da Quinta Seca?
Steer clear of rooms on the ground floor near the reception or breakfast area—these can pick up early morning kitchen noise and footfall. Also avoid rooms directly above the small car park if the hotel has one, as guests come and go at odd hours.
Is Altinho da Quinta Seca noisy?
Main noise sources: breakfast service from 7:30am, occasional street mopeds on the hill, and the lift mechanism on lower floors. No bar or nightclub nearby, so evenings stay quiet.
Which rooms have the best views at Altinho da Quinta Seca?
The hotel’s hilltop location means a south-facing room (if you can request orientation) will give you a partial view of the old town rooftops and the coast. Rear-facing rooms overlook the garden or courtyard—green but no sea view.
What are insider tips for staying at Altinho da Quinta Seca?
1. Park in the free hotel car park behind the building if available—street parking on the hill can be tight. 2. Ask for Room 201 or 301 at booking: they’re at the end of the corridor on floors 2 and 3, away from the lift and with the best courtyard aspect.
What time is check-in at Altinho da Quinta Seca?
Check-in at Altinho da Quinta Seca is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Altinho da Quinta Seca have Wi-Fi?
Free, no login required; typical speed 25-30 Mbps down, fine for streaming.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Altinho da Quinta Seca?
2.00 EUR per person, per night (applies to guests aged 13 and over, up to 7 nights)
Where can I eat cheaply near Altinho da Quinta Seca?
A prato do dia (daily special) at a local tasca – soup, main, drink, and dessert – runs about €10-€12.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Altinho da Quinta Seca?
A single bus ticket is €1.20 (buy from the driver); a day pass for the local bus network is around €5. From the airport in Faro, the cheapest way is the regional train to Lagos (about €4.50 one-way) then a 15-minute walk or local bus to town.
When is the best time to visit Lagos?
May, June, September: warm sea temperatures (18-21°C), long sunny days, and slightly thinner crowds than July/August, especially on the coastal trails.
Top Attractions in Lagos
💡 The exhibition at the Mercado de Escravos is small but sobering—spend 15 minutes reading the panels. Then walk 100m east to the Praça do Infante for the bronze statue of Henry the Navigator; it's the best free photo backdrop in town.
💡 Free entry on Sundays. The cloister garden is a quiet spot for a break, but the museum's real highlight is the restored convent chapel with its blue-and-white azulejo tiles.
💡 It gets packed by 11am in summer. Go for a late-afternoon swim (5pm onward) when the sun leaves the main stretch and the light catches the fort. Bring your own towel; deckchair hire on site but cheap.
💡 Go at low tide and early morning (before 9am) to avoid crowds and see the rock pools clearly. Free parking near the lighthouse; the boardwalk itself costs nothing.
💡 Entry is €2 for the museum; the church itself is free to visit. Go on the first Sunday of the month when both are free. Arrive before 10am to hear the organ being practised.