July 16- 21: I left Boston on Monday night and arrived in Lagos on the 16th to the Old Town Hostel where I would be staying for the next 5 nights. Upon arrival, I was exhausted from flying overnight with little sleep, and a bit nervous about walking into my first hostel experience. Little did I know, this hostel would be the most welcoming and cozy space. One of the first people I met was a girl named Caroline, from Hingham, which weirdly gave me a sense of...relief? It felt good to know that someone close from home were doing an experience similar to my own. I didn't personally know anyone from my hometown, or even the area around me, who had backpacked solo throughout Europe. Throughout the next five days, I met some of the most amazing people, had the craziest nights, and experienced some of the most beautiful beaches. July 17th: On my first full day, I decided to do a tour to the Benagil Cave and beach which was facilitated through the hostel for 35 euro (a bit pricey but totally worth the convenience and amazing experience). There were 8 of us on the tour as well as our guide. We took a van to the grocery store to grab a to-go lunch and some drinks and headed to the cave. I think I saw my life flash before my eyes about 80 times since Portugal drivers are AWFUL. Anyways... we got to the cave beach which was pretty crowded with tourists (not shocking). We then swam about a 7-10 minute swim to the cave which is only accessible by swim, kayak, or paddle board. Tourists boats do go by the cave, but cannot get into it. The swim was quite vigorous, and is definitely not recommended for people who are not strong swimmers. I thought the swim there was difficult, but the way back was even worse as the tide was coming in and became very choppy. Also, the water is freezing -I think every part of my body was numb for the rest of the day. But, it was totally worth it since the cave was beautiful. After the cave, we went to Praia da Marinha which is a beautiful cliff with views of many rock formations. One of the rock formations even resembled a heart. The rest of the week i spent exploring the town of Lagos, laying on the beaches, and doing the free nightly bar crawl with this girl Hannah that i met from Wisconsin. Lots of fun and not a lot of sleep. I met a lot of interesting people including tons of Aussies & Brits, a few Americans, and a homeless man with his dog Luna (a boy but he referred to her as a girl...and told us some interesting stories about getting arrested in Amsterdam and spending two months in jail). Overall, a great start to my trip! Recommendations for Lagos:
- Watch the sunrise at Praia do Camilo (can't believe I didn't take a photo of this!!) - Kayaking tour or Benagil Cave tour (or both if you have the funds) - Booze cruise from Lagos (45 euro) - Wear shoes with a good grip on the bottom! The cobblestones are slippery and the city is very hilly! - Stay at Old Town Hostel- Travis is the best! Eating: The Garden ~ sit down restaurant *make reservations* The Green House ~ Mexican *a hostel favorite* Casa do Prego ~ sit down restaurant Beets & Burritos ~ Mexican *take out or eat in* Luigi's ~ take out pizza starting at 5 euro My sushi ~ all you can eat Sushi *I didn't try but everyone who went loved it!* xoxo, Mia
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