Lagos

Lagos's signature headland, where golden sandstone cliffs drop into a turquoise sea among grottoes and arches. A boardwalk and stairway run along the top; leashed dogs are welcome, but keep them away from the steep, unfenced edges. Sunrise and sunset here are spectacular.

Lagos's longest beach, nearly 4 km of fine sand east of town. Outside the high summer season it is an ideal playground for dogs, especially at its wilder eastern end near the estuary. In summer, supervised bathing zones restrict access: favour early morning or late afternoon.

The cobbled heart of the old town, enclosed by its 16th-century walls, blends shaded squares, whitewashed lanes and the Praça do Infante with its statue of Henry the Navigator. Leashed dogs wander everywhere and most terraces welcome them. A discreet memorial marks the former slave market.

Ten kilometres or so to the north, this state forest of pine, eucalyptus and cork oak unfolds a network of shaded trails where dogs can walk for hours, often off-leash away from the access points. A cool, quiet escape when the coast is crowded in high summer.

A small cove tucked between the cliffs, among the most photographed in the Algarve, reached by a long wooden stairway of nearly 200 steps. Leashed dogs are allowed out of season; in summer the beach is tiny and packed, so it is better to stay at the clifftop viewpoint, which offers a superb view without the descent.

A small 17th-century fort guarding the harbour entrance, linked to town by a drawbridge over a moat. The interior, turned into a museum space, does not admit dogs, but the seafront promenade alongside it makes a pleasant leashed stroll, facing the marina and the mouth of the Bensafrim.