Ponta da Piedade (Piety Point), Lagos (must see)

Piety Point marks the southern edge of Lagos’ coastline and is one of the Algarve’s most recognisable natural landmarks. Its origins lie in a geological accident that occurred millions of years ago during the Miocene period, when tectonic movement and changing sea levels exposed a limestone promontory to erosion. As the waters gradually receded, wind and waves carved the newly revealed rock into the dramatic cliffs, arches, stacks, and grottos visible today, rising in places to around 115 feet (or 35 metres) above the sea.

The headland is a true geological and palaeontological archive. Fossils of ancient corals and marine life, including shark teeth, have been found embedded in the rock. For early Mediterranean cultures, the sea was often regarded as divine, and Piety Point came to be viewed as a place of special significance. Bronze Age artefacts continue to be recovered on land, alongside underwater traces of Roman presence in the form of coins and submerged remains.

Its prominence did not escape military attention. The cape’s height and clear views made it a natural surveillance point over approaches from the sea. A military battery was installed here in 1663 and remained in use until 1821, after the Napoleonic period had come to an end.

Today, Piety Point is revered by locals and admired by visitors. The cliffs are riddled with caves that can be explored on foot via stairways carved into the rock near the lighthouse, or from the water by boat or kayak. One such access route is a steep limestone staircase of 182 steps, descending into a sheltered cove. At the bottom, you reach sea level, where small boats often wait to take visitors into the labyrinth of grottos and sea arches. The staircase is easily found by walking away from the lighthouse in a south-easterly direction. Alternatively, boat excursions depart regularly from Lagos Marina.

From the clifftop paths, visitors encounter uninterrupted Atlantic views and a landscape shaped entirely by time, water, and stone. These paths begin as wooden boardwalks and can be found by turning right from the main road before entering the lighthouse grounds.

In 2015, The Huffington Post named Piety Point its favourite beach destination worldwide, citing its extraordinary natural beauty.