Zoo de Lagos

Zoo de Lagos opened in 2000 in the countryside north of Lagos, near the village of Barão de São João. It calls itself the only place in the Algarve with more than 170 animal species, from five continents: mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and amphibians. It’s a mid-sized zoo that most families get round in half a day, which suits toddlers and children who flag in big theme parks. It’s also a member of EAZA, the European zoo and aquarium association, and takes part in its breeding programmes for endangered species.

The penguin area is a copy of Boulders Beach, a beach near Cape Town where a colony of African penguins settled in 1982. It started with two breeding pairs and has grown to nearly 3,000 birds. At Lagos, you can watch the penguins from above and through underwater windows, and there are rules to follow so the birds aren’t disturbed. Boulders Beach is open from 1 April to 30 September, 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:00. The penguins are fed at 16:00.

The zoo also advertises a pool, open from 1 April to 30 September from 10:00 to 19:00 (last entry 18:00), where visitors “swim side by side with the penguins”. Its website doesn’t explain how this works or what it costs, so ask at the ticket office before you promise it to anyone.

The zoo supports SANCCOB, a South African charity that rescues and rehabilitates seabirds such as African penguins.

The animal list is long and varied. Among the mammals are chimpanzees, a pygmy hippopotamus, a lowland tapir, capybaras, Asian small-clawed otters, a Carpathian lynx, a bobcat, a serval, meerkats, eastern grey kangaroos, Bennett’s wallabies, vicuñas, black-tailed prairie dogs and Lyle’s flying foxes. The primate collection is a highlight: siamangs, lar gibbons, guereza colobus monkeys, capuchins, squirrel monkeys, white-faced sakis, and a run of small tamarins and marmosets, down to the pygmy marmoset. There are ring-tailed and red-ruffed lemurs too.

Bird fans get more than a dozen kinds of hornbill, from the southern ground hornbill to the rhinoceros hornbill, as well as scarlet, blue-and-yellow and blue-throated macaws, cockatoos, storks and pelicans. The reptile list includes a dwarf crocodile, a boa constrictor, pythons (including an albino Burmese python), geckos, green iguanas and several kinds of tortoise. Farm animals such as donkeys, goats, sheep, ponies, rabbits and guinea pigs are there for the youngest visitors, and the zoo map shows a playground.

Daily feeding sessions are included in the ticket. When checked:

• 11:30: pelicans
• 15:00: otters, primates and pelicans, starting at the otters
• 16:00: penguins

Other times are posted at the entrance. Children aged 7 and over can join a paid lemur activity (€50 per person, by appointment, twice a day); ages 7 to 11 must have an adult with them. The zoo’s pages give different afternoon times for it, so confirm when you book.

Toddlers tend to like the farm animals, penguins and otters best. Children of about 4 to 10 get the most from the feeding sessions and spotting animals from different continents. Older children may find it small compared with a big city zoo, though the lemur activity from age 7 gives animal-mad ones something extra. Teenagers can’t take younger siblings in alone: under-13s must be with an adult aged 18 or over.

When checked in September 2026, online tickets were €17 for adults, €12 for children aged 3 to 11 and €15 for over-65s, compared with €19, €14 and €17 at full price. Children up to 2 go free. Online tickets are valid until 31 December 2026, which helps if the weather changes your plans, but they can’t be combined with other discounts or vouchers, which are only accepted at the ticket office. Staff may ask for ID to check ages.

The zoo opens every day, from 10:00 to 19:00 between 1 April and 30 September and 10:00 to 17:00 from 1 October to 31 March. Arrive at least a couple of hours before closing, especially in winter.

If you live nearby, the Zoo Friends card costs €100 for a year of unlimited visits.

The zoo is outside Lagos, not walkable from town. By car, leave the A22 at the Sines exit and head through Bensafrim towards Barão de São João; from Lagos, take the road towards Aljezur. Parking is free.

Without a car, Lagos’s town bus network, ONDA, runs line 6 (green) from the Portas de Portugal CTT stop to a stop called Medronhal-Zoo. EVA intercity buses go to Barão de São João. The zoo puts a taxi from Lagos at about €15 and Uber or Bolt at about €10.

The Medusa snack bar serves burgers, pizza, salads, toasties and coffee. Next to the zoo, the Cangalho restaurant serves traditional food in two dining rooms, and there are picnic areas if you’d rather bring lunch.

This is an outdoor zoo in the Algarve sun. In summer, go at opening time or later in the afternoon, and bring hats, water and sun cream. Feeding times cluster in the afternoon, so an early-afternoon arrival lets you catch the otters at 15:00 and the penguins at 16:00.

The zoo also runs birthday parties, school programmes linked to the curriculum and a summer ATL (holiday club). The website offers downloadable forms but doesn’t list ages, hours or prices for the holiday club, so contact the zoo on 282 680 100 or geral@zoolagos.com if you need summer childcare.

Pair the zoo with a swim at Meia Praia, Lagos’s long town beach, or a rainy-day visit to the Centro Ciência Viva de Lagos in town. For a bigger day with shows and rides, Zoomarine is further east near Albufeira.

How long does Lagos Zoo take?

Most families need half a day. With the feeding sessions and lunch, allow three to four hours.

How much is Lagos Zoo for children?

€12 online for ages 3 to 11 when checked in September 2026, or €14 at full price. Under-3s go free.

Can you get to Lagos Zoo by bus?

Yes. ONDA line 6 runs from Portas de Portugal CTT in Lagos to the Medronhal-Zoo stop. Check the ONDA timetable before you set off.

What time are the penguins fed at Lagos Zoo?

At 16:00, when checked. Pelicans are fed at 11:30, and otters, primates and pelicans at 15:00.

Can a teenager take younger siblings to the zoo?

No. Children under 13 must be with an adult aged 18 or over.