Well we have people on this forum who like both. There are good beaches in both Albuferia and Lagos & both have nightlife however I would imagine apart from July and August it would be far more lively in Albuferia than Lagos.

You probably need to tell us a little bit more about what you like to do and the month you intend to be there? Lagos was very busy end of July but it was more of a restaurant and bar type crowd than a clubby crowd, if that helps.

Doe is right it's better to say what exactly the type of holiday your after. There are, in my opinion, areas to suit all tastes in the Algarve.

Lagos was very busy end of July but it was more of a restaurant and bar type crowd than a clubby crowd

Albufeira has the infamous Strip for the clubby crowd and the atmospheric Old Town for the restaurant and bar types, so you can mix and match or stick to whichever suits you better. You'll find lots of photos in this thread.

Thanks for your responses. Not sure what I'm looking for exactly. I like to be in the centre of the resort, close to restaurants and shops and walking distance from the beach. I like a lively resort rather than a quiet one, with a nice atmosphere in the evening when walking out and about. I don't like anything too hilly or anything too far away from the action. And finally, I do like some historic interest if possible i.e. some interesting places to visit during the day.

Sounds to me that you would like Lagos, Albeferra can be noisy with the beer & club crowd, Lagos has a great feeling in the evenings with lots of restaurans bars and clubs, quite often they have fiestas in the squares, in August they have the pop music festival opposite the slave market. During the day you can chill on the beaches or drive out to the sites.