Praia da Luz

Traditional Church in Luz

Praia da Luz is in Portugal's Western Algarve, close to the lovely town of Lagos - an easy hour's drive, mostly on motorway, west from Faro Airport.

"Praia" is the Portuguese word for beach, and the sandy beach at Luz has been awarded a Blue Flag for quality, safety and facilities.

The village is ideal for a family holiday and for couples wanting a quieter holiday. There are ample good restaurants and friendly bars.  With just one nightclub, a noisy nightlife is very limited!  For a busy nightlife you would be better to choose one of the larger resorts nearer to Faro in the east!

The narrow streets in the village are paved with traditional cobble-like paving called 'calcadas' and they lead downhill to the beach area past pretty whitewashed houses adorned with colourful bougainvillea and other exotic plants.

At the centre of the village is the brightly painted village church and the old fort from where an attractively paved palm-fringed promenade leads down to the beach.  Along the way can buy some pretty jewellery or beach accessories from the local stalls or an ice cream or cold drink.  It's also very pleasant to have a coffee and a snack and watch the world go by, and the families soaking up the sun at the beach.

There is a variety of water sports available in Praia da Luz.  Horse-riding, cycling and fishing are also available and of course Golf is a major sport with several famous Golf Courses nearby, the nearest being Boa Vista Golf Resort, 2km away.

Luz village has supermarkets, pharmacy, gift and clothing shops, Banks, hardware, Post Office, hairdressers, Internet cafes.

There are lots of fantastic restaurants serving wonderful local seafood and farm produce. You can choose from superb Portuguese cuisine and also Chinese, Indian and other ethnic food.  Children are welcome in restaurants.

Luz has an excellent International Medical Clinic called Luzdoc, which also provides a 24-hour emergency service.  Luzdoc has payment protocols with various medical insurance companies including BUPA, AXA PPP etc.

There is also a Dental Clinic in the village.

Luz is an ideal location for a wonderful family holiday with lots to do and see in the village and in the wider local area. 

There are lovely scenic walks along the sea shore westwards towards the small village of Burgau, or up to the cliff, past the beacon and on to Porto do Mos for refreshments in another fantastic restaurant and if you're still feeling energetic you can continue on the coastal walk to Lagos!

On the coast between Luz and Lagos is the much-photographed beach of Praia de Dona Ana with its very distinctive rock formations and nearby sea caves and grottoes and several other lovely beaches, many with great seafood restaurants.

Lagos, the largest town in the Western Algarve, is about 6km east of Luz. 

It is an attractive bustling town steeped in history with lovely paved pedestrianised shopping area with a wide variety of shops, restaurants and bars many within the ancient town walls.  Lagos harbour provides the first safe anchorage on the south coast for boats coming in from the Atlantic, making it very historically significant and today it has a large modern marina connected to the town by a pedestrian bridge. 

Stretching eastwards from Lagos Marina is the sandy beach of Meia Praia, which at 4 km is the longest in the Algarve.  The well-known Palmares Golf Course is at the eastern end of Meia Praia. Between Lagos and Praia da Luz is renowned Boa Vista Golf Resort while a little further west is Parque da Floresta Golf Resort.

At Cape St. Vincent (Cabo de Sao Vicente), the most Westerly point in Europe, there spectacular views of the rugged Atlantic coastline.  There are miles and miles of steep dramatic cliffs interspersed with scores of lovely coves and beaches. 

This whole area is part of the Parque Natural du Sudoeste Alentejano & Costa Vicentina and is wild and wonderful with a huge array of flora and fauna.

Driving northwards, inland towards the mountains you can visit the well-known spa town of Monchique and explore beautiful scenic valleys and view large swathes of the coastline from a higher level.

Map of the Algarve, Portugal

>> How to get there ?  

Flying time is approximately 2.5 hours from Ireland and U.K.  and there is no time change as Portugal is in the same GMT Time Zone.    Here are some useful links for Flights to Faro Airport: