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 West of Faro Airport.

The village is ideal for a family holiday and for couples wanting a quieter holiday. There are ample good restaurants and bars, and a nightclub, but a noisy nightlife is very limited!  That is widely available in the larger resorts to the east of Lagos.

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

"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 beach is a short 10 minute walk from the villa, going past the pretty traditional Church in the village centre, and continuing down an attractively paved promenade that is lined with palm trees, where you can buy pretty jewellery and beach items from a few local stalls.

Luz is an ideal place for a family holiday with lots to do in the village and the wider area.  Or, if you wish, you can do nothing at all, just relax and enjoy some peace and quiet by the private pool at the villa. 

There are lovely scenic walks along the sea shore westwards towards the small village of Burgau, and in the opposite direction towards Lagos.  A short drive to Cape St. Vincent (Cabo de Sao Vicente), the most Westerly point in Europe, has spectacular views of the rugged Atlantic coastline.  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.

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, 2km away.

Luz has supermarkets, some small shops, pharmacy, Bank, Internet cafe/video/DVD rental shop.  There are lots of good restaurants serving a variety of foods and wonderful seafood dishes.  There is an excellent medical facility in the village, Luzdoc, which also provides an emergency and house call service, and there are two Dental clinics.

Map of the Algarve, Portugal

Lagos, the largest town in the Western Algarve, is about 6km east of Luz.  It is an attractive bustling historic town with nicely paved pedestrianised shopping area with a wide variety of shops, restaurants and bars. The strategic position of Lagos harbour has been confirmed by a modern marina which provides the first safe anchorage on the south coast for boats coming from the Atlantic. 

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.

On the coast between Lagos and Luz is the much-photographed beach of Praia de Dona Ana with its very distinctive rock formations and nearby sea caves and grottoes.  

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