Praia da Luz – a small town on the Algarve coast | Portugal
Praia da Luz is a small town on the Algarve coast. The town was originally a fisherman’s village but today it has grown into very popular destination for tourists. The name Praia da Luz means Beach of Light but the town is also just called Luz. Even though the town is popular among tourists it has also managed to retain its old charm. As a tourist you will be able to experience a great beach as well as superb dining.
There are quite a few restaurants, cafés and shops along the promenade overlooking the beach. You will also find several mini supermarkets and a larger one (called Baptista) in Luz.
There are many good water sports facilities on the beach of Luz. You will be able to try out scuba diving, waterskiing, boat trips and much more. If you prefer to stay on the mainland you will be happy to know that there are a two great and well known golf resorts within a ten minute drive from Luz. The Boavista and Palmares courses make Praia da Luz an ideal base for golfers in Portugal.
Praia da Luz beach, Algarve, Portugal by MamaPyjama
It is really easy to see why Luz is so popular among tourists. The town has practically everything you need. Everything is very close at hand when staying in Luz. Therefore it is also a great family resort as you don’t really need to travel very far.
If you choose to explore other areas of the Algarve coast you will have an excellent starting point in Luz. Luz is only a very short drive (10 minutes) from the larger city Lagos. In Lagos you will find numerous dining opportunities (including a Michelin starred restaurant!) and also a weekly market as well as a large selection of shops.
Other points of interest near Luz are the two large shopping centers in the area (one of them is one of the largest shopping centers in Europe). You will also find that the ZOO near Lagos is a great idea if you have children. The ZOO is only a short drive away from Luz.
The holiday resorts on the Algarve coast normally close up at the end of the season but on Praia da Luz they will remain open all the year round because of the large amount of English people staying there year round. Note that you probably will find the opening hours are much reduced if you visit Luz during the off season.
If you want to experience Portugal it would be a great idea to rent a holiday villa. There are many holiday villas in Portugal in Portugal and you can find many online.