Martin Thompson is a regular visitor to Praia da Luz where he has spent many sunny days since his childhood in his families villa in Portugal. A professional travel writer who loves the western Algarve he has developed an online guide to Praia da Luz complete with discussion forums, stunning photographs, and local classified ad listings. Visit the helpful traveluzion guide now and sign up for your free travel ezine and ebooks.
The seaside village of Praia da Luz (pronounced loozh) lies in the western Algarve, Portugal only 6km west of the city of Lagos. Traditionally it has been a fishing village that specialised in octopus potting and Luz once had a Tuna canning factory by the beach. There was an early settlement hear and the Romans left their mark in the form of a bath house and aqueduct.
Today Luz is a small yet thriving beach resort with numerous waterside apartments & villas. The main attraction is Luz's beach with its arced bay and stunning black igneous rock headland, left behind by the volcanoes at Monchique. It is a small place with several local bars and restaurants and 3 resort complexes with outdoor swimming pools and tennis courts. Two water sports centers at the eastern end of Luz beach rent out sailing boats, canoes and Luz also has a deep-sea diving centre and camping site.
Luz is an ideal place to head out for walks in the hills and countryside in the morning or late afternoon. It is also a great place to relax and listen to the birds and watch people go by sipping coffee by the beach. Time slips by slowly with the calm waves licking the golden sands and towards sunset the beach is virtually deserted making it one of the best times to swim in the clean Atlantic waters.
Outside of Luz you can make day trips to Lagos, Sagres and Monchique. There is a Market by the bus station in Lagos on Saturday mornings where one can buy locally produced organic fruit and vegetables. Also stock up on fresh fish for the barbecue at the daily fish market in Lagos. An ideal spot to eat out, have coffee or ice cream in the evenings Lagos has a pedestrianised centre and a lively night life. The last bus into Lagos is at around 7PM from the bus stop by the church and Taxis back are affordable costing around 7 Euros.
Monchique is a mountain range about an hours drive from Praia da Luz and makes an ideal place to visit in the afternoon and evening. The Caldes de Monchique are therapeutic thermal baths and the mountains cooler climate and woods are a beautiful place to take long walks. Roadside restaurants offer great value meals and the local brandy, cakes and wild boar are local specialties.
Praia da Luz is ideally located in close proximity to several stunning stretches of sand. Praia de Porto de M
- Related Articles
- Related Q&A
- Cornwall’s perfect village? Find out more in the essential Padstow Holiday Guide
- A Holiday Guide to Turkey
- A Cheap Holiday Guide to North Cyprus
- A Cheap Holiday Guide to Turkey
- A Cheap Holiday Guide to UK
- Cheap Holiday Guide to Malta
- Bali Villa Holiday Guide to Family Holidays in Bali
- Lanzarote: a Short Holiday Guide
Museums in Austin
By: Joe Cline | 31/12/2009Austin isn’t short on history and its museums are a way to experience every bit of that history. Whether you’re a history buff, have children or just want a nice way to spend an afternoon in Austin, give these museums a try. They are but a small sampling of the variety of museums in this city. AMOA - Downtown (located at 823 Congress Avenue) The Austin Museum of Art – Downtown (AMOA) is a branch of AMOA which has a few locations around town. This version was opened in 1996. It has over 12,000
Christmas Camping in France
By: Lorraine Waddell | 31/12/2009Camping in France at Christmas may be slightly in the chilly side, but you will find the spirit of family and generosity that surrounds you will warm you up in no time. Whilst the celebrations are different in every region, each is as spectacular as the next. Though...
4 Seasons of Camping in France
By: Lorraine Waddell | 31/12/2009Many people might consider themselves to be fair-weather campers, believing that camping holidays should be saved only for the sunshine of the summer months. But camping in France can make for a fantastic holiday all year round, with each of the four seasons offering something different. Autumn Everyone associates the autumn with...
Car Rental Service in Honolulu Can Make Your Vacations Special
By: gardnerwilkinson | 31/12/2009Hawaii has always been a great tourist attraction for people all around the world. The majestic mountains, the white sandy beaches, the blue surf and the lush green rainforests sheltering a vast wildlife will attract you to the place again and again.
Kauai Condos: Beautiful Places to Spend your Vacation
By: melvillejackson | 31/12/2009Kauai, as we all know, is one of the most beautiful islands on the planet and it holds a lot of attractions for the tourists. Vacationers from all over the world come to this place again and again to relax and enjoy.
Do You Know the Famous Wizard School in the Film Harry Potter
By: melon | 31/12/2009Magnificent scenery of the movie is an important factor for us to be attracted for our tourism. I am afraid nobody could refuse the way into the theater. In this article, famous wizard school in the film Harry Potter will be introduced to you.
WINTER CAMPAIGNING IN INDIA
By: Gaurav Kaushik | 31/12/2009One must go for a bigger tent as lots of time is spent inside as lots of time is spent inside the tents. It also becomes comfortable to store the goods which are carried by the trekkers. Aluminum fitted nylon made tents are the most appropriate to carry as they are light in weight. It is good if carries self-inflating air mattresses.
Mountain Biking Treks
By: Gaurav Kaushik | 31/12/2009The towns of Himachal Pradesh like Manali, Shimla etc are endowed with natural beauty. The lush green forests, high waterfalls, the snow capped mountain tops truly captivate the travelers. These picturesque towns are the best suited for all kind of adventurous sports, here one can have the most prolific time enjoying the beauty and adventure at the same go. Biking through the mountain treks of these small towns is the most special experience that one can have.
7 Beach Secrets of the Balearic Island of Menorca, Spain
By: Martin Thompson | 27/10/2007 | TravelTell no one of these idyllic unspoilt beaches only a cheap flight away from the big cities of northern Europe. Martin Thompson reveals the best kept beach secrets you can print out and take with you on your next holiday in the beautiful Balearic Island of Menorca, Spain.
Finding the Best Rental Villa Deals Online
By: Martin Thompson | 23/10/2007 | TravelSave time and money and make the most of your villa or apartment holidays. Martin Thompson uses his experiece and knowledge of the rental market to provide his insight and some excellent advise on how to get the most bang for your buck.
Why Traveling Independently Makes Sense
By: Martin Thompson | 03/10/2007 | TravelThere is a changing tide in the travel industry. Traditionally massive package holiday companies have block booked villas, hotels, flights, tours and coach transfers from and to the airport. Every detail of ones holiday was catered for by the tour operator. Two weeks in July with bacon and eggs by the pool. The situation is however changing and the trend is towards independent travel.
Best Kept Secrets of the Algarve, Portugal
By: Martin Thompson | 01/10/2007 | TravelThe Algarve meaning "'the west' is the sunny, warm coastal region along the south of Portugal. In the years since the 1960's tourism has overtaken agriculture and fishing as the main industry and a lot of the Algarve's charm has gone with the bleak apartment blocks and sprawling villa complexes. Even so, there are certain areas where you can still discover the beauty of the beaches and countryside and the charm of the local people.