‘Praia de Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz’ is the historical name of the village which meant ‘the beach of the church of Our Lady of the light’. Thankfully, this has since been shortened to ‘Praia da Luz’, which had its origins as a fishing village.

Today, Praia da Luz is a small village resort situated on the western Algarve, four miles from Lagos. Transfer by car from Faro Airport takes approximately 50 minutes. Luz is a resort which retains the charm and character of a Portuguese village and yet offers many outstanding facilities for the holiday-maker and golfer to enjoy.

Behind the beach and promenade, streets of white painted houses wander back to the village centre. The restaurants of the village cater for a wide range of tastes and budgets, ranging from traditional Portuguese cuisine to more international fayre. The nightly promenade alongside the beach to choose a menu is almost as much a part of the evening meal itself. Should you choose to stay within the house to eat, you will find that a wide range of ingredients are available within the village itself. Praia da Luz has five supermarkets, a butcher and a baker. Fresh fish, vegetables and baked bread are available each morning in the local market and commercial centre, often at prices you will find hard to believe when compared to those in the UK.

Praia da Luz is renowned for its safe sandy beach and provision of a wide variety of water sports including sailing, wind surfing, water skiing and diving.

Mention sport in the Algarve and it is golf which springs immediately to mind. Praia da Luz is only a ten minute drive from the breathtaking Parque da Floresta course with its demanding mountain terrain. Only a little further away is  the Boavista course and to the east of Lagos is the Palmeras course. Unique for its blend of character, this 18 hole links course rises from coastal dunes to hilltop woodland. Other popular and demanding courses in the vicinity include Pestana as well as Penena. Please note that all Algarvian golf courses are pre-bookable, often require proof of a handicap certificate and demand the use of soft spikes whilst playing. A comprehensive list of available golf courses can be found overleaf.

A hire car collected from, and returned to Faro airport is a great way to explore the local area including:

• The beaches, for which the Algarve is particularly well-known both on the traditional south coast and along the west coast

• The historic town of Lagos is only 4 miles away with its marina, restaurants, bars and shopping opportunities. There are regular buses and taxi services between the village centre and the town

• Silves and its 14 century Moorish fort

• Cabo San Vicente (Cape St. Vincent), which is the most westerly point of Europe

• Monchique, which was founded by the Romans and is a particularly attractive spa town within a mountain setting

• Porches which is well known for its production of local pottery

• Weekend markets, particularly the one at Loule each Saturday morning

• Lisbon is a 3 hour drive to the north, mostly via motorway.  This can also be easily accessed via a high speed train link which runs from a local station Tunes. A connection to Tunes can be taken from Lagos which makes a day visit to Lisbon a real possibility. Lagos station is located at the rear of the Lagos Marina. You are advised to reserve your train tickets at least 24 hours in advance

• Seville is 3 hour drive, mostly via motorway. The Spanish border is approximately one and a half hour’s drive from Praia da Luz

• The market town of Aljuzer which is about 30 minutes to the north of Praia da Luz.