Situated at the western, and generally quieter, end of the Algarve, Praia da Luz is very popular with British families and you will either love it or hate it. It is not very Portuguese and, in fact, looks artificial with its hills covered in Moorish style white villas and apartments, each with eye catching red tiled roofs. (Maybe one day these will fade in the sun to a more pleasant colour). Very little of the original fishing village is apparent but there is an extensive shopping area and many restaurants.

The main attraction of Praia da Luz is the beach. This is a gently shelving, crescent shaped arena for an extensive range of watersports. Virtually all forms of aquatic exercise are available, however, for the less active, one end of the beach is rocky with a good selection of rock pools.

See also the adjacent (10km) area of Lagos.

General

There are three sorts of accommodation in Praia da Luz. Villa, Apartment, and some Hotel space. The villas have to be let either through a Praia da Luz Agent, through the owner, or through an English agent.

The two main Portuguese agents are:

Luz Bay Club, (082) 789640
The Ocean Club, (082) 789472
Mayer Luz Beach Apartments 0(82) 789313

Both clubs offer use of their facilities (swimming pools, sports facilities) as a package, although tennis courts, jacuzzis etc usually incur a small usage charge. They also own/manage apartments which may be let.

Nearly all villas are privately owned.

Accommodation (A-Z)

• Few Entries - can you help?
   
• Hotel Belavista da Luz -1999
  "It is a modern building, some ten minutes walk away from the sea. The facilities are excellent; air conditioned rooms with patio doors onto balconies all overlooking the pool[s] and sea in the distance. There are two swimming pools; the small one is heated and the main pool is not; this is very cooling on hot days! 
  
   There is a poolside bar which sells drinks and snacks. We only had the odd bite there as the breakfast, which was buffet style, was extensive!  There is a restaurant which serves a very pleasant menu, some dishes are Portuguese style, some more 'International', I recall, but each week there was a barbeque night, which was an inclusive charge for as much  food and drink as we could consume! Super sardines, sausages, steak, salads, sangria and so on. 
  
  The feel of the place is not particularly 'foreign' as the proprietors and staff speak English and the majority of the guests are from the U.K. but that suited us and we felt totally relaxed. The staff understand the English, indeed some of them were English and they seemed to know what we wanted from our holiday. We would not hesitate to recommend the Hotel". . Tel. (082) 78 86 55.
   
• Monte Sao Pedro - 2002
  (July 2002) "4*complex comprises of 57 different villas, some privately owned. Spacious 2 or 3 bedroom villas some with private pool. Communal Swimming pool on raised hill above villas. Very good poolside bar provides hot snacks, ice creams and drinks. Limited sunbeds. Good 20 - 30 minutes walk to beach/town centre. Safer by courtesy bus (3 times daily 1000, 1300, 1800 hrs), bus or taxi. Approx 4 euros by taxi. Excellent on site restaurant serves delicious flambes. Very good service and prices. Open to visitors. Friendly bar (karaoke twice weekly) and games room for children. Too many small children at times. More suitable for families with small children than couples".
   
• Oasis Apartments - 2002
  (July 2002) "3* newly built and opened in May 2002. 43 1bedroom/studio apartments. Very nice, clean and quite spacious. Fitted kitchen. Studios suit family of 3 - 2 single beds and sofa bed. Nice pool area with good sun beds/mattresses and pool bar. Indoor heated pool and Jacuzzi. No Algarvian character to buildings, clean and functional but a bit like concrete blocks! Good location for the town of Praia Da Luz and beach. Location an advantage".
  

Eateries (A-Z)

• Atlantico Restaurant - 2002
  (July 2002) "Excellent service, gorgeous food although limited menu as most of nearby restaurants are but well worth a visit. Duck a la Orange, Rack of Lamb, Lamb fillets in honey, Entrecote Steak. Main course approx 15 euros. Highly recommended".
   
• The Bull Pub - 2003
  (July 2003) "the food and service at the bull was very good, the restaurant was a bit stuffy for heating".
  
  (July 2002) "Good friendly service, air conditioned but still very warm upstairs in restaurant area. Lovely views along coast and up towards Burgau. Outside tables but lots of ants and midges. English restaurant upstairs but quite expensive for the food, very hot and stuffy to eat in. Nice for a cool drink but would not recommend restaurant".
   
• Cafe International - 1997
  (Beach Front) "Run by Tony and Anne. Does serve snacks.. but nothing substantial. A great place to visit at the end of the evening for a 'Bica' and a brandy by the beach".
   
• Cavaleiro Da Luz - 1998
  "The atmosphere is brilliant with the staff eager to please. They are always ready to have a laugh and give you advice on places to go and see. We became regulars and spotted many other families returning night after night. We only discovered it on our fifth night of a two week holiday and by then had tried five of the many other restaurants in the surrounding area, all of which were inferior. Other people we spoke to all agreed that the Cavaleiro was the best place to eat. The music is lively and requests can be made from the bar staff who are always ready to help. The food is divine- both traditional Portuguese dishes (catatplana, Piri-Piri, chicken, etc) and English food (chips, steak and kidney pud, etc,) for those not brave to try unknown dishes. The prices were very good and the portions were large.During our time there we got to know the chef (Kay) and the bar (Mick and Nicky) and waiting staff (Marcus, Sharon and Nu-Nu) and they were always ready with a smile".
   
• Chaplins - 2003
  (July 2003) "I would not recommend the new chinese or chaplins we had to wait over an hour for main course when it was not that busy".
   
• The Dolphin Restaurant - 2003
  (July 2003) "I would not recommend the new chinese or chaplins we had to wait over an hour for main course when it was not that busy".
   
  (July 2002) "South African. Booking advisable. Excellent 1st class service and food. Limited choice but well worth the visit. Main courses approx 15 euros. Specialty Ribs, Steak, Pork, Fish and Chicken. Lovely deserts. Many customers are regulars. Small adjoining bar to wait in. Highly Recommended".
   
• Don Milhano's - 1996
  "The tourist menu was by far the best we had in Luz and hadn't changed in price from the first time we went! Typically this was a choice of 3 starters, fish of the day or any chicken dish, desert or ice cream a roll and butter and a half bottle of the house wine for 1500 escudos (7.482€). Their Cataplana was also really good being all sea food and no chicken or pork. Run by a husband and wife team Vitor and Christine Milhano".
   
• Duke of Holland - 2003
  (July 2003) "We thought the food and service at the Duke of Holland was brilliant we went there 7 times".
  
  (1997) (Rua da Praia) "Family owned and run (Paul, Jane and June). Good little bar restaurant. Once famous for its lively atmosphere but now more so for its food. The bar can still get lively, though as Karaoke nights and quiz nights take hold in the peak season".
   
• Kellys Bar - 2002
  (July 2002) "English family bar serves bar food/meals. Good friendly services, very reasonably priced drinks. Sky TV. No air conditioning only fans. Outdoor seating. Located just in front of Dolphin Restaurant down behind The Bull Pub. Recommended for families looking for good, clean, English bar".
   
• Le Prive (Bar) - 1997
  (Under Lazuli Bar / Cafe International) "The village nightclub. Has great potential... can be cool, but in recent years over populated with the 14-15 year old crowd. Expensive drinking though.There is often a cover charge, but that actually prepays drinks at the bar - they give you a voucher with credits. Watch out for the Luz / Burgau 'mafia'. Learn to spot them and stay well clear.. especially if you're female".
   
• Luz Bay Club Resort - 1997
  "By night, the LBC bar and restaurant is open to the public. It is run by Jorge (who never seems to sleep) and a merry ( depending on the clientele) band of followers. The food is excellent and on some nights topped off with great entertainment - a Portuguese singer, Karaoke, Quiz... usual stuff. In the past few years has also had a dedicated fish night and an 'all you can eat' BBQ. A family joint as there is a good middle of the road menu that the adults and kids will like".
   
• Luz Tavern (Bar) - 1997
  (Praca da Republica 2a) "Tries to be English and succeeds to some extent. Never seems all that busy".
   
• O Pirata (Bar) - 1997
  (Beach Front, underneath O'Pocos) "Fairly trendy place to be. One for the young people. Very busy in season. Can be great but also can have some undesirables".
   
• O'Pocos Restaurant - 2002
  (July 2002) "Good location and beautiful views across the bay. Service quick but very impersonal and disinterested staff. Large and busy during peak times. Food oily, bland and average priced. Recommended for views but not recommended for food or service".
   
  (1997) "Situated on the beach front. Has a great view over the beach. Food and wine is excellent offering both fresh fish and seafood and Portuguese typicals such as Sardines and Chicken Piri-Piri and Portuguese Steak"
   
• Panini Pizzas and Pastas - 1997
  (Rua Direita) "A great little Italian joint. If you want to go to Portugal for the Pizza(!). On the main cobbled street at the Lagos side of the village. Only small mind, so book or get there early".