Praia da Luz

• Beach Resort
• Family

Praia da Luz curves around a sheltered bay ten minutes west of Lagos, framed at its eastern end by Rocha Negra, a headland of black volcanic rock that gives the beach its most distinctive backdrop. The village has been lived in for a very long time: Roman remains, including old fish-salting tanks and baths, sit near the seafront by the parish church, and the small fortress on the front was built against corsair raids. Modern Luz is a family resort with an established international community: low-rise, walkable, with a palm-lined promenade along the beach, water-sports operators working the bay in summer, and cafés and restaurants that stay open through the winter. The beach mixes sand and flat rock slabs, with calm water on most days and paddleboards and kayaks heading out around the headlands. The climb up Rocha Negra rewards you with a view along the coast towards Lagos, and the clifftop path west runs on to Burgau. Lagos, with its old town and marina, is close enough for an evening out. Luz suits families and long-stayers: safe swimming, easy walking, and a village that works in January as well as July.