Praia da Luz

Praia da Luz: leisure for all ages

Seven kilometres from the municipal capital, Luz was a beach long before officially becoming a town. It has grown beyond the sands, but it is still one of the most beautiful, and therefore one of the most sought after, beaches in the municipality of Lagos.

 

Fishing village since time immemorial, the oldest history of the town of Luz dates back to the Roman period. The archaeological site, located along the Avenida dos Pescadores, tells this story, where the ruins of what used to be a Roman complex remain with an area with spas, distinctive mosaics and even tanks for salting fish. At the top of the cliff, with view over the sea, a seventeenth-century fort is now a restaurant. The decoration, which does not clash with its surroundings, and dishes typical of the region, revitalise this historic space. Even in the town centre, the Igreja da Luz de Lagos, from whence it takes its name, is today the result of the restoration it received, with contributions from local citizens, after the 1755 earthquake.

 

Facing the sea it is possible to identify the characteristics of the rocks that frame Luz beach. Precisely because of these characteristics, one of them is more famous: the Rocha Negra (Black Rock) is a volcanic rock formation in the middle of others of limestone, and therefore, its dark colour stands out.

 

During practically the whole year, small domestic and foreign entrepreneurs established in Praia da Luz offer water sports such as windsurfing and Jet Skiing. At one point, the beach, which runs along the entire village, divides into two, as if on purpose to please those who like sand, and those who prefer to lie on the rock and turn the sea into a real natural swimming pool. The wide promenade that runs along the route is filled with merchants in small shops or stalls selling the few items necessary for a relaxing life of sun and sea. Sunscreen, towels, hats, armbands, bikinis and surf or diving equipment are some of the items preferred by holidaymakers in Luz. But the businesses in this friendly town have seen major development. It has improved and internationalised to respond to the many tourists and foreigners who end up staying, but without forgetting traditional products. And with it, services, almost all based around tourism.

 

At night, Luz is transformed, the peace and family spirit giving way to bustle. On the terraces and in bars, tourists and residents together swap ice creams and refreshments for colourful cocktails and spirits. In the nightclubs, until the early hours, the night is full of promise. No problem, tomorrow is still a holiday and at Praia da Luz there are a thousand and one ways to relax.