Praia da Luz : Approximately 1 hour from Faro. This whitewashed, tranquil village, boasts a fabulous sandy beach with a real family atmosphere surrounding the village centre which offers a choice of local bars, shops and mouth watering restaurants.
There is plenty to entertain the children with water parks, zoomarine, themed crazy golf parks, sports centers (football, tennis etc.) as well as the lovely beaches with a choice of water sports including sailing, body boarding, water skiing, windsufing and banana rides etc. For the adults there are some excellent golf courses within a few minutes drive as well as tennis courts available to hire.
Beaches
The beachfront at Praia da Luz has a pedestrian walkway and the beach is a crescent of white sand. At the eastern tip of this Blue Flag beach there is a black rock cliff – the pathways to the summit are very popular with more energetic and to the west you can find plenty of rock pools at low tide. There is a good selection of water sports available during the summer months including pedalos and banana boats.
Eating Out
Luz offers a selection of eating establishments and with sea food being the locals staple diet you will find mouthwatering fresh fish on all the menus. The infamous chicken piri-piri is also available throughout the resort as well as a choice of pork dishes and local soups. The desserts are good too, the local pastry being a Pastel de Nata, (like a custard tart in puff pastry!) And don’t forget to sample the local vinho verde at lunch time, a light a refreshing white wine.
Leisure
As well as the choice of some of the best golf courses in the world he resort offers many entertainment facilities, in addition to water sports on the beach, including Go Karting at Almancil, horse riding at Lagoa, and outings to Zoomarine, Slide and Splash and Aqualand waterparks, and the Krazy World animal park. The new “shopping Algarve” is a comprehensive shopping centre situated just outside Albufeira.
Places to Visit
The Algarve is full of fantastic towns and villages to visit, among the most popular include Lagos, a major port once the home of Prince Henry the Navigator with buildings dating back to 1445. Visit Tavira to escape the more 'modern' resorts of the Algarve and surround yourself in the history and architecture of probably the Algarve's most elegant town. Loule is a historical town. The walls of it's 12th Century castle still stand, and now surround the town's museum, displaying yet more treasures of this beautiful town's past. Dominated by it's Roman castle, Silves is situated above the River Arade and the Beer festival is worth a visit. Take a leisurely drive up into the Monchique mountains for a change of atmosphere with its wooded hillsides and thermal spa.
