Praia da Luz is absolutely charming. It is a quiet resort though it has many fantastic restaurants and bars and two beautiful beaches. It is a wonderful destination for families. One of the beaches is by the old fort. Though small it is lovely and is only a 10-minute walk or 2 minutes in the car from the villa. The main beach is just a 3-minute drive or 12-minute walk and is absolutely stunning. It has a European Blue Flag award and is very safe for children. There are several supermarkets, the favourite being Baptista. You should also try the cakes and bread from the bakers on Rua Direita.
Those with an adventurous spirit looking for an adrenaline rush should book a trip with Booster Bikes in the resort. The longer trips are 65km, and guides take you to see attractive places from a completely different perspective. These eMTB electrically assisted bikes are incredible, so you will not even be exhausted at the end of the day! There are shorter trips too!
You can take a walk along the clifftop to Burgau and watch the Atlantic rollers splashing on the rocks below. It is sensational. Salema is another lovely place to visit. If you love sardines, they are delicious at one of the restaurants overlooking the beach. You can sit and watch the local fishermen repairing their nets. There are some wonderful little isolated coves if you are brave enough to tackle the steep cliff paths – not a good idea with young children though! Carrapateira is a tranquil, pretty, spread-out village. Its two beaches with strong swells attract a hippy, surf-dude crowd. The coast is wild, with copper-coloured and ash-grey cliffs speckled with yellow and green shrub, backing creamy, white sands. Cape St. Vincent is the southern-most part of Europe. This wind blasted and storm pounded headland is visited by many tourists. The lighthouse can be seen from 60 miles away, and there is a very interesting museum you can visit. You will see the most spectacular sunsets at Sagres. You really should wash this down with a Sagres beer!
Lagos has a slave museum, wonderful promenade and restaurants serving fantastic food in the Old Town. You can buy fruit and vegetables grown by the locals who may still have a donkey and cart at the Saturday morning market. Don’t forget to buy some honey and figs too! Boat trips from Lagos visit caves and include snorkelling or dolphin watching.
Don’t forget there are several very impressive golf courses close to Luz. Boavista is an 18-hole championship course and Gold Santo Antonio is another par 71, 18-hole course set within Parque da Floresta.