The seaside village of Praia da Luz (pronounced loozh) lies in the western Algarve, Portugal only 6km west of the city of Lagos. Traditionally it has been a fishing village that specialised in octopus potting and Luz once had a Tuna canning factory by the beach. There was an early settlement hear and the Romans left their mark in the form of a bath house and aqueduct.

Today Luz is a small yet thriving beach resort with numerous waterside apartments & villas. The main attraction is Luz’s beach with its arced bay and stunning black igneous rock headland, left behind by the volcanoes at Monchique. It is a small place with several local bars and restaurants and 3 resort complexes with outdoor swimming pools and tennis courts. Two water sports centers at the eastern end of Luz beach rent out sailing boats, canoes and Luz also has a deep-sea diving centre and camping site.

Luz is an ideal place to head out for walks in the hills and countryside in the morning or late afternoon. It is also a great place to relax and listen to the birds and watch people go by sipping coffee by the beach. Time slips by slowly with the calm waves licking the golden sands and towards sunset the beach is virtually deserted making it one of the best times to swim in the clean Atlantic waters.

Outside of Luz you can make day trips to Lagos, Sagres and Monchique. There is a Market by the bus station in Lagos on Saturday mornings where one can buy locally produced organic fruit and vegetables. Also stock up on fresh fish for the barbecue at the daily fish market in Lagos. An ideal spot to eat out, have coffee or ice cream in the evenings Lagos has a pedestrianised centre and a lively night life. The last bus into Lagos is at around 7PM from the bus stop by the church and Taxis back are affordable costing around 7 Euros.

Monchique is a mountain range about an hours drive from Praia da Luz and makes an ideal place to visit in the afternoon and evening. The Caldes de Monchique are therapeutic thermal baths and the mountains cooler climate and woods are a beautiful place to take long walks. Roadside restaurants offer great value meals and the local brandy, cakes and wild boar are local specialties.

Praia da Luz is ideally located in close proximity to several stunning stretches of sand. Praia de Porto de M

Facilities guests look forward to in Albufeira include innumerable hotels, golf courses, restaurants, apartment blocks and a marina. This and the bustling nightlife of the city, showcases how commerce and tourism continue to grow in this city - especially since it’s close to the Faro Airport. The most in demand are the authentic Portuguese fare clubs and Irish pubs.

Looking at Albufeira, you see a town filled with that typical Algarvian narrow street and lined up with pale white or tiled houses. There are also those that offer modern tourist developments. Guests who prefer the apartments close to the newly constructed Marina e Bryn adore the unique splashes of blues, yellows and pinks. In fact, the locals dubbed these apartments as “Legoland”.

Gastronomic Side of Albufeira

The local specialty in Albufera is steamed shellfish or cataplana. It is a popular derived from Algarve. Then, there’s fish stew or caldeirada and grilled sardines.

Restaurants here range from self service to fast food types. With the long tradition of Portugal on having good food, you can expect your meals to be served hot. Here are some food joints to check-out:

O Bom Garfo – This is located along the Oura zone.

Dream Wave – This is located by the Marina. You can call them at +351-962-003-885.

Teodosio – This is located in Guia. They specialize in Chicken Piri-Piri.

Aside from these eateries, there are also cafes and snack bars in Albufeira but it can be quite expensive.

More about the Nightlife in Albufeira

In Albufeira’s Montechoro section, you’ll discover an exciting nightlife on “the strip”. This place is very popular in the summer time. Young tourists flock here to check-out popular bars like Matt’s Bar, Erin’s Isle, Café del Mar and Linekers. There’s also BJ’s, Mustang, La Bamba and Reno’s as well as Garage, Wild & Co. among others.

Albufeira Accommodations

If you’re looking for a place to stay in this charming city, here are some mid-range lodging facilities to consider:
Vila Gale Atlantico – This lodging facility is an ideal destination for a beach holiday. It is merely 300 meters from Praia da Gale while the heart of the city is merely 6 kilometers away. The address of this hotel is Praia da Gale Lote 7 Apartado 108 8201-902, Albufeira. For inquiries and reservations, call them at +351-289-570-800.

Vila Gale Alagoa – This is situated by the banks of Ria Formosa. Decorations of this accommodation feature an Arabian ambiance mixed with that past Southern Portugal style. Their address is Rua do Municipio Lote 26 8200-916, Albuferia. For inquiries and reservations, call them at +351-289-583-100.

Porto Bay Falesia – Although this accommodation is situated over red cliffs, it still offers direct access towards the beach. Its address is Quinta do Milharo Olhos d’ Aqua, Albufeira. For inquiries and reservations, please call them at +351-289-007-700.
Word Count: 525

Faro
The biggest city in southern
Portugal, Faro is the capital of the
Algarve and an important centre
of tourism, trade and commerce.
Its historic quarter overlooks a
pretty marina and the Ria
Formosa.

Tavira
Nearly 40 churches
endow this elegant
riverside town with a
romantic and disarmingly
timeless air. The Gilão
river glides effortlessly
through the centre – a
Roman bridge connects
the two sides of one of
the prettiest towns in the
Algarve.

Monchique
The Serra da
Monchique rises
458 m (1,500 ft),
enveloping the
hillside town of
Monchique and
its neighbouring
spa centre.

Silves
Once the grandiose capital of
the Moorish province of al-Gharb,
Silves today is dominated by the
ochre ramparts of its huge castle.
Lush orange groves blanket the
countryside.

Lagos
A young,
vibrant and carefree
spirit imbues this
resort. The nearby
beaches, pocked
with outcrops of
sandstone rock, are
spectacular.

Loulé
Loulé hosts a
colourful weekly market
and is a thriving centre
for local handicrafts. It is
also the gateway to the
central hinterland and
the Caldeirão mountain
range.

Parque Natural
da Ria Formosa
One of the most important
wetland zones
in Europe, the park’s
expansive lagoon, sand
dunes and marshland
are a sanctuary for a
wealth of wildlife.

Sagres
The supposed location of
Henry the Navigator’s lauded
school of navigation, Sagres
sits on an isolated promontory
pounded by the Atlantic. Dramatic
views along the coast include the
Cabo de São Vicente.

Albufeira
This top holiday spot is the Algarve’s
largest resort, boasting some of the most
effervescent nightlife in Portugal. Generous
beaches flank bustling esplanades brimming
with cafés and trendy clubs.

Vila Real and
Castro Marim
These two frontier towns are in
earshot of each other but have
little in common. Sedate Castro
Marim glories in its twin castles.
Vila Real de Santo António enjoys
a livelier culture

The Algarve is one destination that has seen rapid growth in the development of villa and apartment complexes.  Golf resorts in particular have gained special licensing attention and the investment by established developers such as Oceânico has added bespoke quality to the Algarve holiday rental market and attracted holidaymakers from far flung corners of the earh.

Portugal as a whole is up to 35% cheaper than other European destinations, but with the introduction of a F1 race track in Portimao and numerous award winning golf courses and beaches, Portugal is capable of attracting all sorts of tourists.

Portugal Villa Renters is just one source for holiday villas and apartments.  The site has over 300 owner listed properties, many of which start as little as €200 per week.   Portugal Villa Renters is also Portugal’s most visited vacation rental website as verified by Compete.com.  Its little wonder that holiday home owners are choosing Portugal Villa Renters as the authoritative rental advertiser for Portugal.  As a niche site for Portugal, there are no confusing destination ideas that spring up and put the site visitor off course.  We only advertise vacation rental properties in Portugal and that’s how we’ll keep it.

So, in conclusion, Portugal may surprise you as a destination.  You may have visited the Algarve before, but you can be assured that there is more to Portugal than resort style package holidays.  Renting a villa with a pool or apartment with a golf fairway view may be cheaper that what you paid on your last package holiday and it may surprise you just how much you get for your money.  The economic crises has posed some great holiday rental opportunities for travellers.  Not only have airfares dropped by around 12%, but hundreds, if not thousands of holiday property owners are struggling to keep up with their payments.  Renting out their holiday property is a great idea to stay financially afloat and perhaps make a decent profit out of the process too.  In the end, you gain a fantastic holiday in Portugal for a fraction of what it costs elsewhere.

Baedeker’s Algarve (Baedeker’s Travel Guides)

US $1.00 End Date: Friday Apr-30-2010 23:30:34 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $1.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Algarve Travel Guide

US $1.00 End Date: Wednesday May-05-2010 20:08:19 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $1.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Cool, arent they?

Rough Guide Map Algarve | Rough Guides NEW 1848364989

US $9.07 End Date: Wednesday Apr-21-2010 19:11:49 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $9.07 Buy it now | Add to watch list

AA POCKET TRAVEL GUIDE ALGARVE SIGHTSEEING HOTELS PUBS

US $5.49 End Date: Friday Apr-23-2010 9:03:27 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $5.49 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Cool, arent they?

Next come the tranquil waters of the Rid Formosa, a unique natural habitat teeming with plant and animal species. And in the background loom the hills of the interior, ringed like an amphitheatre, covered with orchards, dotted with white cottages. Three distinct environments, each with its special charm, which make Olhão a great place for a holiday.
Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.

Cool, arent they?