Enjoy the some history with your luxury villa holiday in the Algarve
Part of the joy of staying in one of our luxury villas on the Western Algarve in Portugal is the rich culture and history of the neighbouring towns, which you get to explore and enjoy whilst staying in our beautiful villas.
Don’t get us wrong, you can just lie by the pool or visit the beautiful beaches nearby if that’s all you want, but if you’re looking to immerse yourself in the culture of the Algarve and Portugal, then here’s a brief background on what the nearby towns of Lagos and Praia da Luz have to offer and in particular the history of Lagos and Praia da Luz.
The history of Lagos
Lagos is the most historically interesting coastal town in the Algarve.
Portugal is famed for its explorers and Gil Eanes (Lagos’ most famous son) was the first European Captain to accomplish a sea passage, in 1495, to the Orient via Cape Bojador, known for its treacherous winds and currents. His statue stands in front of the town walls. The seafaring tradition of Lagos dates to the 15th century, when Henry the Navigator had his ships built here for voyages of discovery into the unknown world.
Another statue is of the 21-year-old boy King, Sebastiao, who precipitated the demise of the Aviz dynasty in the 16th century by sailing from Lagos to a disastrous defeat in battle in Morocco.
From the 16th century Lagos went into decline and was reduced to little more than a backwater fishing harbour. In 1755 there was a great earthquake that destroyed most of the buildings. Amongst the ones that were rebuilt and have since undergone renovation are the Church of Santa Maria, the 17th Century Regimental Storehouse next to it and the “Golden” Church of Santo Antonio which forms part of Lagos’ rather eccentric museum offering a diverse range of typically Algarvian memorabilia.
Lagos has lovely beaches and a laid-back atmosphere making it a perfect tourist location
Lagos is blessed with a bay side location, proximity to lovely beaches, and a relaxed atmosphere and so tourism has developed here but not to the detraction of the town, which now even boasts a marina.
Ancient history has left its mark on Lagos
The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Moors all left their mark and influence (the modern name “Lagos” derives from the Roman “Lacobriga”). The Moors were finally ejected in 1249 by the Portuguese King, Dom Afonso III, with the help of passing crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. The history of Lagos is rich and interesting consequently.
It is possible to walk around the old city walls, some of them dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. The ancient walls are steeped in history but nowadays this is also a youthful town, with a refreshing, relaxed charm all its own. It is an easy place to while away a week or two on holiday and good to use as a base for exploration of the western Algarve. Lagos Cultural Centre has a modern, comfortable auditorium and a mecca for music and the performing arts.
Places to visit on your Lagos villa holiday
Visit the museum and the adjacent Church of Santo Antonio in Rua General Alberto Carlos da Silveria, in the centre of Lagos. If you enter the museum first (there is a small charge), once you’ve wandered around the galleries viewing all sorts of items from Roman artefacts to freakish zoological specimens pickled in jars, you’ll come out in the stunningly ornate little church. It is often called a “golden” chapel. You will soon see why.
History of Praia da luz
Most recently Praia da Luz was as a fishing village before tourism became its main occupation. A long wall of nets used to be stretched from the rocks in front of the fort (Fortaleza) to trap tuna, which were then hauled onshore up the slipway along the beach. Unfortunately for the local industry, the great fish changed their migratory routes to further south, far out to sea.
Praia da Luz literally means “The Beach of Light”, which is a name given to the village in Moorish times, when beacons were lit to warn fishermen of the approaching danger from the savage Moors.
Praia da Luz offers both stunning scenery and archaeology
The town has a 17th Century coastal fort, which is now a restaurant at one end of the beach and the famous “black rock” (Rocha Negra) cliff at the other. Between the two there is an attractive promenade for strolling or relaxing on one of the many seats. There are also some Roman remains to see, up a few steps in the middle of the sea front.
Black rock of Praia da Luz
The eastern limit of the beach is marked by the famous “Black Rock” – noticeable since all the other cliffs are golden orange. This exception was formed by lava produced from the twin volcanoes of the Monchique mountains located 20-30 kms to the north and formed some 150 million years ago.
A beautiful beach to complement your villa holiday
Praia de Luz is a few kilometres from Lagos and retains the charm and character of a traditional Portuguese village, yet offers excellent facilities to complement the broad, safe, sandy beach.
The narrow streets meander up from the beach, past white-washed houses to the village centre. Old and new blend intimately together and you feel instantly at home as soon as you arrive.
Originally named “Praia de Igreja Nossa Senhora da Luz” (“Beach of the Church of Our Lady of Light”) this was obviously too much of a mouthful, even for the Portuguese, and it was shortened to Praia da Luz. Today the tourist industry is shortening it still further to just “Luz”.
For further information on our luxury villas near lagos and Praia da Luz contact enquiries@casamontecristo.com or visit our Algarve villa holiday pages
