I had one of the best questions I’ve ever received on Reddit: Where should I stay in the Algarve: Lagos or Luz, Portugal? This commenter listed their priorities, and they absolutely were looking in the right towns based on what they wanted to do most. I started responding to their comment, and that comment turned into a full article about the differences between Lagos and Luz for a summer holiday. I’m truly qualified to make this comparison after living in both towns!
Thank you, reddit. Thank you, commenter. And let’s get into it:
Where to stay between Lagos & Luz, Portugal based on:
A beautiful sandy beach within walking distance
Luz is smaller than Lagos and has one main beach: Praia da Luz. Most places in Luz are about a 10-15 min walk from the beach (check on Google Maps before your book accommodation to make sure. If it’s longer than that, it’s likely a place that’s on the outskirts of Luz).
I did a swim in the ocean in Praia da Luz for New Years. My video kind of shows the walk and what the beach looks like:
There are three main beaches in Lagos: Meia Praia – huge sandy beach with a wooden boardwalk and some restaurants along the way; Praia da Batata cliff side beaches near the heart of town connected by tunnels that are super cool but can get crowded; Praia Dona Ana – beautiful cliffside beach that is a little bit on the outside of town. There are even more beaches too! Those are just the easiest to access and bigger.
I have a YouTube on the Lagos beaches:
A safe area where we can comfortably walk back to our accommodation at night
Both are safe – Lagos has much more night life than Luz. If you’re looking for activities after 10pm, Lagos is where you’ll be. Just like anywhere, stay aware but they are both generally very safe.
Here’s some nightlife spots in Lagos.
No need to rent a car or rely on public transport. We want to do most on foot or perhaps rent bicycles.
Lagos has 400+ restaurants and bars in a town of 30k (up to 60k during peak season). There are wayyy more options there within walking distance than Luz, which is only about 4k people – maybe double or close to triple that in August.
Luz is connected to Lagos with the local number 4 Onda bus line. So you can take the bus to/from Lagos or nearby towns like Burgau. Lagos has a main train station that takes you through the entire Algarve and with a connection, up north to Lisboa/Porto. It also has a bus station with more long haul buses (not just the local line) that can take you across Portugal and into Spain. So when it comes to connectivity to other regions, Lagos is definitely better.
Uber and Bolt are also both easily available. (I have a list of helpful apps when visiting Portugal that can help with transportation as well)
I’d recommend an e-bike if you rent bicycles because of the hills. Here’s a video showing an e-bike day:
Algarvesportland in a good rental spot in Luz with heavy duty e-bikes.
Plenty of restaurants (we don’t eat much seafood, so having other options is important)
Lagos has way more restaurants than Luz. It’s not even close. You’ll want to make dinner reservations in both towns during summer months for places you really want to go to.
Here’s a map with some of our favorite Lagos spots!
A relaxed atmosphere rather than a party destination
Luz tends to be quieter than Lagos overall. You’ll find it to be more family friendly, so it gets quieter at night. To avoid the party scene in Lagos, avoid the center of Old Town Lagos.
A spot near Don Gull or Olivia tends to have quieter neighborhoods even during peak season. Just outside the historic wall or right on the wall where there are dead ends also tend to be quieter. Dona Ana is just outside of Lagos and also tends to be more calm.
Good value for money (not too pricey/ tourist trap restaurants and affordable groceries and housing)
Luz is expensive when it comes to groceries and tends to be more expensive in restaurants as well. Housing is pretty equal and spikes in the summer months. Although, Lagos has more hostel, guesthouse, and affordable options since it’s bigger. Most people that live in Luz grocery shop in Lagos because it’s that much more expensive.
Lagos has several major grocery stores: Continente, Intermarche, and Pingo Doce are the main ones.
There’s also the local farmers market near the main bus station on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings – that’ll be the most affordable spot for produce and homemade foods – plus you support local farmers! Here’s a haul for an idea of cost and what you get:
In terms of cost of restaurants, Lagos will almost always be the more affordable and delicious option compared to Luz. They also do have Michelin star restaurants, so you have a huge range.
Enough things to do for a one-week stay, but without large crowds
If I was visiting Luz, I’d likely spend some of that week in Lagos. There is a lot to do, but it’s a small town.
It’s impossible to run out of activities in Lagos. There is SO much going on – always. I’m a live music lover, and a lot of the events are centered around music or community. Here’s an article with all the best live music spots in Lagos. Also check out the city Facebook page for more local events Freshly Squeezed by Good Times Lagos – they send out some pretty cool events weekly.
Not only did this reddit commenter have all the things you’d want to know before you decide where to stay, they also made an FAQ list, which I am happy to answer as well.
FAQ: Lagos & Luz, Portugal
Is it difficult to get a taxi or Uber from Faro airport to Lagos or Luz and back?
You can take an Uber, Bolt, or Taxi between Faro and Lagos/Luz. However, I prefer to take the train. CP is the train line and cost under €10/person. I recommend South Ways Transfers for private transfers from the airport to Lagos – this can be really helpful if you have a super early/late flight.
I have a full article with the best ways to get to Lagos if you want even more detail or recommendations.
How well do people speak English?
Both Lagos and Luz are visitor-friendly places with the majority of people speaking English and Portuguese (fun fact – 72% of Portuguese adults under 64 years old are bilingual). Many tour guides speak English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, and German.
I just so happen to be hosting a free beginners Portuguese lesson with my Portuguese teacher on YouTube this Thursday, June 18th at 7pm Portugal time (2pm ET) if you’re interested in a quick lesson!
Do you have any specific accommodations you can recommend? Since we’re staying a week we’d like something with a small kitchen/ kitchenette, small living or dining room. For those days where the weather might not be too great or where we just feel like staying home! Oh and of course something that’s in a handy location. With stores and such nearby but also the beach at walking/ cycling distance.
Many of the hotels have a studio or 1 bedroom option with kitchenette, so it’s worth looking at them in addition to Booking style accommodations. Booking.com has more options than Airbnb overall, but you can check both. If you’re coming in the summer, I recommend looking at accommodation that has A/C – not all places do!
Here’s a map with some of our favorites in Lagos that also shows where a lot of the points of interest are to help you choose the area:
In Luz, I’ve been liking Ocean Villas Luz – prices vary a lot by time of year!
I hope this helps anyone have an amazing time in Lagos or Luz – two of my favorite places in the world. I have additional content about Portugal on our YouTube and blog with much more coming soon!
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