Praia da Luz Linked Villa, Porta do Paraiso, (near Lagos), Portugal.

CASA RAMALHETE is a three-bedroom linked villa within the Porta do Paraiso complex, a collection of eleven townhouses and two apartments with a large terrace overlooking shared pool terrace, with small swimmingpool and children’s paddling pool and gardens.

You enter the villa into the hallway with open plan living/dining area straight ahead. Also in the hall is a small downstairs cloakroom with toilet and basin.

Twin sliding patio doors lead to the villa’s large sun terrace, with luxury outdoor furniture for alfresco dining, a barbecue and sun loungers to soak up the sun. Stairs lead down to the pool terrace shared with the other villas and there are sun loungers for all condominium guests to use around the pool. Guests are asked to use the pool-side shower to rinse off sun lotion before entering the pools.

The kitchen which faces the front ofthe property is fully equipped,. All you need to do is stock up with food (some cleaning products will be left in the cupboard under the kitchen sink). It contains a gas/electric cooker, integrated fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, microwave, and a gas combi-boiler for instant hot water. A table and chairs are available for more informal meals.

There is also a walk-in pantry providing plenty of storage space including a cupboard with all the cleaning equipment - vacuum cleaner, brush and pan – and includes an iron and ironing board, a separate drinks fridge for water and any other drinks, plus a large stock of crockery and cooking equipment.

The living room has reverse air conditioning, which cools in the hot months as well as warming in the cooler months. There is also a gas fire for use during the winter months. 5G Wi-Fi is available via the MEO Hub in the living room which provides TV channels in Portuguese and English via the internet. Guests can log into their own Amazon Prime or Netflix channels on the Smart TV. A Wi-Fi extender is plugged into a socket in one of the bedrooms upstairs.

Upstairs, there are three good-sized bedrooms each with reversible warm/cool air conditioning. All the bedrooms have the flexibility to be either a Super King size bed or two twin beds by zipping together the 2x90 cm beds. They each have bedside tables with reading lamps beside each bed.

All the bedrooms have fitted wardrobes with plenty of hangers, dressing table plus large mirror. In each room there are plenty of sockets for hairdryers, charging mobile phones, etc.

Bedroom 1 has a small balcony with a small table and chairs to sit out, which overlooks the pool and sun terrace, and has a view of the sea as well as the wonderful landscape.

Bedroom 2 has a Juliette balcony also overlooking the pool and sun terrace. There is an en-suite walk-in shower, toilet, vanity unit and bidet plus towel radiator. This room also has a digital safe to secure valuables.

Bedroom 3 has a Juliette balcony overlooking the front of the villa.

There is a family bathroom with bath and shower over, vanity unit, toilet and bidet, towel radiator and wall heater.

On the sun terrace there is a storage box with a variety of items: beach umbrellas to use around the pool, as well as other equipment for beach use such as boogie boards, kids buckets and spades, etc. This equipment has been left by previous guests so I am never sure exactly what is in the box!

Getting to Praia da Luz

There are many car hire companies to choose from both on and off airport. Private hire companies are available to book for airport pick-ups and drop-offs - please ask for a recommendation. The journey time from Faro Airport is approximately one hour.

About Praia da Luz

Praia da Luz is an ideal holiday destination; the charming and picturesque streets of the old village are a delight. It is a 10-minute walk along cobbled streets to the old village centre, restaurants, bars and cafés. The Portuguese love their bica - small cups of strong coffee. You will find several cafés down near the beach and there are a couple along the main street on Rua Direita.

The full name of Praia da Luz “Praia de Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Luz” (‘Beach of the Church of our Lady of Light’) – far too much for a tourist (and many locals) – is a lovely sandy beach in the shape of a bay and is perfect for sun-bathing with the coveted ‘European blue flag’ indicating clean sand and clean water. The water sports operator on the beach displays rental/hire charges clearly.

Like many beach areas in Portugal, business is seasonal in Praia da Luz. All the restaurants and bars run their own timetables as to when they change opening and closing times. From November through to March some places may close completely or have drastically reduced opening days and/or hours. My favourite restaurants in Luz are Latitude Wine & Tapas Bar, Fluido's, Restaurant Ondaluz, Boaty's Tapas Café, The Dolphin, Chicca’s Restaurant and Fortaleza. During the busy season it is strongly advised to book a table for a dinner reservation, particularly larger groups. Fluido’s and Ondaluz are less than 5 minutes from the villa, as is a lovely little bar called Ollie’s.

Luz has two main supermarkets: Spar and Baptista are open 7 days a week (Baptista is closed Sun afternoon) and there are more smaller groceries stores around the village. There are several larger supermarkets in Lagos, a 10-minute car journey away: Continente, Intermarché, Pingo Doce, Lidl and Aldi.

Places of interest in and around Luz might be a visit the historic Fortress (the Fortaleza) which dates from 1670. Today, it has been fully restored and operates as a premier restaurant offering traditional Portuguese classics with an international bias, in what is unquestionably the village’s most spectacular setting for drinks at sundown. Also, a must-see is the Church of Nossa Senhora da Luz, (the Church-Shrine of ‘Our Lady of Light’) which was originally built around 1575, and recently fully restored and painted. Remember to view the inside and see the spectacular golden gilt altar.

For guests who enjoy walking, following routes along the coastal path (Fishermen’s Trail) is popular with locals and tourists alike - in Spring it is easy to spot the many wildflowers growing beside the paths. Heading west you can walk the whole way to Burgau; heading east you can walk into Lagos (by climbing up the steep hill above Luz beach) which brings you to the long beach of Porto do Mós. From there you can catch a bus or a taxi into Lagos, or, walk back to Praia da Luz after an ice-cream from one of the cafés on the beach. It is strongly advised to carry water when walking along the coast, even on cooler days.

Lagos, the biggest town in the Western Algarve.

Lagos also has many restaurants and overall, they are cheaper than Luz. A few I can recommend are Campimar in Porto do Mós, Restaurant Onda Norte, Tasca do Kiko near the Marina, Quay in the Marina. There are many restaurants and bars in the centre of Lagos - too many to mention.

If you are driving into Lagos there is an underground car park located on the Avenida dos Descobrimentos which is quite central for walking around the town. Two fish restaurants that I can recommend on the Avenida are Adega de Marina (located opposite the bridge to the Marina) and closer to the centre is the Mare restaurant located above the Fish Market The fish market is worth a visit in the mornings. There are also several restaurants located along the Meia Praia which serve both fresh fish and meat.

Golf Breaks in the Algarve

When it comes to the perfect mix of great weather, grand scenery and golf courses, the Algarve is an excellent location for golf breaks. Early morning golf is recommended in the region during the summer months. The villa is ideally situated near four excellent golf courses: Boavista, Palmares, Penina and Espiche. Before visiting, it is best to contact the courses direct to be book tee-times and to check the dress-codes etc.

Floresta Parque is located out towards Sagres near Budens and is a challenging course, sometimes described as taxing.

All the courses provide a complete hire service and can be booked online.

Keyless Entry to the Villa

There is a key-safe on the front door for contactless entry, so you can arrive and depart at your leisure. Details on how to use this will be sent with final arrangements.