Praia da Luz

Luz
Luz
Location in Portugal
Coordinates: 37°05′12″N 08°43′52″W / 37.08667°N 8.73111°W / 37.08667; -8.73111
Country Portugal
RegionAlgarve
Intermunic. comm.Algarve
DistrictFaro
MunicipalityLagos
Area
  Total
21.78 km2 (8.41 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
  Total
3,545
  Density160/km2 (420/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+00:00 (WET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+01:00 (WEST)
Postal code
8600
Area code282
PatronNossa Senhora da Luz
Websitehttp://www.freguesia-luz.pt/portal/v1.0/

Praia da Luz (European Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpɾajɐ ðɐ ˈluʃ]), officially Luz, is a civil parish of the municipality of Lagos, in Algarve region, Portugal. The population of the civil parish in 2011 was 3,545, in an area of 21.78 km2 (9½ sq. mi.). Also known as Santorini de Portugal, Luz de Lagos or Vila da Luz (a contraction of its former official name, Vila da Nossa Senhora da Luz), "Praia da Luz" (which means Beach of the Light) is used to refer to both the urbanized village and the beach. The parish had its origins in a small fishing village (the industry is now only found in isolated enclaves to the west), but was transformed by several holiday-villa complexes into a tourist area.