A review of Praia da Luz (February 2024)

A brief recap: Since arriving at Ocean Villas Luz in August 2020, writer David Lugg has been experiencing all aspects of Luz Life. This is his review of February 2024:

The comedian Tim Vine once said “I’ve decided to sell my Hoover…well, it was just collecting dust”. This is not just one of my favourite one-liners, but it has also given me cause for thought. No, I don’t plan to get rid of the vacuum cleaner quite yet, but it did remind me of one of the great reasons that we choose to come to Praia da Luz – to switch off and do a little bit of nothing.

I have long been an advocate of the virtues of an active holiday. After all, Praia da Luz and its surrounding area is one of the most beautiful parts of Portugal. You can walk the coastal path to Burgau or along the cliffs to the Ponta da Piedade. You can head to the beach for a refreshing swim or perhaps take a boat trip to see the famous grottos. All wonderful ideas, but I propose to you that the virtues of an inactive holiday can be just as rewarding. The practice of doing ‘nothing’ can potentially be as beneficial as doing something.

Doing nothing is not as easy as it sounds. If you are at home, you are never too far away from a task or a chore. The dishwasher needs emptying, the cat needs to be fed, the shirts need to be ironed, or the house needs a vacuum. But the great joy of a holiday is you don’t have to do any of that. I grant you that your neighbour might need to pop in and feed your beloved kitty, but you can push all other chores out of your mind. Move over ironing board, we’ve got some serious nothing to do.

Ocean Villas Luz provides an ideal setting to perfect the art of doing nothing. Each apartment and villa offers splendid sea views, perfect for idling away the hours with a cup of coffee and a good book. When you need a change of scene, our oceanfront gardens are an oasis of calm provided you don’t mind sharing your pastel de nata with the birds. From there, you can sit and lose yourself amongst the beguiling blend of the sky and the sea.

But what actually are the benefits of doing nothing? What good can come from some extended procrastination? The definitive answer is quite a lot. According to Psychology Today, doing nothing is a ‘rejuvenating process’ that has ‘physical and mental advantages’. We allow our brains to rest and in doing so become more creative, more productive and have better mental acuity. It is also a great stress reliever – an opportunity to disengage from our schedules and daily routines.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, doing nothing can make us happy. On a short term basis, we can breathe in the sea air, lose ourselves with the sound of the waves and enjoy the feel of the warm sun on our skin. On the long term, we can hit the reset button and dust away the cobwebs of stress. A deep breath of fresh sea air can make us feel alive again. It can remind us of all the great things that life has to offer. And all you have to do…is nothing.

Before you embark on your inactive holiday at Ocean Villas Luz, you have just enough time to iron a shirt, feed the cat and use the hoover one last time. It’s time to enjoy ‘dolce far niente’ – the sweetness of doing nothing.

More news next month.

David Lugg

#oceanvillasluz #davidluggwriter

All photo images owned by David Lugg

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