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 the year 2023:
They say that time flies when you’re having fun. 2023 was certainly a fun year, but to me it seemed to last a very long time. Not that I’m complaining as we all like to make the most of our lives, but last year seemed to have more hours in it that any other. I’ll come onto that later, but for the moment, let’s have a brief recap of Luz Life in 2023.
in January, I took a visit to beautiful north east Poland which was a welcome change, but equally, a shock to the system. The Polish countryside was blanketed in snow with temperatures consistently in the minus figures. Lakes were frozen over whilst hats, scarves and gloves were ubiquitous accessories. As much as I loved the experience, It was a joy to see the Algarve blue skies upon my return. I had briefly forgotten how life-affirming the warm sunshine was.
The blue sky was pretty much an ever-present in 2023. The old cliché states that the Algarve has 300 days of sunshine a year, but last year the number of cloudy days seemed to be far fewer than the remaining 65. Perhaps, as I sit here on another cloudless day, I am looking back at 2023 with blue-sky tinted spectacles, but whatever the actual number, the region truly delivered yet again.
The warm, sunny days of winter soon gave way to the warm, sunny days of spring and with it came the annual explosion of wildflowers. I have visited the vast majority of countries in Europe, but I maintain that the month of April in the Algarve is as beautiful as anywhere in the continent. To add a note of caution, April is also the month where you do experience the seasons – expect sun, rain, wind and then more sun – and that’s just by lunchtime. If a little uncertainty in the weather doesn’t faze you then I suggest you start looking for April flights, don your walking boots and head to the countryside to sample the polychromatic scenery.
Warm sunny days soon became hot sunny days as summer arrived. This, for many, is where Praia da Luz comes into its own. Unlike other towns of the region, Praia da Luz doesn’t ever feel overcrowded even in the peak of high season. This is partly due to our location, but equally, the town doesn’t have any big resorts and therefore doesn’t suffer from claustrophobia. There are a limited number of places to sleep in Luz and subsequently, there are a limited number of people that can visit. Granted, you may have to book your favourite restaurant on a Saturday night in August, but we can all live with that.
Autumn, as if often does, felt like an extension of summer. The weather remained glorious throughout October and November, but with enough sporadic rain to ensure the fields had a much-needed sheen of verdancy. It’s always a toss-up for me whether November or April is my favourite month of the year. April may well be the most beautiful but November offers the warmest sea of the year and the air temperature remains in the low to mid 20’s.
Finally, our old friend winter returned. The evenings saw a sudden drop in temperatures, but the days remained bright, warm and long. Sunset today in Praia da Luz is not until 17:35. Which brings me nicely to why I felt that 2023 was such a long year. It has nothing to do with long days – quite the opposite. My gorgeous baby daughter takes after her Daddy and is not a great sleeper. This means long days and long nights. Oh well, thankfully she’s perfect in every other way.
Here’s to a perfect 2024 to you all.
More news next month.
David Lugg
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All photo images owned by David Lugg