Family Fun in the Algarve

The Algarve, Portugal’s sunny, beach-rimmed southern coast, is a great place to introduce kids to Europe. There’s local culture, an old-world feel to the villages and a distinctly European atmosphere, but nearly everyone speaks English. This is because the Algarve has been a favorite spot for British tourists for more than a century. 

Pria Castelejo beach with the surf crashing on the rock cliffs © Stillman Rogers

Along with its sunny weather (it enjoys more than 300 sunny days annually), the Algarve’s main appeal is the coast lined with beautiful sand beaches. Some, like those at the eastern Ria Formosa are long sand spits backed by rivers and lagoons, while others farther west lie under magnificent cliffs. Yet others are in secluded coves reached by boat. The longest are in the central Algarve, near the lively resort-filled town of Albufeira. The least crowded are at the western end near Sagres. Fantastic red and honey-colored cliffs and rock formations surround the Algarve’s most photographed beach, Praia da Rocha. Praia do Anção, in the central Algarve, is especially good for children who can play safely in the calm waters.

The central Algarve is filled with family-oriented recreation, including several amusement parks. Aqualand, in Alcantarilha, is one of Europe’s largest open-air water parks, and Aquashow in Quarteira is a full-scale amusement park with roller coasters.  Slide & Splash in Estombar includes both water- and land-based rides, as well as animal shows. ZooLagos, in the western Algarve, has 50 different animal species in natural habitats, and Zoomarine, in Albufueira, is an interactive oceanographic park.

If you hope to give your children a bit more local experience than amusement parks, the Algarve has lots of opportunity. Several castles crown hilltops, with two especially good ones for kids.

Praia Martinhal at Sagres © Stillman Rogers

Castro Marim, overlooking the Spanish border, was headquarters of Portugal’s medieval Knights Templars, and the restored castle has an excellent interpretive program for young visitors. You’re likely to find minstrels and people in medieval costume demonstrating crafts and martial skills within its sprawling defensive walls.

The biggest castle is at Silves, where kids can pretend to be knights guarding its towers and well-preserved ramparts, which they can walk around. Don’t miss descending into the huge underground cistern, created from an ancient copper mine. Kids who learned about ancient Rome will like the excavated remains of Milreu at Estoi, a first-century Roman site thought to have been either an unusually grand private villa or a spa. The walls of the nymphaerium, well-preserved mosaic floors and extensive baths with elaborate heating and cooling systems remain.

Beach at Luz Algarve © Stillman Rogers

At Sagres they can visit the point where Prince Henry the Navigator directed the explorations of unknown oceans from his clifftop headquarters. This western end of the Algarve is perhaps the best place for families interested in water sports, including surfing, sailing, wind surfing, paddleboarding and kayaking. Most of the schools and outfitters are concentrated in the pretty little beach town of Praia de Luz, between Lagos and Sagres. Or you can join Dolphin Seafaris in Lagos on its daily eco-tours by high-speed boat to visit dolphins in the sea and get off-shore views of the dramatic coastline and its cliffs and sea caves.

Perhaps the best way to arrange water sports lessons is through a full-service family resort, where on-staff instructors are well trained and safety measures are in place. Resorts also keep track of the reliable local schools for surfing and sports they do not teach on site.

We like Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel in Sagres, set above its own golden beach and specifically designed so families can play together in the sun. The resort and its programs — even its restaurants — are especially arranged so parents can join children in the activities or enjoy a few moments relaxing while trained staff takes over. Parents can join older kids for kayak, paddleboard or surf lessons, while younger kids play in the beautifully equipped — and age-specific — clubs.