With year-round sun, gorgeous beaches, fantastic family attractions and only a 2-hour flight from the UK, the Algarve is the perfect destination for a short break with kids. Making the most of the long weekend, we travelled over Easter and had four nights enjoying some much-needed sunshine. After two years of travelling within the UK it was so good to venture to foreign shores again. If you’re limited for time, here is an itinerary for culture, beach and a few thrills thrown in. Visiting in spring, the countryside is blanketed with wildflowers and the orchards are full of oranges.
With a late flight in and early flight out, we wanted somewhere not too far from the airport. The small resort of Olhos d’Agua was just 30 minutes’ drive from Faro airport and worked as a great base for exploring the central Algarve as well as fitting in a trip to Faro. We usually book an Airbnb but thought for a short break, that a buffet breakfast would be a nice treat and save a trip to the supermarket. We chose the 4* PortoBay Falesia which is excellent for families with spacious interconnecting rooms, a kids play area, kids pool and a pool table for older kids. The direct access to the beach is another bonus. We thought an indoor pool would be needed but the weather was so warm we didn’t end up using it.
Day 1: Carvoeiro, Algar Seco and Slide & Splash Water Park
For clifftop views over the beach, town and coastline, we headed uphill from Carvoeiro Beach and along the wooden boardwalk which takes you to the interesting rock formations of Algar Seco in around 10 minutes walk. A series of caves, resembling honeycomb sculpted in the limestone cliffs by the elements, the kids enjoyed climbing around them and watching the ocean crashing on the rocks. Carry on along the boardwalk a little further and you’ll reach another entrance into Algar Seco housing the famous “Boneca” (“the doll”). Thought to look like a doll from the sea, the view from inside looking out on the ocean through the doll’s eyes. The queue was rather long but pretty cool once we had ventured through the narrow corridor. Boneca Bar, in a fabulous setting surrounded by the golden Algar Seco rocks, serves snacks and drinks but only open in the afternoons and evening in low season which was a shame for us. Making our way back along the boardwalk to Carvoeiro, the view of the white washed houses with colourful paintwork lining the sandy bay are lovely.
You’ll find a good choice of lunch options for a salad, sandwich or some fresh fish in the beachfront cafes and surrounding streets. As you drive in to Carvoeiro, there is plenty of free roadside parking. There are numerous tour companies scattered along the edge of the beach offering boat trips along the coast and to the spectacular caves of Benagil. We didn’t fit it in but definitely worth doing if you have the time.
Less than 10 minutes’ drive from Carvoeiro, the fabulous Slide & Splash water park is great fun for an afternoon’s entertainment (or easily a day). The park has a good mix of fast and scary slides, exciting but not too crazy and gentle slides for little ones. There were lots with rings which is always a bonus if you’re prone to grazes like me. It was busy but the queues went down fairly quickly. Kids will also like the tropical birds show which takes place in the summer months. The shower and locker areas were clean and spacious and the grounds are pleasant with plenty of space to lay your towels out if you don’t want to hire a sun bed. Book online for a slightly discounted price.
Day 2: Faro and Ilha Deserta
Often overlooked as the gateway to the Algarve, Faro is a charming, vibrant city to visit for the day. The large parking area at the Largo de Sao Francisco to the eastern side of the old city offers free parking and arriving at 10.30am there were still lots of spaces. From here, the marina and old town are a short walk away.
Wandering through the old part of the city, you come to a beautiful square with rows of orange trees glowing in the cloudless blue sky. The cathedral with its bell tower stands tall in the centre. As it was Easter Sunday the tower was closed for visitors but it is a great spot to enjoy the views over the red roof tops of the city and marshlands of the Ria Formosa. Take a look inside as the famous azulejos (blue tiles) are very impressive. The compact white washed old town surrounding the cathedral with its mosaic paved streets and pretty archways houses designer and boutique shops and lively little squares with cafes on every corner.
Along the waterfront, there was a nice little market selling lovely local crafts and funky jewellery ideal for the kids to spend some holiday pocket money. There was also a food market with stall owners keen for you to sample their tapas style offerings with cheeses, bread and sausage washed down with red wine. Not really what the kids fancied for lunch but nice to have a few freebies. For lunch with a view, head to one of the restaurants around the marina. We stopped at O Coreto which was decent and very reasonably priced for a sandwich before our boat trip.
Encompassed by the wetlands of the Ria Formosa National Park, a boat trip from Faro is a must. We decided on a trip over to Ilha Deserta with Animaris which takes visitors over by ferry or the faster option, a speedboat. We took the speedboat and the kids loved this adrenaline pumping ride. You can choose to visit for just a couple of hours or spend the whole day there. With it literally feeling like a deserted island, a couple of hours to appreciate the white sands dotted with the most incredible shells and the crashing waves was enough for us. The current was very strong so it was fun to jump in the waves but we didn’t fancy swimming in it. We didn’t try it but my sister loved the Estaminé Restaurant (the only place on the island) on her trip which serves up fresh fish and seafood from its solar powered kitchen. We did stop there for coffee and ice cream though. If you have more time, the half day wildlife tours around the islands of Ria Formosa National Park look interesting.
Day 3: Silves and Praia Marinha
Moorish architecture is a favourite of mine after several visits to Andalucia, so Silves was a must see. The narrow, winding streets with intricate, colourful tiled buildings lead you up to the castle with its well-preserved fort. Walk around the perimeter of the fort for 360˚ views of the town and surrounding countryside. The gardens possibly need to mature a little but with trickling fountains, lavender bushes, blooming roses and orange trees, it was a very tranquil place to sit and take in the sunshine. In the centre, is a stylish café with contemporary water features serving yummy smoothies, snacks, ice cream and desserts. As you come into Silves and drive over the bridge follow the road just past Lidl and you’ll find a large, free car park to the left alongside the river.
The stunning cove beaches of the Algarve with golden limestone casts jutting out of the sea are pretty spectacular. Praia Marinha and the surrounding coastline certainly live up to the picture postcard image we had. With a free car park and a handful of vans selling ice-cream, snacks and fresh fruit, it’s ideal for families and will be worth the walk down the steps to the beach. The sea was certainly invigorating but the gentle waves lapping on the soft sand were perfect for a dip and we all made it in for a good swim. From here you can also do some beautiful cliff top walks although definitely not suitable for young children as the paths are very close to the edge in places (my daughter loves to scare me and get too close and she’s 10). The 12km (out and back) Seven Hanging Bridges Trail runs between Praia da Marinha beach and Praia de Vale Centianes beach hugging the coastline the whole time. We just did a small part of it to take in the views.
We’ve also spent a week in Lagos on a previous trip and loved this part of the Algarve too. Check out my blog below for tips on visiting this area as well as the brilliant Zoomarine. Still feels like we’ve only just touched the surface of this wonderful region of Portugal so another trip is sure to be on the horizon very soon.
Fam Full of Wanderlust 