Algarve


The Algarve, Portugal’s most southern region, is known for its stunning  beaches, golf resorts and surfing. This is an absolutely beautiful place and a place you must visit at least once in your lifetime. The weather for most of the time is great. You wouldn't believe from my photos that we visited here in the mid April. 


We visited the Algarve with 2 kids of 10 and 9 years old so my post will mostly be about what to do in Algarve with the family. When deciding the Top Things To Do we have to think about what the adults will love but won't bore the children. Most people think a holiday with children is restricted to a beach or pool and that you can't go any further then your hotel, but this guide will tell you how to see it all and capture the their imagination too.


This is my top 5 things to do in Algarve:
1. ZOOMARINE
Visiting Zoo Marine was a great day out. We started with a couple of mid size rides before going to the pool. The lovely, sandy area by the large pool and water rides made our kids very happy.
Entrance ticket includes a few free shows: 
1. Pirate Bay show, we enjoyed it very much,
2.  Dolphin  presentation, very good. The Zoomarine has a rehabilitation center of marine fauna, so it's been very interested to hear what they do.
3. Seals and Sea-Lions presentation, give it a miss, very boring. 
4. Tropical birds presentation, never went, can't comment
5. Birds of prey presentation, didn't see it, can't comment

What didn't make us happy was the €15 charge for sunbeds, howevere it's a very plush, large grass field where you can drop your towel and have a nap under the hot Portuguese sun.
If you buy tickets online you get 10% off and avoid the queues. There is a choice of 1 or 2 day ticket but I wouldn't spend 2 days in the park. I can imagine that in high season this place will get very busy with long queues everywhere.


2. QUAD BIKE TRIP

I love adventure, so something like a quad bike ride is a must have for me. I've done it a few times before in Morocco and Tunisia but it was the first time for my daughter, my friend and her son and they all loved it. If you have never tried quad biking you must try it. Release your wild side, travel in the best way possible to see some the countryside that makes Portugal such a fantastic place. Not many people have a chance to see it and you can be one of the lucky ones. We stopped for picture taking and exploring rocks, flowers and trees. As it was in Spring the nature was green and beautiful. Our kids loved it and for them it was a highlight of the holiday. We booked with Hugo's Quad Bike Adventure and I would certainly recommend them.


3. LAGOS

We had one dull day with a drizzle of rain from time to time, so we decided to visit Lagos to do a bit of shopping and grab a spot of lunch. 
Lagos is a historic and charming, but a little run down, town in Algarve. We wandered the narrow streets of Lagos which are full of galleries featuring local arts. The town is full of lovely shops with charming knickknacks and of course, tacky souvenirs. Igreja De Santa Maria church  was founded in 1498 and is well worth a visit. My daughter loves churches and historic artifacts, so it was a little treat for her. 
Cute little restaurants offer local seafood and freshly made pizzas. Don’t let the humble surroundings of some places put you off as the food rarely disappoints. Many places serve tapas, a great way to try many Portuguese dishes on the cheap. For me, octopus in garlic sauce was my favourite. 



4. VISIT THE END OF THE WORLD

Sagres is a small and totally laid-back surfer town and a great place to escape and unwind. We preferred to spend most of the day in Cabo de São Vicente.
Cabo de São Vicente claims to be the most southwesterly point of mainland Europe. Until the end of the 14th century, many believed this place to be the end of the world - come here and you might think they had a point. Arriving late in the afternoon, wewalked around on the huge cliffs for hours and the views are stunning. You should visit the lighthouse, small museum and shop on site and after drinking in the cafe, take the opportunity to lingera while and witness the spectacular sunset. Just before the sun goes down it can get pretty crowded in the car park so make sure you arrive in plenty of time.


5. BENAGIL BOAT TRIP

Benagil, is a small fishing village on the southern coast of the Algarve which has gained fame in recent years thanks to its incredible sea caves. You can find pictures of them all over the internet and they've been on top of most "must see" lists about the Algarve for years. To get the best view and pictures you need to swim there or rent a canoe. Unfortunately, you can only do it in the high season when the sea is calm. There is always a sign on the beach letting you know if it's safe to get there or not. The other way to see the caves is by boat trip. It's a little pricey at €25 per adult and €10 per child, but well worth it. The trip lasts about 1.5 hours so you can spend some time on the stunning beach before or after.


Getting around the Algarve

We flew into Faro and rented a car which set us back £39 for a week. A car is essential unless you are planning to stay in a resort and never leave. There is a bus service but it doesn’t seem to run very frequently and doesn’t service all locations. especially if you want to visit the most beautiful and remote beaches.
It takes a day to get used to driving in the Algarve and avoiding the toll roads.
The road signs are a bit hit and miss, even using Google maps we got lost several times, but it did give us a chance to see remote areas untouched by tourism. Sometimes I think getting lost is the best way to see the country.


Grand Muthu Oura View Beach Club 



  The advantage of booking in April is that we paid £550 for one week for a 1 bedroom apartment (sleeps 4) with breakfast, dinner, beer, wine and soft drinks included. As it was the school holidays, this was a great deal! In the Summer this hotel will set you back between £2500 and £4000 for self-catering.

 The food was lovely with a good selection. The hotel had also great pool and stunning beach.. It's also based right in the centre of Albufeira, so all shops, bars and restaurants right on your doorstep. They are some negatives, so I might say it doesn't deserve to be a 5* hotel, maybe 3+ or 4* if we stretch. This is a timeshare place, so as every timeshare resorts, needs some improvements. 

Heading to Algarve soon?  Discover more

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