With kids · Algarve · Portugal
Algarve with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: The original uploader was Husond at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The Algarve is one of Europe's classic family holiday regions: wide sandy beaches with lifeguards in summer, water parks and Zoomarine, boat trips and easy ferries to car-free islands. Eastern beaches such as Ilha de Tavira have calmer, warmer water, while the west's cliffs and waves suit older children. Top picks: Zoomarine, Ria Formosa Natural Park and Praia do Barril and the anchor cemetery. Families usually base themselves in Albufeira.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Albufeira
- Rainy-day options
- 0
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Theme park · Albufeira
1.Zoomarine
Near Guia, this marine-themed park combines animal presentations, an aquarium, rides, pools and a beach area. It is one of the Algarve's biggest family attractions, especially for younger children.
Arrive at opening in summer to find shade and good seats for the first shows.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Outdoors
Nature · Faro
2.Ria Formosa Natural Park
A protected lagoon of salt marshes, channels and barrier islands stretching about 60 km along the eastern Algarve. Boat trips from Faro, Olhão and Tavira visit the islands of Culatra, Armona, Deserta and Tavira, and the marshes are home to flamingos, spoonbills and seahorses.
Take a public ferry from Olhão to Culatra or Armona for an island beach day at a fraction of the price of a private tour.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Beach · Tavira
3.Praia do Barril and the anchor cemetery
On the Ria Formosa barrier island near Tavira, hundreds of rusting anchors from the old tuna-fishing industry are lined up in the dunes at Praia do Barril. The former fishermen's cottages now hold cafés, and a long sandy beach stretches either side.
Cross the footbridge from Pedras d'el Rei and take the miniature train or walk 1 km across the lagoon to reach the beach.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Photo spot
- History
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Carvoeiro
4.Algar Seco and the Carvoeiro boardwalk
A wooden boardwalk runs along the clifftops east of Carvoeiro to Algar Seco, a maze of eroded rock arches, pools and grottoes, including a 'window' in the rock framing the sea. Steps lead down into the formations.
Come at low tide on a calm morning to explore the rock pools below; there is a small bar built into the rocks.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Kids
- Outdoors
Experience · Lagos
5.Dolphin-watching boat trips
Common and bottlenose dolphins are regularly seen off the Algarve coast, and fast RIB boats or larger catamarans head out from Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira and Vilamoura marinas, often combined with a pass along the cliffs and caves.
Choose an operator that follows responsible-watching guidelines, and take seasickness tablets if the swell is up.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Couples
Castle · Silves
6.Silves Castle
The red sandstone walls of Silves Castle crown the hill above the town that was the Moorish capital of the Algarve, then called Xelb. Walk the ramparts for views over orange groves and the Arade river, then visit the Gothic cathedral just below.
Visit in the morning before the heat, and come in August for the town's medieval fair if your dates allow.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Views
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for families, nightlife, beach and budget
Albufeira
Albufeira's old town of whitewashed lanes sits above Praia dos Pescadores, reached by escalators and a tunnel, while 'the Strip' around Avenida Sá Carneiro in Areias de São João is packed with bars and clubs. Large resort hotels and beaches such as Praia da Falésia lie to the east, with Zoomarine and water parks nearby.
- Good
- Huge choice of accommodation; Central for the whole coast; Family attractions close by
- Watch out
- Very busy and commercial in summer; The Strip is rowdy at night
- Nearby
- Praia dos Pescadores, Praia da Falésia, Zoomarine, Guia
Family travel tips
- Choose beaches with lifeguards and a flag system, and follow the flags; red means no swimming.
- Avoid sitting under cliffs, which can be unstable and occasionally collapse.
- Midday sun in summer is intense; plan beach time for mornings and late afternoons.
- Water parks such as Slide & Splash and Aqualand are a good option on very hot days.
- Book car seats with hire cars well ahead in school holidays.
Day trips for families
- Ayamonte and the Guadiana (About 45 minutes by car plus a short ferry) — From Vila Real de Santo António, a 1774 grid-planned town rebuilt after the great earthquake, a small ferry crosses the Guadiana to Ayamonte in Spain for tapas.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–June and September. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Algarve good for kids?
The Algarve is one of Europe's classic family holiday regions: wide sandy beaches with lifeguards in summer, water parks and Zoomarine, boat trips and easy ferries to car-free islands. Eastern beaches such as Ilha de Tavira have calmer, warmer water, while the west's cliffs and waves suit older children.
+What can kids do in Algarve?
Zoomarine, Ria Formosa Natural Park, Praia do Barril and the anchor cemetery, Algar Seco and the Carvoeiro boardwalk and Dolphin-watching boat trips.
+Where should families stay in Algarve?
Albufeira: The Algarve's biggest resort, with an old town above the beach and a lively strip.