Visiting the Algarve with Kids in Winter: Why It’s the Best-Kept Family Travel Secret
The southern coast of mainland Portugal is called the “Algarve” or the “Portuguese Riviera.” It is a popular tourist destination for party goers and families alike due to its sandy beaches lined by rocky shoreline, and clear Mediterranean waters.
Most people visit the Algarve in the summer to spend their days relaxing on the beach in the warm sun. We chose to visit Portugal in the winter instead to avoid the summer crowds and summer heat. The weather in the Algarve in the winter is mild and still good for beach play, but maybe a little too cool for swimming in the ocean!
Here’s how to avoid the crowds and enjoy the Algarve in the off-season with your family:
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Why Visit the Algarve with Kids in Winter
The Algarve is better to visit in the winter than the summer because:
Our Experience
- Destination: Albufeira, Portugal
- age of our kids: 2 & 5 years
- Length of stay: 3 Days
- time of year: December
Getting There
My family drove to the Algarve from Lisbon in December with a toddler and preschooler, stopping in Alcácer do Sal on the drive down, and spent three days in the Algarve.
If you fly into Lisbon, consider renting a car to drive down to the Algarve region. You can also fly into the airport at Faro.
travel
Quick Tips
Before you go
- Vilamoura and resort seafronts are flat and stroller-friendly; old town cobblestones in Lagos, Tavira, and Faro are beautiful but challenging — a carrier is useful for steep sections
- Plan for multiple days if you can. Each town in the Algarve has something special to offer!
- Check the schedule for Christmas markets in Faro and Lagos
What we packed
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Comfortable shoes, clothes, sunscreen, and hats
- Baby carrier
- Camera
- Rain gear – umbrellas, rain coats, boots
- Beach gear – blankets, towels, sand toys
- Layers - temps can very
Costs
| Activity | Base Cost |
|---|---|
| Aqua Show Ticket | Indoor water park tickets for two hours are free for kids under two years of age, €15 for children ages 3-5, €20 for children ages 6-12 and seniors, and €30 for adults |
| Mercado de Escravos, Lagos | ~€6 adults / free under 12 |
| Add-Ons | |
| Food and snacks | €40/meal for a family of 4 |
Things to do in the Algarve with your family
Enjoy the sun on the beach
- 4 hours
The warm and beautiful beaches that line the southern coast of Portugal are the main reason people flock to the Algarve in the summer months.
Lucky for us, the Algarve shoreline was just as beautiful in the winter months, too! The skies were sometimes cloudy, but the mild weather was perfect for sitting on the sand and getting our feet wet.
We enjoyed the beaches in Albufeira, especially Praia dos Arrifes and Praia dos Alemães, which both had long stretches of sand with small, kid-friendly waves. Praia dos Arrifes has beautiful rock formations lining the shoreline that are typical in the Algarve.
Check out the indoor water park
- ~€15-30
- 3+ Hours
It rained on our winter Algarve vacation, causing us to find an indoor activity, quick!
Aquashow Park is an indoor and outdoor waterpark that offers “summer all year.”
Tickets to enter for two hours are free for kids under two years of age, €15 for children ages 3-5, €20 for children ages 6-12 and seniors, and €30 for adults, and increase for every additional hour you add on to your day. We booked tickets for two hours in the morning and had a blast.
Bring your sandals, towels, bathing suits, and flotation devices if needed. The locker rooms are big and clean.
Our kids immediately saw the children’s section of the indoor waterpark, filled with ankle deep water so kids of all ages and swimming capabilities could enjoy. My toddler and I spent some time splashing in the warm and quiet baby pool, spying fake animals and bugs on the walls.
If you have a kid that can swim, head to the deeper pools to feel the water jets, go under waterfalls, and try to walk across an obstacle course.
Drive to the Cabo de São Vicente lighthouse
Great views
- 1+ Hours
About an hour west of Albufeira is the farthest southwest point of mainland Portugal. The Cabo de São Vicente, or Cape of Saint Vincent, was the last part of Europe that sailors would see on their way to travel the world.
The lighthouse and fort at this point were a stunning contrast to the blue waters and rocky shoreline. We walked around the fort and hiked along the steep cliffs to find flowers, birds, and sea life.
I tried to imagine the excitement and fear sailors had as they waved goodbye to their continent, but also remembered the colonization, disease, and racism they brought to the rest of the world.
Go for a hike in Lagos
Great views
- 1+ Hours
Take the Ponta de Piedade trail from Ponta da Piedade lighthouse west towards Praia do Porto de Mós.
The trail is 2.6 miles round trip if you turn around at Praia do Porto de Mós and takes about two hours. We left the lighthouse and hiked along the sandy cliff trail until it got a little steep for our toddler. I loved the views of the ocean, rock formations, and archways we got to see from this seaside hike. Check out this website for more Algarve hiking options.
I loved the views of the ocean, rock formations, and archways we got to see from this seaside hike. Check out this website for more Algarve hiking options.
Where to stay - Choosing Your Base in the Winter Algarve
There are many cities and towns along the southern Portuguese coast in the Algarve to visit and stay in.
- Lagos — most atmospheric old town, dramatic Ponta da Piedade cliffs, calm beaches. The town sits within 16th-century walls, alive with street performers and artisan shops. Best for active families who love history + walking. Strong Nations
- Tavira — a pretty town with fishing boats, hilltop castle ruins, a child-friendly library, an indoor swimming pool, and a pedal-cart track by the river. Best for families who want an authentic, quiet Algarve experience.
- Albufeira — largest resort town, most facilities open year-round, easy beach access. Best for families who want more amenities and don’t mind a more touristy town.
- Faro — the Algarve’s capital; great base for the Ria Formosa Natural Park and day trips. Easy airport access.
We chose Albufeira as our home base because of its central location.
Vacation Rental Recoomendation in the Algarve region of Portugal
Although there are many options of places to stay, we stayed at an Airbnb in the fisherman’s neighborhood of Albufeira so we would be close to the beach.
Great for clean accommodations in a calm neighborhood | $$
- Kitchen
- Free street parking
- pool
This Airbnb was perfect for our family because it offered a small pool and sandy beach in the private backyard.
We spent our first night in the Algarve there, eating delicious take out and drinking the complimentary wine while watching our kiddos splash and play in the mini beach during sunset. It was a great way to kick off our Portuguese Riviera trip.
The airbnb was within walking distance from many shops, the beach, and restaurants.
History Corner
The Algarve’s history includes both remarkable diversity and painful truths worth knowing before you visit.
The Moorish rulers — North African and Arab Berber peoples — built a multicultural society here that, at its most tolerant, welcomed people of different faiths to live, work, and learn alongside one another. Towns flourished, orchards grew, and knowledge spread.
But the Algarve also holds one of the hardest chapters in history to reckon with. In 1444, the first enslaved Africans arrived at Lagos on the Algarve coast — making this beautiful town the site of Europe’s first slave market.
By the 16th century, enslaved Africans made up an estimated 10% of the Algarve’s population. The Mercado de Escravos (Slave Market Museum) in Lagos is one of the only museums in Europe dedicated to this history.
It is best suited to older children, and we’d encourage families to visit together — honestly and openly. Bringing these stories into your trip, alongside the beaches and castles, is part of traveling with intention.
Our Experience
We were one of few BIPOC families and tourists we enountered on our trip – making me wonder often where were all of the people of color.
Learn More
- Visit the Lagos Slave Market Museum
Antiracist Travel Considerations
Where to Eat in
the Algarve with Kids
The boardwalk at Praia dos Pescadores is lined with restaurants and shops. The El Rancho Steakhouse restaurant offered standard traveler meals like burgers and pasta, and a beautiful outdoor dining experience right off the beach.
The experience at the restaurant was far more memorable than the food – live music + ocean sounds + friendly staff.
Along the rocky shores of Albufeira we found an Italian pizza place with epic ocean and sunset views.
We ordered pizza and paella – two meals we knew our kids would love, and a bottle of champagne. The wait staff were kind but the service was slow.
Holi Diwali Indian Restaurant in Sagres offered a reprieve from Portuguese food and some delicious samosas for the kiddos.
We stopped here on our drive back to Albufeira from the lighthouse in Sagres, and filled our bellies with mango lassi, samosas, and all the nann we could eat.
Final Thoughts
The Algarve in winter offers something increasingly rare: genuinely reasonable prices, broad sandy beaches backed by ochre cliffs, and Portugal’s famously welcoming attitude toward children — all without the intensity of the summer crowds.
Our stay in Albufeira during the winter months was rainy and chilly, but still very beautiful. After seeing the beaches and coastline of Portugal, I have already started planning how we could return during a warmer month in the future. We had such a lovely time exploring the terrain of the Algarve, and were greeted by many kind tourists and locals.
While a band played at the El Rancho restaurant, a few fellow diners transformed the middle of the restaurant into a dance floor, compelling my preschooler to join them and dance. She turned to me and begged me to dance with her.
As we approached, I awkwardly waved to the older French couple dancing in the middle of the restaurant while the wait staff walked around them, and they happily invited us to join. The couple asked if it was okay to dance with my kids and began twirling them and throwing them up in the air to the beat of the music.
When the song was over, they thanked me, saying how lucky I was to be able to travel with my kids, and how they missed their kids when they were this age.
I love seeing others find joy in my kids, and this moment reminded me of why I travel with them. Family travel is not just to see cool places, but also to experience them and enjoy joyful moments of dancing like no one is watching in the middle of a small restaurant to the sound of waves crashing.
Have you been to Portugal? Did you bring your kids? Why or why not? Share in the comments below.
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