Portugal Roadtrip: Lagos & The Western Algarve

Short HaulPortugal

27 Jan

The chances are that if you picture where to holiday in Portugal, it will be the Algarve. It’s the southern coastline of Portugal famed for it’s sandy beaches, towns and sunshine. I remember going as a child, the classic flip and flop beach kind of holiday. There are thousands of villa complexes and apartments for rent, tonnes of famous golf courses, it’s very touristy - which can be a good and a bad thing. Touristy places are normally easy for travel with kids. But not so if you’re trying to find the more authentic version of a place. When booking our trip, we knew we wanted to see some of the famous cliffs and water that the Algarve is known for, and cheap custard tarts and fried sardines! But also didn’t want the Brits abroad kind of vibe. We also quickly discovered just how huge the Algarve region is, we decided to split our stay between the Western and Eastern parts to minimise driving to all of the places we wanted to visit. I’m really glad we did visit both parts as they had really different landscapes and vibes.

This is Part 4 of our Portuguese road trip from last Easter {we started in Porto then went to Lisbon and then Comporta}. Here’s a blog about the Western Algarve part:

Best Areas to Stay

Different parts of the Algarve suit different travel styles:

Lagos is a great all-round base, with beautiful beaches, a charming old town, and easy boat trips to the caves. We decided to base ourselves here as we found accommodation which was walkable to both a charming town and beaches. We stayed in the apartment below which had a pool and splash park, and was a great location right next to the cliff paths. I would say though that in April trying to find accommodation with a heated pool is a challenge {We didn’t have one in the end and also had pretty bad weather during our trip, the whole Spring had been such a wash out compared to ‘regular’ years}.
Carvoeiro feels smaller and more relaxed, with walkable beaches and calm coves.
Vilamoura works well for families who want resorts, a marina, and lots of facilities.
if you’re looking for family friendly hotels I’ve only heard great things about @martinhal round at Sagres which offers a mix of hotel accommodation and villas on site and for making everything with kids that bit easier, although it gets v booked up as we looked to stay and it was full for the Easter Holidays and Pine Cliffs, a luxury resort set above a beach and known as one of the best resorts in Europe for families.

We stayed in THIS airbnb apartment in Lagos which I’m not 100% sure if I’d recommend. The pluses were that it was quiet, had a sunny balcony and was pretty good value compared to big villas for a short stay, we could cook in, the pool area was nice {although as above, not heated but our kids still liked the splash area one afternoon}, the location for walking everywhere and being right on top of the best Algarve beaches with amazing views - just look at that photo below. But it was in a large unattractive block on a complex, the walk from the car to the apartment was tough with kids/shopping etc as it was so high up and like a maze to find through so many different corridors and doors. We didn’t go on this trip for incredible accommodation or for family resorts, it was very much for a base to explore. We just had 3 nights. If we were spending all of our trip on the Algarve then I’d have definitely gone for a family villa or resort.

Swimming Pool overlooking beach, Apartment, Algarve with Kids

Here’s everything that we enjoyed:

~ the Algarve boardwalks which run on top of the cliffs or the whole length behind the beaches are amazing. Most are buggy friendly. We loved Carvoeiro + Meia Pria + heard good things about the Alvor boardwalks.

~ Lagos is a nice tiled town to wander with some fab brunch spots. There’s a carousel, a market by the water + a marina across the bridge which leads to Meia Pria beach which is HUGE & flat with sand dunes behind. To us, this felt almost Californian or Australian in vibes for all of the amazing brunch spots and coffee shop kind of culture. This is a cute main square with coloured buildings, a Jacaranda tree and live music and don’t miss YOUTH, my favourite Portuguese jewellery shop that we discovered in Cascais and had a branch here also.

- Lagos had a small science museum that I’d bookmarked in case of a rainy day but we didn’t end up visiting in the end.

~ the beaches & cliffs from Dona Ana up to Ponta da Piedade are incredible. We loved Praia do Camilo {with the huge staircase} the most + it has a little tunnel cut in the cliffs to go to a beach next door. Not buggy friendly down the steps to this beach though, and it does get crowded. I couldn’t get over the colour of the water below. We were there in early April but by pea summer it will be even more spectacular.

- There are lots of boat trips and kayaking trips that run to the famous caves at Ponta de Piedade to see the coastline from a different angle.

~ Dona Ana had amazing water + not as many steps to get to but a lot of seaweed during our visit - although it had been stormy before we arrived.

~ the boardwalk from restaurante Camilo is buggy friendly if you want a walk with seriously impressive views

~ Marinha beach constantly tops lists for one of the best, we didn’t have the best weather or we’d have gone!

- We spotted this playground which was about to open on a stroll around Carvoeiro.

- Old town Ferragudo, a traditional white washed charming fishing village with colourful bougainvillea lined streets, sandy beaches & a harbour looking across to Portimao was a lovely way to spend a morning. There are some great fish restaurants around here too.

- Porches Pottery is a famous shop/garden/cafe where you can watch the traditional pottery being painted. The gardens are beautiful & I wanted to bring a plate home but got too scared it would smash in transit!

~ just be aware that the sea is cold, it’s the Atlantic so even in the summer it doesn’t warm up much + the beaches aren’t the safest to swim compared to the Med for example.

- The Saturday market at Loule, famed for it’s baskets, is meant to be amazing! It didn’t work out for us though sadly.

- If you’re looking for more thrill seeking attractions then there are a couple of waterparks advertised everywhere, Slide & Splash and Aqualand and Zoomarine in Albuferia.

- We easily filled our days with visiting different beaches and little towns!

These are some food spots that were recommended and I bookmarked:

A fish restaurant by the harbour, Twin Fin for breakfast/brunch, Pom Pom bagels, Padaria Central Bakery , Abigail’s Cafe, Black and White coffee shop, Beats & Burritos

Getting Around

Having a car makes exploring much easier, especially with children, as beaches and towns are spread out. That said, if you choose one base and stay local, taxis and short drives can work.