Family holiday to Portugal

We decided to go to Portugal this year after spending a fantastic two weeks there in 2006. We went with our baby daughter who had just turned one and some close friends. Apart from the fact that we absolutely loved Portugal last time we were there, one of the reasons we chose Portugal again was the advantage of short flying times from the UK – it takes under 3 hours to get there. This was great for us, as we were travelling with a baby. Portugal is also extremely family friendly. We visited the Algarve and stayed in Albufeira.

Albufeira is one of the Algarve’s busiest resorts. It was once a sleepy fishing village, but is now one of the most popular resorts in the Algarve, with well equipped beaches and a huge choice of restaurants and bars. The main beach is called Fishermans Beach, probably the most photographed stretch of coastline in the whole of the Algarve. If you visit the beach early you can still see the local fisherman pulling up in their boats. The old town still retains its character and charm. I loved exploring its narrow cobbled streets. There are also some great restaurants, with fresh seafood being the dish of the day.

We stayed very near to the old town, in Montechoro. The main nightlife and restaurants are all situated along the 'strip' which runs from the top of Montechoro hill to the beautiful Praia Da Oura (Golden Beach). We found it extremely easy to get around in the Algarve. We hired a car from the airport. If you do not want to hire a car, then reasonably priced taxis are widely available. There is also a tourist train which runs from the strip to the old town and back.

There are some great excursions and days out to be had. One of my personal favourites is a boat cruise which took us from the old town in Albufeira to a secluded beach, which is only accessible by boat. Whilst on the beach we enjoyed a delicious BBQ, including grilled sardines - a local speciality not to be missed whilst in Portugal.

We also visited Zoomarine. Zoomarine is a enjoyable day out for all the family and it is only 15 minutes drive from Albufeira. My little girl loved watching the dolphin show and seeing all the other marine life.

We all had a fantastic time whilst in Portugal and look forward to visiting there again the future.