Family holidays to Portugal couldn’t be easier to plan. Start with our guide to find out everything you need to know from how to do a family road trip in Portugal to the best beaches in the Algarve.
Portugal ticks every box for family holidays, even scoring high for easy long weekends and city breaks with kids in the middle of winter.
Naturally the glorious Algarve earns the top spot for summer holidays in Portugal, but don’t ignore Lisbon in July and August, because you’ll find spectacular Atlantic beaches close to the historic Portuguese capital too. And the south west coast of Portugal is under an hour’s drive from the centre of Lisbon for the likes of UNESCO World Heritage Sintra as well as beachy Cascais.
Porto might be Portugal’s second city, but many families would claim it as their favourite, and again, it’s not far from the coast so you can mix up beach time with exploring medieval Ribeira, arty Cedofeita and city’s lively riverfront districts.
Of course, golf is big in Portugal, particularly in the Algarve where golfers will be delighted to find that many of the resorts with spectacular courses are also very family friendly.
Surfing is another sport that Portugal has made its own, not least of all because it holds the world record for the highest wave surfed, taken by Sebastian Steudtner at Nazaré in February 2020. The good news is that waves are wonderful but not quite as boisterous in summer and Algarve surf schools are some of the best in Europe, so it’s perfect to get kids popping up for the first time.
Although Portugal isn’t all about the coast. The beautiful Alto Douro wine region is another UNESCO World Heritage site and a lovely area for family road trips, or holidays plain and simple, especially in autumn.
And speaking of road trips, the size of Portugal makes it one of the best places in Europe for family road trips. A firm favourite with the Family Traveller team is the route from Porto in the north right down to the southerly Algarve, taking in elegant Coimbra, as well as Lisbon and landing in Lagos in just seven days. Hiring a car in Porto for a one way trip and flying back to the UK from Faro is the way to this journey at a leisurely pace with plenty of non-driving time for car averse kids.
Direct, low-cost, flights are available year round from many UK airports to Faro in the Algarve, as well as to Lisbon and Porto.
Portugal is hot and sunny in summer, and the Algarve often enjoys average temperatures of 25˚C until late October.
Portugal has 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Alto Douro Wine Region and the Côa Valley prehistoric rock art.
Portugal has over 90 golf courses, the most famous are in the Algarve which is also known for its beachy and family-friendly golf resorts.
With 850km of coastline, Portugal has some of the world’s loveliest beaches from Praia da Falésia in the Algarve to Senhor da Pedra in the north.
Navaré in south west Portugal holds the world record for the highest wave ever surfed, and some of Europe’s best surf schools are in the Algarve.
Compact Portugal is great for family road trips. The route from Porto to the Algarve is a classic, can be easily done in seven days, even with kids in the car.
Direct UK flights to Porto and Lisbon take from 2 hours, 20 minutes year round so both are ideal for easy city breaks or even a long weekend with kids.
Portugal isn’t a big country – you can be in Lisbon from Lagos in under two hours – but driving is still the best way to get around on a family holiday. There are good rail services across most regions too and a direct train connects Faro Airport to the rest of the Algarve coast.