Portugal Family Holidays & Breaks (2024)

With its almost perfect year-round climate, Portugal is a justifiably popular destination for family holidays. Located in south-western Europe, next to Spain, it’s one of the oldest countries in Europe and boasts some magnificent cultural sights. But it’s also a small country (around the same size as Scotland), which means it’s fairly easy to travel around, and the locals just love children.

The most popular region for family holidays, offering heaps of child-friendly accommodation and amenities, is the Algarve, famous for its long sandy beaches and seemingly constant sunshine. But if you’re after something more action-packed than a sunbathing and swimming holiday, the country has plenty of other things to offer: picturesque towns and fishing villages, rocky coves and marinas to explore, world-famous golf courses and aqua-parks, and lots more besides, much of it off the tourist track.

Enquiries

Let us tailor-make the perfect holiday for you.

Call us on 020 3633 0653

Enquire online

Explore Lisbon, one of Europe’s most laidback and family-friendly capitals, with a host of attractions for children.

Enjoy the very child-friendly attractions of the Algarve, from natural white-sand beaches to mountains, and from beautiful villages to nature reserves, oceanographic theme-parks and water-parks.

Check out the lesser-known Alentejo region, north of the Algarve and east of Lisbon.

Make a foray into Portugal’s Centro (Central) region, home to the BioParqueSan Pedro do Sul, where families can take part in treasure hunts, horse-drawn carriage tours, abseiling, climbing and traditional games. There are also ceramics, tile-painting and patchwork workshops.

Head north, to Porto and the Norte (North) region. Porto/Oporto, famous as the home of port dessert wine, has a UNESCO World Heritage listed historic centre, while north of it, between Vila do Conde and the mouth of the Rio Miño, you’ll find untouristy beaches and resorts and unspoilt villages. The landscape, studded by waterfall and vineyards, takes in several national/natural parks, including the Peneda-Gerês National Park with its hiking trails and small campsites. There are also two World Heritage sites: the Alto Douro wine region and – of more interest to families – the Côa Valley with remarkable open-air prehistoric rock carvings that can be visited by jeep tours led by specialist guides.

Experience the island of Madeira, which lacks sandy beaches but makes up for it with several exciting theme-parks that belie its reputation as an oldies’ destination.

© Jose Manuel

TheAlgarvetends to have good weather year-round. Those with pre-schoolers should consider going outside July and August, when it can get overrun by tourists. Even winter days in this region are pleasant, and golfers and other sports fans appreciate the Algarve's winter sun.

Any time from April to September is a good time to visit cities and beaches in other parts of the country, where temperatures average around 30°C. Winter is moderately cool, with the wet season running from November to March.

Capital cityLisbon

Flying time3hrs All flight times are based on flights from UK London airports, to the capital or nearest destination airport.

Carbon footprint1.39 CO₂ Estimated tonnes of CO2 produced for return flights for a family of four.

TimezoneGMT

CurrencyEuro

Weather Today

Offer of the week

Save up to £750* per family on selected beach breaks this April with TUI.

Find out more