Algarve
Spring break in southern Portugal, before high season arrives.
Seven years after the Covid-19 pandemic canceled our trip, we landed in Portugal. This time, rather than traveling alone with my spouse, also coming along were my mother and two kids. That changed the itinerary slightly.
I’d heard about the crowds. The reddit threads telling you to stay away from Portugal during the summer—that the sheer amount of people flocking to the area made it unbearable. So when planning our spring break, the biggest question we had was, “Will it be warm enough to get in the water?”
I know, not what most people would consider a make or break question, but when you’re coming out of a record-setting cold winter and traveling with kids, the promise of warmth is enough to convince you into most things. From everything I read, April seemed to be a great time to visit the Algarve. Sunny days, fewer crowds, and a little bit of a break on pricing right before high season rates take effect (which for us, was only one week later).
Redeeming points was a large part of our planning process. Because of the size of our group, we needed at least two rooms. My mom had Marriott Bonvoy points and after scouring the hotel chain’s regional options, we decided to splurge on the first night in nearby Sintra at the Penha Longha Resort for one night before booking five nights in the Algarve. The great part of booking an extended stay with Bonvoy points is that you can stay four nights and get the fifth free.
I would 10/10 recommend the Penha Longha Resort. The grounds are immaculate, golf is a Robert Trent Jones Jr. course, there are hiking trails and historic ruins on property, and I’m still thinking about their breakfast buffet.
Before we go further in the trip, I should mention the experience we had when landing in Lisbon. We took a direct red-eye flight from Washington Dulles. After getting sick on the flight (no need to go into details on that, but trust me, it wasn’t good), and not sleeping at all, we unloaded and followed the directions to family immigration. Anyone traveling with children under 16 had to go in a specific line. Well, this line ended up taking us over two hours to get through. It was brutal—no way around it.
Back to Sintra. On day two, we traveled to the Pena Palace. We were warned about parking (there is none), so we took an Uber from the hotel. Tickets inside were sold out, so we bought grounds tickets and shortly after saw that the walk up was pretty much straight uphill. That was fine for us and the kids, but challenging for my mom. I’m going to say this with a caveat, so if you’re a museum person please feel free to ignore: while the Palace was beautiful, I would skip it. I’d much rather have explored the town of Sintra or Caiscais than travel to Pena Palace.
Our next stop was Pine Cliffs in Albufeira. When we checked in we learned that this is one of the largest hotels in Europe—not on my radar before. We chose it because we were able to redeem points quite fairly for a three-bedroom studio on the grounds. That gave the five of us plenty of room to settle for our stay, which tends to be an issue when traveling in Europe. It’s rare to find a king bed and impossible to get five people in a room together.
Pine Cliffs had what we needed. Of course it did at that size. Eight pools, mini golf, an adventure course, and even a football (soccer) academy. My soccer-loving kid wanted to enroll in a day of the academy, but we were one of the few who didn’t bring our gear with us. Though we tried to find cleats nearby, our search was unsuccessful. I had to laugh when I asked another mom if she brought her son’s cleats and she responded, “Cleats? What is that?” I was corrected by my son, “Boots, mom.”
The setting near the beach was breathtaking. The cliffs dropped straight into the ocean. As I’ve said: my favorite locations in the world are rocky cliffs oceanside. The temperatures didn’t crest 75 degrees, but the warmth of the sun made each day feel like a pleasant summer afternoon. Not so hot or humid that you’re seeking shade, but plenty warm to be in a swimsuit.
The one side trip I had planned was a family photoshoot in the wild west coast of the Algarve, at Praia da Cordoama. The photographer I hired, Carrie Oh Photography, recommended the location with its wide beach and impressive views along the coastline. Were the kids thrilled about getting back in the car? No. But the drive and time spent there was absolutely worth it. We’d never have seen the slice of paradise if we stayed in the tourist area of the Algarve. There were paragliders jumping from the cliffs above, fishermen casting their lines at sunset, and a backdrop that seemed other-worldly. Many of the photos on this site were taken there.
On the drive back to Albufeira, we needed dinner so we turned on navigation and looked for any restaurants lining A22. After one dead end, we exited the highway, drove up a narrow one-way and stopped outside of Goodfellas in Budens. This was a small restaurant, with fewer than ten tables, and perhaps my favorite dinner of the whole trip. Every table had a view of the kitchen. They offered wine by the half liter, and made the most delicious pizzas. What a good reminder that most things we remember didn’t come from a pre-planned itinerary.
Another coastal town we visited was Ferragudo, a traditional fishing village. We drove with the intention of finding dinner when we arrived. That’s where Bordo de Cais came in. Our table had a water view, we picked our fish by hand, and enjoyed a quiet early dinner off the cobblestone streets.
Eight nights in-country left two for exploring Lisbon. It was Easter weekend, so hotels were quite packed. Unfortunately the hotel we checked into was dreadful. I’ve stayed at many places in many conditions, but at the rate we were paying, the mildew and condition of the rooms (separated by four floors) forced us to leave and rebook at the nearby Sheraton. Huge improvement.
Lisbon felt safe and completely walkable. Our first night we dined at Stella, a healthy Mediterranean restaurant within walking distance of the hotel. It might have been my daughter’s favorite meal of the week.
For our full day in Lisbon, we kind of winged it. We rode the metro to the Rossio station, where we began our 20,000 steps. There were many independent shops and some tourist-heavy attractions (I have now been to a Brandy Melville store in three countries—trust, I do not say this to brag). While we didn’t begin to see all Lisbon has to offer, we adopted the local pace of life. Walk a bit, stop in for a coffee and pastel de nata. Turn down a street and realize you’re looking at a straight uphill climb. There was always another turn, but after a few hours it was clear we could end on a high note or push through just because there was more.
Updated September 2026
My Top Five Tips
BOOK A CAR
Explore little towns along the coast. If you’re headed to the Algarve from Lisbon, you can slow roll your way down the coast or take the highway. The highway is in great condition and their rest stops put America’s to shame—there were chefs and full cafes inside where people ordered freshly cooked meals. My one regret is not having the time to stop in Comporta, an upscale bohemian retreat only ninety minutes south of Lisbon.
GET OFF THE RESORT
Eat at a restaurant that doesn’t show up when you Google “best restaurants.” These stops were the ones that stood out the most. Maybe because they felt the most authentic. Maybe because there were no crowds. Probably both, sprinkled in with the thrill of finding a hidden gem. Resorts have their place and I will absolutely advocate for them when you’re traveling with kids. A few towns in Western Algarve that we missed and I would have loved to see include: Benagil and its cave and Sagres.
GIVE YOURSELF NOTHING DAYS
Whenever I return home needing a vacation from a vacation it’s because I didn’t plan nothing days while I was away. There’s always going to be more to see, but giving yourself a day to putter, take a nap, and settle in is the best thing you can do when you’re fighting jet lag. Though we had a five-night consecutive stay, we could have used more than one day completely dedicated to the beach.
TAKE A BOAT RIDE
One of my regrets is not finding a boat trip during our stay. It seems like a no-brainer to get on a boat when you’re at the southern tip of Europe, even if just for a morning. Most hotels can arrange this for you, and if your group allows for it, you can charter one just for your party.
PREPARE FOR LISBON AIRPORT
I hope it’s gotten better. I hope the EU travel changes have finally been absorbed by this airport. But I’ve got to tell you: this was the worst airport experience we’ve ever had. There’s not a lot you can do on the arrivals end, but hear me when I say you need to arrive at least three hours early for your departing flight if you’re leaving the EU. Just when you get through a security checkpoint and enter an area of the airport with duty free and restaurants, don’t set your bags down because you’re soon to find out there’s a longer, snaking line between you and the gates.
