Are you planning a family holiday to Portugal’s stunning Algarve coast and wondering if Albufera should be on your itinerary? You’re in the right place; this guide will tell you all about visiting Albufeira with kids. Including the best things to do and our family-friendly hotel recommendation.
We took a road trip through the Algarve, Portugal, and Albuferia was our third stop. We had an amazing time in Albufeira as a family and found some great things to do there; however, we preferred Montenegro for an April road trip. I’d recommend saving the Algarve for peak season, as in the summer months, when you can enjoy the beaches more!
ALBUFEIRA WITH KIDS QUICK PLANNING
Best Time of Year to Visit:
Summer for beach weather or
May, June or September for warm weather with fewer crowds.
Ideal Trip Length:
2-4 days in Albufeira is perfect, you can spend 1-2 weeks in the Algarve as part of a road trip.
Ideal Algarve itinerary linked here.
Getting Around the Algarve:
We rented a car to explore the Algarve properly. Compare rental car prices here or book a transfer from Faro Airport to Albufeira.
Our Hotel Recommendation:
Eden Villas and Apartments
(full Eden Resort review here.)
Top Things to Do:
Enjoy the beach
Wander Old Town Albufeira
Activities to Book:
Benagil Caves & Dolphin Watching
MiniGolf Adventure Park
Go-Kart Experience
Other Areas to Explore:
Faro | Tavira | Vilamoura
(all our guides are linked – click to read!)
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The Best Time to Visit Albufeira & The Algarve
As I mentioned earlier, I feel that Albufeira (and Vilamora) are best as a summer holiday destination, when you’ll be able to enjoy the Algarve’s beautiful beaches.
The beaches are one of the main things to do in the Algarve. For us, visiting in April, the weather was pleasant and warm but not hot. We braved the beach for a while, but with the wind, we couldn’t stay too long. Luckily, we found some other activities to enjoy as well!
ALUBEFEIRA ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES:
Albufeira: 2.5-Hour Benagil Caves & Dolphin Watching
Things to do in Albufeira, Portugal with Kids
Below, I’ll share all the best things to do in Ablufeira, plus tips on enjoying them with kids!
Enjoy the Beaches
The Algarve region of Portugal is known for having some of the most beautiful beaches. I mentioned we didnt have beach weather, but depending on the time of the year, this is an Albufeira activity kids will love. As Albufeira stretches across the Algarve coastline, it has plenty of beaches on offer.
The beach called Praia dos Pescadores is the one closest to the city centre / Old Town Albufeira. This looked like a lovely family-friendly beach. It was also located in a cliffside cove accessed by steps or the Elevador do Peneco, making it more sheltered from the wind than other beaches.
If you want more information on the best beaches in Albufeira, I’d recommend reading this article on the Algarve Tourist website. It has lots of information and a handy map.
Elevador do Peneco (Elevator to the Beach) | Praia dos Pescadores Beach
Other Things to do in Old Town Albufeira
While the best things to do in Old Town Albuferia are probably the beaches, it’s still worth visiting here. I was excited to take a trip to explore Old Town Albufeira (also called Albufeira city centre). Our resort offered a free shuttle there, so we decided to use it.
I’d read that the Old Town was filled with sweet cobbled streets and beautiful boutique stores. While the streets are cobbled, I wouldn’t call the stores boutique. They mainly sold touristy souvenirs and cheap ‘tat’ or junk that kids will certainly want and probably break within 5 minutes. We found Old Town Albufeira to be very touristy, which, for me, makes it lose some of its charm.
Cobbled Streets and Shops in Old Town Albufera
There are plenty of places to eat in Albufeira’s Old Town, mostly aimed at tourists. If you’re visiting Albufeira with kids who are picky eaters, they will like it here! My 5-year-old was delighted to get fish and chips like in a British pub! Food prices here were generally much lower than in Vilamoura (which is another popular destination in the Algarve; read our guide on Vilamoura with kids here). There were also lots of deals and happy hours that went on all day (not complaining!) Cocktails for €6, yes please!
We ate at a restaurant called Bravo, and the food was surprisingly good. We could see the tables at the restaurant next door, and it didn’t look great!
Enjoying Happy Hour drinks at an outdoor cafe & Food at Bravo Restaurant
Enjoy Albufeira’s Family Hotels and Resorts
When I was browsing for where to stay in Albufeira, there were so many family-friendly resort options. We chose Eden Vilas and Apartments, and I’m so pleased we did; it was a place the whole family could enjoy!
Usually, being a city lover, I would book somewhere in the main town, but I knew my kids would really love the pool and other facilities at the Eden Resort (which they did!) We spent 4 days in Albufeira, you can explore most of the city centre in an afternoon, so unless you’re heading to the beach, there’s not that much to do there. Having the pool and other family entertainment here really made the trip.
It has an indoor and outdoor pool. As well as a kids’ pool, with fun slides and a splash pad that is perfect for younger kids. There is also a small playground and lots of kid-focused entertainment on offer. It’s also close to the town (via a free shuttle), so you can get the best of relaxing at the resort and exploring the town. I would highly recommend the Eden Resort (read our full hotel review here) if you’re coming to Albufeira with kids.
CHECK AVAILABILITY: THE EDEN VILLA & APARTMENTS RESORT
The Eden Resort: Adult Pool, Circus Entertainment tent for kids and the Kids Pool with slides
Other Top Albufeira Activities for Kids
There are more family-friendly activities in Albufeira that we considered but didnt end up doing. I’ll list them here and let you decide!
- ZOOMARINE ALBUFEIRA – an amusement park aquarium with water slides and dolphin shows.
- PLAY CRAZY GOLF – great for older kids!
- TAKE A BOAT TOUR TO THE BENAGIL CAVES – there are lots of boat tours available, including dolphin watching. We did a similar experience in Kotor, Montenegro and loved it!
- LAGOA SLIDE AND SPLASH WATER PARK – known as being the best water park in the Algarve, and is located about a 30-minute drive from Albufeira town centre. As we have younger children, they were very happy at the hotel’s kids’ pool, so we didnt feel the need to go there.
- GO KARTING – children aged 6 and above can enjoy this fun Go Karting experience.
Your Map of Albufeira with Kids
Below is our Google Map of all the places I’ve mentioned in this post. Just click the top right-hand corner to open it in Google.
FAQ’s About Albufeira with Kids
Yes, overall, Albufeira is a great destination for families and children. The beaches are very family-friendly, and there are plenty of child-focused activities for them to enjoy.
They have very different vibes. Villamoura is more upmarket, but unless you like golf, there is not much there. Albufeira has a bit more atmosphere and, in my opinion, is better for families.
Thank you for reading our guide to visiting Albufeira with kids. I hope we’ve helped you to plan your trip to the Algarve and you have an amazing family vacation in Portugal!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
We have guides on other places in the Algarve, Portugal:
– FARO – TAVIRA – VILAMORUA –
OUR FULL REVIEW OF THE EDEN RESORT AND SPA HOTEL
OUR FAMILY-FRIENDLY ONE-WEEK IN THE ALGARVE, PORTUGAL ITINERARY
Happy Exploring,
A London mum sharing stylish, family-friendly travel guides.
I In our travel guides, I show you that you can still travel as a family and create beautiful memories, even when trips aren’t full of kid-centric activities.
When I’m not planning our next adventure, I also share timeless style inspiration and ideas for living more thoughtfully and sustainably.