Our Family Trip to Portugal: Where We Stayed, Ate, & Explored
The Algarve: What We Did
One of the highlights of our time in the Algarve was a boat tour along the coast that took us into several sea caves including the famous Benagil Cave. If you’ve ever seen photos of the Algarve coastline, chances are you’ve seen this cave – it’s the iconic one with the huge circular opening in the ceiling where sunlight pours in from above. Gorgeous!
The coastline itself is stunning, with dramatic cliffs, hidden beaches, arches, and caves around nearly every corner.
Jeff had reserved the boat tour for us in advance, which I’d definitely recommend doing, especially during busier times of year. Surprisingly, the cost was really reasonable to book it as a private tour for just the four of us, although I imagine that changes during peak tourist season.
We also spent time exploring Lagos Old Town, which is absolutely worth visiting. It’s a charming, walkable area filled with cobblestone streets, whitewashed buildings, outdoor cafes, and little shops tucked around every corner. It has a very laid-back feel and is the perfect place to wander without much of a plan.
The shopping there was especially good if you love unique, locally made pieces. I ended up bringing home some beautiful handmade Portuguese dishware that I’m excited to use in our new home someday:
Another must-see spot is Ponta da Piedade, which is known for its dramatic rock formations and cliffside views. It’s also the starting point for one of several gorgeous coastal cliff walks in the Algarve. The views there are breathtaking!
We had originally planned to do the full walk, but the day we went ended up being super windy with rain moving in, so we stuck to visiting the overlooks instead.
And of course, there was also plenty of time for a little R & R while soaking in the scenery around the resort. Jeff squeezed in some golf (they have a fun little pitch and putt course that’s free to play):
And the resort also has mini golf, tennis, paddle courts, and several other activities if you want more to do beyond beach hopping and sightseeing.
