Portugal's sunshine coast has sand, sea and sensible prices for all budgets | The Sun

For days filled with sun, adventure and beautiful beaches, Portugal’s southern coast is the one.

A range of prices means you can enjoy the sun-soaked holiday you’ve been dreaming of, whatever your budget.

PINE CLIFFS LUXURY COLLECTION RESORT, ALBUFEIRA

Writer Lucy Quick, husband Andy and children Nina, five, and Olive, two, find going luxe means a proper break for all.

THE PAD: It’s easy to see why this beachside resort is one of the Algarve’s most popular for families.

Just half an hour’s drive from Faro airport, it’s a haven of eight pools, a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts and loads of activities, including one of Europe’s biggest kids’ clubs.

There’s a wide range of room types, and our Ocean Suite was massive, giving the whole family space to spread out, plus it even had its own kitchen.

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Breakfast is a suitably huge affair, but it’s the staff who make it truly special. Children are treated like royalty – even receiving a welcome gift. 

EXPLORE: The resort is like an entire town, with Mediterranean-style white buildings, fountains and pine trees swaying in the jasmine-scented breeze.

There’s an on-site spa, hairdresser, cooking school, shops and grounds to chill in.

Sun-seeker? A glass lift transports you down fiery orange cliffs to a boardwalk leading to an idyllic, child-friendly beach.

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Pick up some complimentary beach towels and spend the day collecting shells, building sandcastles and watching the surfers tackle the waves.

REFUEL: When you’re hungry enough to eat again after your epic breakfast, you’ll be spoilt for choice with 12 restaurants and bars to choose from.

Grab a table in the sun-dappled piazza and enjoy lunch at Corda Cafe, where international dishes are on the menu, such as pizzas, £11, and delicious salmon poke, £17.

For dinner, our top recommendation is Piri Piri Steakhouse, named after that most popular of Portuguese dishes.

The staff ensured our kids’ meals were served super-quickly, leaving them to enjoy some screen time while we tucked into plates of tasty barbecued chicken, chips and salad, £18.50, in peace. 

DON’T MISS: Possibly the world’s best gelato is served out of cute, two-wheeled carts in the resort’s grounds, £2.50 a scoop. We rate the chocolate!

BOOK IT: Double rooms cost from £184 per night, including breakfast (Pinecliffs.com).




HOTEL VIDAMAR, GUIA

Deputy Editor Ellie O’Mahoney, husband Mark, and kids Elliott, eight, and Molly, five, lap up caves, castles and cake.

THE PAD: Five pools, a beach just two minutes away and a kids’ club – VidaMar is the resort I spent the whole pandemic dreaming about.


Breakfasts are plentiful and there are a huge range of options for lunch and dinner, such as the fresh fish hot plate, where you watch the local catch being fried for you. 

At the spa, an indulgent Moments For Two couples’ massage, £171, was bliss. Plus, kids’ club and nursery services are free while you enjoy your treatment.

Mark and I didn’t exactly rush to get back, sneaking in a couple of piña coladas, £7.70 each, at the Sunset Bar.

EXPLORE: We took a catamaran from the nearby marina of Albufeira to see the Benagil Caves, which have an enormous hole at the top through which you can see stunning blue Portuguese sky. The two-hour trip costs £25 for adults, £17 for kids (Algarexperience.com).

A day visit to the red sandstone castle atop a hill at Silves is also a must. It was built by the Moors, who held the Algarve until the 13th century, and our kids loved retracing the patrol route and pretending to spot the enemy. Entry is £2.40 for adults, under-13s go free.

REFUEL: After exploring the winding streets of Lagos and admiring yachts in the marina, we had lunch at Don Sebastião, which has been a local institution since 1979 (Restaurantedonsebastiao.com).

The staff made us feel as if we were long-lost family as we feasted on sea bass, £15, so fresh it tasted as if it had just leapt out of the water. And we couldn’t leave without a peek inside the massive port cellar.

For a treat on our final night, we headed to Restaurante O Patio on Carvoeiro beach, for rib-eye steak, £21.50, incredible barbecued chicken for the kids, £7.30, and chocolate cake, £5 (Opatiocarvoeiro.com). A deliciosa end to a great trip.

DON’T MISS: Take a boat across Ria Formosa lagoon to spot flamingos, heron and even whales, from £49 a person, based on eight people (Iseacharter.com). 

BOOK IT: Double rooms cost from £99 per night, including breakfast (Algarve.vidamarresorts.com). Book car hire ahead from Faro Airport for the best prices with Avis (Avis.co.uk).


VILLA ASTRO, GALE

Portugal’s sunshine capital is also toddler paradise, says Acting Lifestyle Editor Emma Ledger, boyfriend Alex and two-year-old Annie.

THE PAD: When one of your travelling companions is a toddler who demands 3pm bowls of plain pasta, a villa with a kitchen is a must.


On a quiet street 10 minutes’ walk from the beach, the spacious three-bedroom Villa Astro also has a fenced-off pool, travel cots, high-chairs, super-comfy beds, a BBQ and alfresco eating area.

Bonus points for the black-out shutters, which meant everyone got a good sleep, and an outdoor shower for washing sandy feet.  

EXPLORE: You can walk to cafes, restaurants and Apolonia supermarket, which makes Waitrose look like a cornershop.

One of the nearest beaches, Praia de São Rafael, has wide golden sand with a spectacular rocky backdrop, and the free parking and lifeguard will leave you wondering what the catch is.

Annie adored splashing in the calm waters and scrambling on rocks.

For a break from the sand, nearby Slide & Splash water park is loads of fun. Entry costs £23 for adults, £16 for under-11s and under-fours go free (Slidesplash.com).

REFUEL: São Rafael has everything from cocktails to pastel de nata – the famous Portuguese custard tarts, £1.20 each – and bigger bites, like chicken wings, £7.50 (Restaurantesaorafael.pt).

For a true gastronomic delight, it’s a 12-minute walk through the hotel’s cliffside gardens to Vila Joya, a whitewashed shack so close to the ocean you can almost dip a toe in.

We sat around the open kitchen to watch our anchovies on toast, £14, and octopus bruschetta, £21, be lovingly prepared. Book in advance (Vilajoya.com/restaurant).

DON’T MISS: Watching the sun sink behind the Atlantic, sipping wine on one of the cosy benches outside Vila Joya, is bliss.

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BOOK IT: Seven nights at Villa Astro costs from £729 (Jamesvillas.co.uk). Car hire with Sixt from Faro Airport costs from £61 per day (Sixt.co.uk).

FYI: EasyJet flies from the UK to Faro seven days a week, from £26.99 one-way (Easyjet.com)

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