Lifestyle, food and drink, and our family life and travel adventures.
We have been to Portugal a couple of times now, and we are going again really soon (or we might be there right now as you are reading this!) and we really love it for a family holiday, but it’s also great for a relaxing few nights away as a couple.
My sister got married in Portugal a few years ago and so that was the first time we visited there and we loved it and so did Ava. We spent two weeks near Armacao de Pera, and had such a special time away with some of our family and celebrating the bride and groom.
For our honeymoon that we went on with our daughter in 2015, we spent 12 days travelling around part of the beautiful country. I adored Porto and would love to go back one day without the child as soon as possible and explore it even further, and we also visited Lisbon and went back to the Algarve and stayed at the same hotel for a relaxing few days by the sea.
Before I had been to Portugal, I had always wanted to visit and I really wasn’t disappointed. It’s just got so much good stuff and is really good for a family holiday. So I thought I would share why it’s so great and what I particularly love about it.
I really enjoyed the food in Portugal – you can get Piri Piri Chicken everywhere and it’s what they are well-known for. I love it and can’t wait to have it lots whilst we’re away – I think we’re going to make it ourselves on the barbeque whilst we’re away, which I’m rather excited about! They are also famous for their seafood and especially ‘bacalhau‘ which is cod – the type of fish most consumed in Portugal.
I really want to try a Francesinha once whilst we’re in Portugal – it is one of those things that sounds so incredibly disgusting but it is so popular that it must be good! Francesinha is a sandwich, with steak, ham, sausage and chorizo, covered in melted Edam, possibly an egg, and gravy. Sounds bizarre, doesn’t it?! But I really want one now. This is a great list of foods you should try if you’re in Portugal: 20 mouth-watering Portuguese dishes you absolutely need to try.
The beaches in Portugal are just so beautiful, with crystal clear waters and soft sandy beaches. I love the ones around the Algarve, but the cities have really great ones too. I love that you can visit Porto or Lisbon for a few nights and enjoy the bustling city, but also escape to the beach for a day too. This guide to Lisbon’s best beaches from One Tiny Leap is brill.
I loved spending time in both Porto and Lisbon, but Porto, in particular, stole my heart and I didn’t want to leave. It’s such a beautiful city, with winding streets and a stunning and colourful area down by the river, as well as green areas and ancient book shops to visit. The trams are so pretty and fun for kids to travel on, and there’s lots of other stuff to do with kids too. The same in Lisbon, such as the Lisbon Aquarium (Oceanário), museums and parks.
Portugal has the highest number of hours of sunshine in Europe and lovely, mild winters when it’s still great to visit. Summers are hot but with a breeze from the Atlantic which is exactly what I want when I am on holiday. It tends to be slightly warmer in the Algarve and other more southern areas.
This visit will be our third to the Algarve as a family and we can’t wait to go back. Spring is a perfect time to visit with lovely warm temperatures and at a time when it hasn’t quite reached the busyness of the summer months. It’s great for families with lots to do and see, as well as the welcoming local people who are great with kids, so you can feel comfortable and fit right in.
The beaches in the Algarve are stunning; surrounded by lush greenery and rugged backdrops with beautiful blue-green waters perfect for paddling and playing in with little ones.
If you are looking for a holiday to the Algarve then definitely check out Clickstay for a villa perfect for your family – we are staying in a villa in Olhos de Água just like this one and I absolutely can’t wait – the kids are going to have the best time playing in the pool together in the sunshine. Clickstay have over 15,000 holiday homes in over 50 countries, including luxury villas with private pools, ski chalets, chic city apartments and countryside chateaus.
Portugal is easy to reach, with fairly cheap flights and only being around three hours away from us. The cities are quick and easy to get to for a weekend away and the three main airports (Faro, Lisbon, and Porto) are close to most places you’ll want to go.
I love Portugal so much and I think it’s the perfect choice for a family holiday – not too far to travel for us in the UK and a beautiful and interesting country to visit. Have a look at Mandi from Big Family Little Adventures’ post with her tips for picking family-friendly holidays.
Have you ever been to Portugal? Would you like to go?
This is a collaborative post.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
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I’ve never ever been but it’s one of those places that we keep saying we’ll go to. Love your list and that meat fest sandwich sounds amazing!