I can say with certainty that I’ve never upon landing in Italy, France or Spain been immediately escorted past the long, winding customs line and taken directly to the desk at the front simply because I was traveling with a 2-year-old in a stroller, but that’s exactly what happened recently in Portugal’s Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon on my way to the Algarve with my family.
During our entire week there, whether we were at the airport, waiting for a table at a restaurant or boarding a crowded ferry, Portugal - specifically the warm and friendly Portuguese people - rolled out the red carpet for families like ours with babies and toddlers in tow, making international travel with little ones just a bit easier. (Thank you, Casa Do Prego in Lagos for ushering us and our hungry kids to a table despite the 45-minute wait.)
This was my third trip to this magical and highly underrated country – the first was Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais and the second was the dreamy Azores islands – but this time we were headed to the Algarve, a 200 km stretch of coastline along the southern part of the country with more than 25 towns and too many small villages to count. Just off the heels of the hectic end of third grade for my son, I knew I wanted plenty of easy days with ample downtime and zero logistics to coordinate. But I also knew I didn’t want to miss out on all the area had to offer.
I knew we needed to find the perfect home base if my husband and I wanted to have an actual vacation, and Pestana Blue Alvor Beach in Portimão was just that for the friendly service, cleanliness and amenities, which are all proof of its five-star rating. This boho beach chic hotel was recently renovated, is all-inclusive and serves up delicious, authentic food, local wine and countless activities. There is actually so much to do on-site and around the property that you don’t have to leave, but it’s also conveniently centrally-located for easy exploration of many towns in the Algarve to the East and West like Lagos, Tavira and Ferragudo.
If, like us, you want to spend some time at the resort and some time on the road, I’ve broken it down into one well-balanced 'home and away' itinerary with just the right amount of adventure and just the right amount of effortless relaxation.
BEACH
Home: The location of Pestana Blue Alvor Beach is unmatched, situated just up the hill from one of the most stunning and accessible beaches in the area, Praia dos Três Irmãos. This beach, which we accessed in less than 5 minutes via a stroller-friendly paved path starting at the pool area of the hotel, translates to “Beach of Three Brothers.” It’s considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the Algarve for its stunning natural rock formations that my children spent hours climbing.
Everything you need for the perfect beach day is right there: loungers and umbrellas available to rent, as well as several incredible restaurants - O Candeeiro was our favorite for the chicken kabobs - serving up some of the freshest food and best, local wines in the area. We spent the day at Praia dos Três Irmãos on our last full day of vacation and wished we had discovered it sooner.
Away: Praia Grande in Ferragudo, only a 15-minute drive from the resort, is the ultimate beach for families. While it doesn’t have the picturesque landscape of Praia dos Três Irmãos, it does have a fenced-in playground in the sand with a slide, tire swing and plenty to climb on that will keep kids occupied for hours.
Club Nau, located within earshot on the same sandy stretch serves up mouth-watering sangria and Cataplana, a traditional Portuguese fish stew, so parents can easily relax, enjoy a meal and listen to music while the kids are off having their own fun.
DINING
Home: The breakfast buffet at Pestana Blue Alvor Beach’s Acqua Restaurant served up a wide variety of delicious options that kept the whole family happy, and we looked forward to our table with views of the sea every single morning. When my 9-year-old son came back empty-handed because the tray of Bolas de Berlim – traditional Portuguese sugar doughnuts - was empty, a friendly attendant found an entire tray in the back and delivered it to our table.
Quite possibly the best dinner we had during our week-long vacation was at Fuego, located inside the hotel. My husband and I shared the the Filete de Robolo, a sea bass filet stuffed with shrimp and Portuguese sausage in a sweet potato and ginger puree, and the Lombhino De Porco Iberico, a grilled Iberian Pork Loin with garlic shrimp and a coriander coulis – and they were cooked and seasoned to perfection.
Away: A Boneca Restaurante and Bar in nearby Carvoeiro, is nestled in the stunning rock formations of Algar Seco, and was only a short 20-minute drive from our hotel. Not only is the food excellent – the fish was the freshest we had all week – but the views are breathtaking.
There are quite a few steps down to the outdoor restaurant if you’re bringing small children along, but it’s worth it. The boardwalk above is stroller-friendly and makes for the perfect after-lunch or after-dinner stroll to take in the sweeping views. Don’t miss the small cave a few steps down from the restaurant where you can check out the sea through the Ojos de Boneca, or “doll’s eyes” in Portuguese - two oval cutouts in the rock wall, for which the restaurant was named.
KIDS ACTIVITIES
Home: Finding a resort when we travel that caters to both of my children – a toddler and a rising fourth-grader - can be challenging with such a large age gap between them. But Pestana Blue Alvor Beach offered both kiddos so much. From mini-golf to the fenced-in soccer – or as they call it in Portugal “football” - pitch to the complimentary, unlimited popsicles by the pool, they were happy little campers all week. My two-year-old daughter loved the resort’s mascot, a 6-foot-tall blue and white furry tiger named Pestaninha, who showed up during meals and on stage every evening at the Mini Disco – a nightly kids’ party with musical performances, dancing, snacks and more.
My son, on the other hand, loved the teen club, a lower-level wide open space with video games, air hockey, foosball, and arcade games. While he didn’t technically-qualify for the teen club, he was allowed to use the facilities as long as a parent was present. One place they both loved to spend time together was the children’s swimming pool, complete with a double slide, giraffes and a hippo spraying water, and an overhead bucket that gradually filled up and then dumped water every 5 minutes or so. I’ve seen splashpads like this at many resorts, but this particular one was situated in an actual baby pool 2-feet deep, keeping them cool in the hot Portugal sun but water-safe.
Away: I’m fairly certain the mini Jubilo Carrossel located in old town Lagos – approximately 30 minutes away by car – created core memories for both my son and daughter that they will never forget. They would not stop riding it, my daughter has still not stopped talking about it, and I understand why. The entire evening we spent wandering the town’s honeycomb streets, admiring street art, enjoying gelato and picking up trinkets was magical in every way – just like the various animal figures the kids selected to ride around and around in circles, giggling and laughing.
Another highlight was visiting the Castelo de Silves in the small town of Silves, approximately 30 minutes from our hotel by car. This castle, which dates back to the year 716 A.D., was fun to climb and run around, fueled their imaginations and offered a piece of rich history for all four of us to explore.
Lastly, the absolute best thing we did was book a two-hour boat cruise with Alvor Boat Trips to explore caves of the area, including the famous Benagil Cave with its signature opening overhead, in addition to two stops for jumping off the boat and swimming. The tour company picked us up in the lobby of the Pestana Blue Alvor Beach Hotel and drove us to the dock only a few minutes away, provided excellent info about the area throughout our ride and even took photos for us so mom could finally be in some. The day was unforgettable in every way and a huge highlight of our trip.
For more information and to book your stay, visit https://www.pestana.com/en/hotel/pestana-blue-alvor-beach
