Family holidays in Portugal are wonderful. The country is warm and welcoming, from the buzzing cities of Lisbon and Porto to the sunny beaches of the Algarve and the wonderful island retreat of Madeira. Portugal family holidays will give everyone a real break with great, child-friendly food and fun activities for toddlers, teenagers and everyone in between. The Family Expert team have taken family holidays to Portugal on numerous occasions and in every season. It’s one of our favourite countries. We believe that for family holidays Portugal is one of the best countries to take that first trip, or tenth trip, to. A Portugal family holiday will give you treasured memories to last a lifetime. With all of our experience we have rounded up the best holidays in Portugal for families. Browse through our list and feel inspired or use the index below to find the best family holiday Portugal style for you.
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Table of Contents
Your family holidays to Portugal checklist
- ✈️ Find great flights to Portugal with Opodo
- 🏥 – Get the travel insurance we use at CoverForYou
- 💳 Get a Currensea Card to easily pay for purchases when you’re in Portugal
- ℹ️ Why not hire a guide or book local excursions through the brilliant Get Your Guide.
- 📚 Get planning your trip with the Lonely Planet guide to Portugal.
- 🍝 Foods to try in Portugal – pastel de nata (amazing custard tarts) and delicious almond and orange cake.
- 🌍 Useful phrases – olá for hello, obrigada for thank you, adeus for goodbye.
Lisbon
Lisbon is wonderful city to explore with kids. There’s plenty to do here from visiting the amazing city aquarium, the Oceanário de Lisboa which is the largest in Europe through to visiting the imposing castle overlooking the rooftops at São Jorge Castle. What’s great about Lisbon for families is that it’s easy to get from here to some of the lovely seaside towns along this stretch of coast. From Cascais to Estoril it’s easy to combine one of the great Portugal holidays for families of beaches and city.
Martinhal Lisbon Cascais Family Resort Hotel
We love the Martinhal hotel group as they really do care about families. With a number of different hotels in Portugal this is a luxury brand which will give you a wonderful family holiday to Portugal. There’s so much here for kids including a children’s club for 3-9 year olds and a creche for 19 months – 3 year olds, making it great for toddlers too. Overlooking the beach in the Cascais region this five star resort is a wonderful retreat for adults too and one of the best Portugal family resorts.
Read more: The best toddler holidays
The Algarve
The Algarve is wonderful for a trip to Portugal with kids. It is jam packed with beautiful beaches, some of the best in Europe and there are lots of lovely towns to visit too. The people are friendly and welcoming in the Algarve and there are some great activities to enjoy from horse riding to water parks. We have never had a bad holiday here and since the area is full of some of the best family resorts in Portugal there are plenty of opportunities to return.
Read more: The best Algarve family resorts
3HB Clube Humbria, Olhos D’Agua
The 3HB Clube Humbria is one of those family resorts Portugal do so well at. They have wonderful family apartments that overlook the pool. They have a kids club up to the age of 12 and they have some great swimming pools including one with water slides and a play area. If you’re looking for family holidays in Portugal all inclusive then this is the perfect resort with everything included in terms of meals. There are lots of opportunities to get active here with football clubs and arts and crafts too. One of the great resorts in Portugal for families.
Check Availability hereMadeira
Madeira is a beautiful island for a trip with kids and one of the best family holidays in Portugal. With warm temperatures and an interesting island to explore there’s plenty here to enjoy. Children will love taking the cable car in Funchal and then taking the slightly hair-raising toboggan ride to the bottom. There’s lovely food in Madeira from the standard Portuguese custard tarts to the delicious flat bread – Bolo do Caco – they have here stuffed with cheese, or even better, chocolate. Some of the best family resorts in Portugal can be found on Madeira, making it even better for a visit with kids.
Read more: The best Madeira all inclusive holidays
Pestana Casino Park Ocean & Spa Hotel
The Pestana Casino Park Ocean & Spa Hotel has gorgeous views across the Bay of Funchal making it a real winner in terms of location. There’s a great kid’s menu and children will love the secluded playground. There’s lots here for active kids including football and tennis and they have regular entertainment in peak season. The hotel has been designed by the world renowned architect Óscar Niemeyer and is surrounded by lovely lush, green gardens. Stay here on a bed and breakfast or half board basis and find out why this is one of the great Portugal family hotels.
Frequently asked questions for those planning family holidays to Portugal
Which part of Portugal is best for families?
So much of Portugal is wonderful it’s hard to come to a decisive answer to which part of Portugal is best for families. The Algarve probably does edge in to the lead with its beautiful beaches and sunny days and some really fantastic resorts listed here.
What is the best holiday resort in Portugal?
All of the resorts we have listed here are fantastic for families. Whether you’re looking for a beachside retreat or somewhere with all the facilities we have the top places to give you a brilliant family holiday.
Is Portugal safe for families?
Obviously you have to be careful wherever you go in the world but in general Portugal is very safe for families and people are incredibly welcoming of those visiting with kids.
We hope you enjoy our roundup of the best family holidays to Portugal. Why not check out our suggestions of the best family holidays to Menorca or the best Ibiza holidays for families for more inspiration and sign up for our newsletter to hear more of our holiday suggestions and great hotel deals from around the world.