The Algarve is the perfect holiday destination and besides a wonderful weather and lovely beaches it offers plenty of activities suitable for the whole family. Check out our top25 best activities to do with kids in the Algarve.
1-Water Parks
Without a doubt, one of the best activities to do with children in the Algarve is to spend a day in one of the water parks in the region. With fantastic water parks like Aquashow, Slide & Splash or Aqualand, your kids will love the many attractions and slides that exist. With green spaces and specific areas for picnics, the Algarve’s water parks are among the most popular activities for children.
2-Zoomarine
Zoomarine is a fun theme park that combines various animal shows, theatre shows and water attractions such as slides or roller coasters. In this park you will also have the opportunity to swim with dolphins, an activity that is supervised by trained professionals to ensure the safety of dolphins as well as yours.
3-Boat Excursion
The extensive and very beautiful Algarve coast invites you to take a relaxing boat trip to get to know it properly. Translucent waters and breath-taking views will surely make you forget all your troubles. Enjoy exploring the caves and the secluded beaches of this Portuguese paradise.
4-Boat trip to see dolphins
The seas of the Algarve are the ideal place to go on a Dolphin Boat Trip and watch these magnificent animals. Because its waters are calm and warm it is common to find dolphins jumping or swimming in front of the boats that cross the Atlantic in this area.
5-Pirate Ship
Ahoy, sailor! This is a Pirate trip for the bravest. Only the true sea lions dare to confront the seven seas in search of treasure. Join the crew of the ship and come sailing the Algarve coast as a real privateer.
6-Lagos Zoo
A great option to entertain the youngest. Lagos Zoo is the ideal place for the whole family to enjoy a relaxing day. Get to know the Iberian lynx and its program of preservation and reintroduction in nature, as well as the various other species of animals present at the zoo.
7-Krazyworld
In this farm with animals the younger ones will have the opportunity to interact with animals. Here they can feed goats, llamas, dears or birds – which eat directly from the children’s hands.
Krazy World also has lemurs, African turtles and snakes including some of 8.5 metres in length! There are also plenty of activities such as a dip in the pool, go-karting, inflatables, mini quad bike, pony rides, an 18-hole miniature golf course and paintball.
8-Parque da Mina
Travel back in time at this farm in Monchique and get to know the way people used to live a few centuries ago in the Algarve. To do this, it is possible to visit a coal mine that has been deactivated and a medronho distillery, a small farm with more than a hundred animals, birds, ponies and dwarf goats, and a house from the 18th century, furnished to the original standards. The park also has spaces suitable for picnics.
9-Parque Aventura
With several parks spread throughout the Algarve, this concept combines sustainability and environmental preservation with extreme activities. Have fun going through the High ropes and obstacles set in treetops or with a game of paintball. Enjoy a great day with your family in one of the Adventure Parks near you.
10-Paintball
With several paintball fields, the Algarve offers the opportunity for younger people (and not only) to feel the insane adrenaline that comes with this game. Choose one of the war scenarios at your disposal and have fun planning your military strategy so you can beat the enemy.
11-Fiesa – International Sand Sculpture Festival
Fiesa is one of the largest sand sculpture festivals in the world receives more than 50 artists from around the world annually and has more than 30,000 tons of sand to give life to 12-meter-high sculptures. We recommend that you can also visit the venue at night because of the futuristic look of the festival added by artificial lights.
12-Going to the beach
Going to one of the hundreds of beaches that exist in the Algarve is definitely a fun activity to do with children. Extensive sandy beaches with space to play football, volleyball, rackets, rugby, etc … or to make constructions in the sand, waves in which to splash and a calm and safe sea provide a natural heaven envied by all Europe. Some of the most popular beaches, from east to west of the Algarve, are: Praia do Barril, Praia da Mantarrota, Praia do Ancão, Praia da Fuseta, Praia de Faro, Praia da Quinta do Lago, Praia da Falésia and Praia da Rocha.
13-Karting
Are your children speed lovers and are they constantly asking you to let them drive? If that’s the case this is the perfect activity for them! The Algarve has some of the best karting tracks in the country, such as the international karting circuit of Portimão, which hosts some of the most important motorcycle races of the world circuit. You can also opt for Karting de Almancil or the karting course at Marina de Albufeira, where the tight corners will test your nerves and reflexes.
14-Surfing
The Algarve is full of perfect beaches surfing. The best ones are placed at the western tip, near Sagres and Costa Vicentina, but beaches all over the region also have some great waves. There are several surf schools around the Algarve where you can take your first class or just rent equipment if you have some experience
15-Stand Up Paddle
Stand Up Paddle is a fun water sport. This incredibly relaxing sport consists of standing on what looks like a giant surfboard while you paddle.
16-Canoeing/Kayaking
An excellent way to discover the Algarve coast and spend a pleasant morning or late afternoon is to take a kayak or canoe trip. These malleable boats are very easy to use, which is why they remain one of the most popular activities to do with children.
17-Sailing
Sailing is something that runs in the blood of the Portuguese. Since the time of the Discoveries this form of navigation has been cultivated by the descendants of the sailors. Due to its unique climate and calm and safe sea, the Algarve remains one of the best places to try sailing.
18-Bodyboarding
Bodyboarding is as much fun as surfing a wave, but it is much easier to do, which allows people who have never tried the sport before to take immediate satisfaction when they try it for the first time. The paradisiacal beaches of the Algarve for surfing are also perfect for bodyboarding.
19-Horseback riding
The Algarve region is unbelievably beautiful, having a magnificent coastline filled with paradisiacal beaches and a verdant countryside. Explore the hidden trails of the Algarve on horse riding.
20-Tribo dos Reguilas and Soft Play
Tribo dos Reguilas consists of a playground with inflatable castles, playgrounds with labyrinths, slides, ball pools, dollhouses, discotheques, puppets, a reading corner, football field, basketball table, trampoline, slide, boxing bags, monkey games, foosball, ropes, scooters, skateboards and tool shops. In addition to Tribo dos Reguilas there is also a Soft Play centre in Alvor, which will also delight your children.
21-Centro de Ciência Viva
Take your children to one of the three Life Science Museums (Centro de Ciência Viva) in the Algarve – Tavira, Faro and Lagos – and enjoy an afternoon spent amidst solar system models, crazy experiences and interactive exhibitions on the depths of the oceans.
22-Walking or cycling with your family
Something fun to do with your family is also a stroll through Ludo or one of the numerous tracks that make up Via Algarviana. These places that accompany the Ria Formosa and cross the interior of the region will provide you with a new and rustic Algarve, ideal for walking or cycling with your family.
23-Crazy-golf
The more than 300 days of sunshine and a very pleasant temperate climate during most of the year make the Algarve the ideal place to play golf or, in this case, crazy-golf. With lots of mind-boggling circuits scattered around the area, this is certainly an activity that your kids (and the rest of the family) will enjoy.
24-Visit a castle
Do the imaginations of your kids boil with images of knights in shining armours or maidens locked in towers awaiting for their saviours? In that case why not take them to visit one of the castles of the Algarve? Due to its turbulent history of many conquests and occupations, the Algarve has several impressive and well-preserved castles, such as Silves Castle, Castro Marim Castle or Tavira Castle.
25-Watching a game of beach soccer
Attending the Portuguese Stage of the European League of Beach Soccer (“Mundialito de Futebol de Praia”), the international beach soccer competitions held in Portimão, is probably something your youngest will enjoy (and particularly if they are football fans). Beach soccer is a sport that offers great spectacles because of the constant pirouettes and acrobatics performed by the players.
26- Pedagogical farms
If your kids love animals, this is a great place to go and explore a rural farm with a lake area, green areas and leisure where you can find cows, donkeys, ducks, chickens, rabbits, goats and sheep, among other animals characteristic of a farm. It also has a vegetable garden and an orchard and a specific area for herbs. You can find it in Portimão or Silves.
