Algarve Holidays - Top Ten Days Out in the Algarve For Families

Algarve villa holidays give you the flexibility to set your own agenda and explore the area at your leisure.  The Algarve has one of the best climates in Europe and along with the stunning scenery and friendliness of the locals these are just some of the reasons why many families return here year after year.

If you have chosen Algarve villa holidays for the first time you will need to know about the attractions near where you are staying. From swimming with the dolphins, tennis, golf, riding, fishing trips and water parks, Algarve villa holidays offer plenty of things to do for you and your family.

Here is our guide to top ten days out for families on Algarve villa holidays.

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Top Ten Activities for Algarve Villa Holidays

1. Swimming with Dolphins
By far the favourite attraction for families on Algarve villa holidays is Zoomarine Theme Park  situated in Guia, a few kilometres from Albufeira. It offers a fantastic day out for the family and will leave you with a lifetime of memories. You can see wonderful, moving interactions between dolphins and their trainers, a  fun show involving ‘pirates’, sea lions and seals as well as an aquarium featuring sharks. In addition to the tropical birds, birds of prey, amusements and swimming pools, the over 6’s can enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime chance to swim with dolphins but do book in advance for this to avoid disappointment.

The 90 minute dolphin experience includes an educational talk about the bottlenose dolphin and 30 minutes in the water with a trainer and the chance to meet the dolphins. Wet suits (or a vest in the summer) are provided and photographs and a film of your experience can be bought afterwards. It is advised to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

2. Have a Splash at the Water Parks
Children will love an exciting day at the Slide and Splash Waterpark, Albufeira, which promises to be so much fun it will be hard to persuade the kids to get out of the pool afterwards! The Slide and Splash Waterpark is the biggest and best water park in Europe and is a fantastic day out for adults and children. Among the many amusements include the black hole ride (a slide in the dark) a 500 ft long twisted spiralling slide, body slides, rapid river rides, multi-lane soft slides, jacuzzi’s, swimming pools and much more. There are also 25,000 metres of grassed entertainment areas where you can relax in the sun or under the shade of an umbrella. For another great water park experience visit Aqualand, Alcantarilha.

3. Go Krazy at Algarve Zoo
Krazy World - Algarve Zoo near Algoz - Messines Road, Central Algarve is another wonderful family day out and offers a variety of attractions including an 18 hole mini golf course, karting, swimming pools, pony rides, soft play area and interaction with the animals at the petting zoo. You can see lots of different animal species in the eight hectare zoo including llamas, snakes, deer, camels, tortoises and crocodiles.

4. Discover Underwater Beauty
The Algarve offers great opportunities for scuba diving. Scubatour Diving School can be found in the resort of Vila Senohora da Rocha, just outside Armacao de Pera. Tel: 282 353 263. There is also the Tivoli Diving School based at the Tivoli Almansor Hotel in Carvoeiro which uses the bay infront of the hotel and the hotel pool for training. Contact them on 282 351 194. Dives Cove at the Quinta do Paraiso resort also has lessons and can be contacted on 282 356 594.

5. Explore on Horseback
Horseback riding is a very popular in the Algarve and you will find riding schools all over the region including the Quinta da Gill Riding Centre at Lombos near Lago, Tel: 966 619 136 and the Albufeira Riding centre which is situated between Albufeira and Vilamoura to name a few. Tel: 289 542 870.

6. Practice Your Swing
The Algarve has many golf courses all over the region for people of all levels and some of these offer golfing lessons. Golf courses in and around Carvoeiro include the 18 hole Pinta golf course Carvoeiro (with almond, olive and carob trees) the 18 hole Gramacho Golf Course, Carvoeiro or the nine hole Vale de Milho course which is perfect for beginners and has a picturesque spot overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

7. Anyone for Tennis?
Tennis is a popular pastime in the Algarve and there are a number of tennis clubs and academies all over the region for families who like to swing a racquet. There are plenty of places suitable for beginners, intermediates or the more experienced and these are ideal if your family is looking for a more active holiday. The Carvoeiro Tennis Club is based at the Carvoeiro Clube Resort and has 12 courts and practice facilities (including clay courts, all weather courts and an artificial grass court). For the more serious players, the club also runs a tennis academy. Tel: 282 357 847.

8. Indulge in Retail Therapy
No holiday is complete without a spot of shopping and it is well worth browsing in many of the local stores to bring back a memento of your holiday. Some of the many bargains to be had include locally made leather goods, pottery, embroidery (including tablecloths), jewellery and crystal. There are some large shopping centres which are open until late near Albufeira and some of the more upmarket shopping areas include the Marina at Vilamoura.

9. Off the Beaten Track
A fantastic way to explore the countryside is with a jeep Safari where you and your family can discover scenic places off the beaten track. There are many companies that do this in the Algarve and prices include lunch. Some of the companies include Zebra Tours Albufeira Tel: 289 583 300 and Mount Safari Portimao Tel: 282 420 800.

10. See the Dolphins
If you haven’t been able to organize a swim with the dolphins, the next best thing is to take a boat trip to see these beautiful creatures at first hand. Trips for this leave from Portimao’s Marina at Praia da Rocha. Tel: 282 799209.