Holiday abroad (Portugal?) with 3 year / 18 month old

[Teensy]

I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions for suitable holiday location in Portugal for young family? Villa with lots of walks (quiet) with the buggie and walking distance to some restaurants and shops?

Depending on whether you like "typical" Portugal or are happy with a more touristy spot; if the latter doesn't offend you, try Vilamoura. There are lots of hotels and apartments there and centres round a marina with restaurants and shops for an day/evening stroll, and the beaches are long, wide and gentle. It's about 30mins from Faro airport. Try the old town area, which could be about 20mins walk to the marina.
FYI Vale do Lobo, Quinta da Lago and Dunas Douradas area have some great villas but can be v pricy and also most need a car. If you can get an apartment or villa at Vale do Lobo within walking distance of the Piazza in the centre by the beach, then that's worth a go; again 4-6 restaurants there and a news shop, but no supermarket - that's a drive away.
Can't comment on anywhere less touristy, such as Lagos (which is supposed to be beautiful) as the aforementioned are my area of expertise! Would not recommend Quarteria.
Hope that helps.

That is really great, thanks. We are still unsure whether to take the kids abroad when they ate so young. Would you recommend it?

lagos itself quite busy (nice to eat out during evening). marina area or maia praia - sorry can't remember exact spelling quieter. we liked it - yes lots of tourists - but done nicely

we've always taken our kids abroad on holiday - from age of 2 months. just choose your accommodation with care - ie no big drops/fenced pool if villa. and we always went out of peak season so not as hot or busy. also choose easy/quick flights and short transfers each end. ferry to france always worked well as you could load lots of crap into your car

We are going to Meia Praia this year so good to hear it is nice.

We too have always taken our children abroad since they were babies.

Would recommend Olhos D'Agua or Alvor, both very family friendly. IMO, Lagos nice to visit & good for adult holiday but wouldn't stay there with young children. Just too big & some areas a bit 'rough', thinking of railway station area nr marina.

Also Vilamoura very much purpose built 'resort' no local atmosphere but depends what you're looking for.

Tavira is lovely - a small fishing village close to the Spanish border, but the most typically Portuguese place on the Algarve (IMO). It's about a 20 minute drive from Faro. Busy in July and August (but not overly) but pretty quite the rest of the year.

It has some lovely restaurants. The only problem might be that the beach is actually a spit of sand island which you take a boat to, which might be a bit of a hassle with two small kids, although they'll love it. The island is beautiful with no traffic, just lots and lots of beach.

Would agree Tavira is lovely but if hiring villa be careful you don't end up in 'urbanisation' style villa development, often well outside main town, lots of villa's with little facilities and no character of the real town.

nefret - suited us really well - easy access to lots of shops and restaurants in lagos but meia praia much queiter. nice beach - we were near the nature reserve/train station/shanty town with lots of flags. you can park near the station if you aren't up this end. if you walk a further 5 mins you had the beach almost to yourself - in august. there are 2 restaurants in sheds - the one further from lagos we went to a lot - lovely for lunch or sitting over dinner looking at the beach

I wouldnt take my family to portugal again even if it was free.

Full of beggars, even begging in restaurants in lagos. Dh was offered drugs when he went out to take photos.

We hated it will never go again

But AFAIK, begging is an issue because there isn't so much of a 'welfare' state. Seeing people with disabilities/limb deformities begging is sad, but is something you do see in Portugal/Spain.

You do need to be cautious of 'rough' areas though, like anywhere else really.

I never see it in spain (balearics anyway). Its not my type of place for a relaxing safe holiday

Portugal is great with a family. Moss chops seems to have had a bad experience but this is not the norm...I should know...I have lived there. Tavira is great and authentic, for a fancier and more sterile experience try vale do lobo. Avoid albufeira, quarteira both too built up and full of British chavs. Vila vita parque is a great family friendly hotel...I'd give that a go

Kids are welcome EVERWHERE in Portugal, no sneery looks and waiters etc interact with them really nicely.

I fair to see moss chops how prtugal is unsafe...??

Try the Rocha Brava complex near Carvoiero- we first went when dcs were 2 and 4.

Really? @ mosschops. I have travelled all over Portugal and apart from certain areas of Lisbon at night, I've never noticed begging or obvious drug dealing.

Will you base yourself in ine area, OP, or hire a car?

Carvoeiro is small and nice. All the places mentioned above are alright, too.

in one area

Meia Praia is lovely as is Praia da Luz. We've stayed there 3 times and had a lovely time when our children were the same age as yours. Tavira is very nice but the beach can be quite a hike - we didn't think it was suitable for us when ours were younger.

Meia Praia and PDL are hilly so be prepared for longish walks - doable but hilly. We took our Phil & Teds with us and it was invaluable.

The other thing to note is that the sea is always freezing and unless you get a villa with a heated pool then the pools tend to be on the cool side as well.

We're going back Lanzarote this year - sea and pools warmer as are the evenings!

Sagres is nice as well as is Burgau.

And for a change from the Algarve ( where we have had many great family holidays) I can recommend Cascais near Lisbon. Lovely little resort, nice park for toddlers, shops and great restaurants and 30 mins from Lisbon on the train for proper sightseeing. The sea is very cold though.