Portugal holiday for me, DP and DSD (21) - beautiful, beachy, not high-risey

[ElizabethinherGermanGarden]

Can anyone recommend a lovely village or town in Portugal by the sea for an adult family holiday?

DP's daughter is coming with us and really just wants to chill out on the beach and read her book. DP likes half-and-half relaxing and exploring, and I'm happy with both approaches and want it to be beautiful and have places to eat out. I think I might be put off by a resort with lots of high rise hotels. I am much more at the fishing village end of things, and I also like an old town, a castle, a harbour wall, that kind of thing.

Can anyone who knows Portugal well please recommend somewhere? It doesn't have to be the Algarve - happy to hire a car and drive further for somewhere special.

(I'd also be happy with Spain if there's anywhere with a similar feel you can recommend.)

Ferragudo, Cascais and possibly Peniche in Portugal
Soller and Llafranc in Spain

Praia da Luz and for a larger town but with lots to do Lagos.

Tavira
Salemma

The coastal villages just south of Porches might tick your boxes. There are beaches (down steps) and it’s low rise and pretty with amazing coast walks across the tops of red rock cliffs. I have not stayed there but we always visit that bit of coast because it’s so beautiful.

Or you could look at the Quinta do Lago and Vale de Lobo area. No big high rise hotels there - mainly resorts set by golf courses - and lovely walking by the Ria Formosa.

Sesimbra

A few years ago we stayed in a private villa in Porto do Mos which is on the outskirts of Lagos. Its set on a clifftop with a path down to a lovely beach at the bottom which has a cafe and a restaurant. We rented a car for exploring and it was only a 10 minute drive to Lagos town where there were restaurants, shops and a marina. I'll see if I can find the link to where we stayed.

This is the villa we booked:

https://www.expedia.co.uk/Lagos-Hotels-Stunning-Villa-With-Beautiful-180-Degree-Uninterrupted-Sea-Views.h33923285.Hotel-Information

Yes to both of these especially Salema which is very small and quiet with only about 10 restaurants. The beach is gorgeous. It's still a proper fishing village.

I am in the Algarve a lot as we have a holiday home there.

I would second Praia da Luz- beautiful beach, fabulous restaurants and bigger town of Lagos nearby. Next village along ( Burgau) is also beautiful but a bit more quiet.

A little further along is Salema which has a gorgeous beach.

Porto da Mos is also a nice place ( Between Luz and Lagos)

You really can't go wrong with any of the resorts on the western Algarve in terms of beaches!

Cascais is a lovely little beach town, very close to Lisbon so lots of things to see and do, for those who want more than just a beach holiday.

https://www.cascais-portugal.com/index.html

BrennieGirl... I recommended these even though I haven't been since 1987...eek ! but is still one of my favourite holidays so pleased you agree!

Tavira - beautiful town. Beaches on a peninsula reached by boat so completely unspoilt by buildings. The Rio de Formosa nature reserve nearby, where flamingos and rare birds nest. And you can drive across to Seville in Spain for a day trip.

Thank you all - going to spend a happy evening looking up all these places.

We stayed in the Marina Hotel at Portimao last year. The hotel was lovely, right in the middle of the marina. We could catch the water taxi to go over the river to Ferraguda, which is a small traditional fishing village, with loads of restaurants. There us a small beach in front of the marina with a lovely beach club. Right next to that, separated by a concrete walkway, a bit like a pier, is the huge beach if Praia de Rocha. Lovely beach with a wooden walkway lined with restaurants and bars, which were nice. Less impressed with Praia de Rocha, a bit high risey. Alvor, just a few miles away is very nice. Loads of small bars and restaurants, hotels well spaced out, lots of boats.

I’ll add São Martinho do Porto to the north of Lisbon - lovely sheltered Sandy bay and lots to do in the area.

Or Lagos on the south coast?