Albufeira and 5 year old

Yellowdaff25 · 2025-03-19T21:27:51+00:00

Hi all, I will be holidaying in Portugal this Easter (Albufeira) with my DH and 5 year old son. It’s our first time going so not sure what to expect! I had booked it as read it was a good family choice but have since been told to avoid the strip area as it can be a bit sleazy (people offering drugs etc??) obviously keen to avoid that😂 Has anyone got any recommendations of things to do, family restaurants etc? thanks!

BashfulClam · 19/03/2025 21:47

Use the little tourist train to get around. It’s filled with families and you can avoid the party areas as the strip is really long.

Goonergirl14 · 19/03/2025 21:56

We were in Albufeira last July, we definitely weren't offered any drugs! 😀 We avoided both the old and new town especially at night as they were too busy for my DS but the old town has lots of lovely little side streets where there are probably lots of lovely restaurants, they do try to encourage you in. We tended to stay around our hotel in the evening as it was pretty central. My DS is a very fussy eater, we had McDonald's across the road but he wasn't keen on the nuggets so we did get to a few restaurants! There is a lovely Chinese if you like that near the Tropical Sol Hotel, hopefully you will get good recommendations for restaurants in the old town. The tourist train is good and takes you to the marina which is more family friendly, has a couple of arcades. Can be quite bumpy with the roads, we used ubers mostly as they are great there and not expensive. Zoomarine is definitely worth a visit, my DS loved it. Also a good few waterparks not far either.

Original poster

Yellowdaff25 · 19/03/2025 22:19

BashfulClam · 19/03/2025 21:47

Use the little tourist train to get around. It’s filled with families and you can avoid the party areas as the strip is really long.

That sounds great thank you!

OP posts:

Original poster

Yellowdaff25 · 19/03/2025 22:20

Goonergirl14 · 19/03/2025 21:56

We were in Albufeira last July, we definitely weren't offered any drugs! 😀 We avoided both the old and new town especially at night as they were too busy for my DS but the old town has lots of lovely little side streets where there are probably lots of lovely restaurants, they do try to encourage you in. We tended to stay around our hotel in the evening as it was pretty central. My DS is a very fussy eater, we had McDonald's across the road but he wasn't keen on the nuggets so we did get to a few restaurants! There is a lovely Chinese if you like that near the Tropical Sol Hotel, hopefully you will get good recommendations for restaurants in the old town. The tourist train is good and takes you to the marina which is more family friendly, has a couple of arcades. Can be quite bumpy with the roads, we used ubers mostly as they are great there and not expensive. Zoomarine is definitely worth a visit, my DS loved it. Also a good few waterparks not far either.

That’s very helpful thank you so much ☺️

OP posts:

Goonergirl14 · 19/03/2025 22:32

No worries, just watch with the tourist train as there are two different routes, it can be quite confusing. One goes round the new town and back to McDonald's, the other one you have to walk into the old town to get which takes you to the marina. Portugal is lovely, people are so friendly and there is so much to do in Albufeira. My DS has asd so was too busy for him so we are off to Menorca this year!😊