The Algarve in eight plans with children for the first family trip of the season
Saturday,
8
may
2021
–
17:36
Swim with dolphins, take a donkey ride, start surfing at a local school or enjoy a swim in a cool waterfall. By land, sea and air, the south of Portugal is also a paradise for the little ones of the House.
Children playing in Illha de Tavira.
With its ms of 200 kilometers of coast, its beaches for all tastes and its incredible nature, plans in the Algarve appear quickly. But the south of Portugal hides much more. From East to West, on the coast and inland, fun plans for the whole family are assured.
Donkey ride along the Vicentine Coast
With the advent of modern life, the donkey has ceased to have an important role in our lives, to the point of being considered an animal in danger of extinction. But the Algarve has given the place it deserves and currently the donkey is the protagonist of activities and excursions with children and adults through the Natural Park of the Costa Vicentina. Children learn to brush this curious animal and prepare it for the walk by the trails of Valle das Amoreiras, an oasis of tranquility and natural wealth away from routine. The program is completed with a cermica workshop, a simple activity that connects with the values and traditions that remain intact in the Algarve.
Learn to surf at a local school
The fact that the Algarve is the paradise of surfing is not only due to the good waves that its coast offers and the pleasant temperature that is enjoyed at any time of the year. This region has 10 clubs and 31 surf schools where qualified instructors teach classes to children and adults, of all levels and ages.
The northwest coast is the most sought after by surf lovers thanks to the swell, that is, the swell that occurs from the interior of the sea to the outside. Among other options, the beaches of Arrifana, Bordeira, Amado, Cordoama or Castelejo, on the West Coast, are a good place to start enjoying this sport. The south coast also has good waves with east wind, especially on the islands of Tavira and Faro.
Know the sea
Why is the sea salty? How do waves form? Why does the earth tremble? So many questions that the little ones ask themselves are finally answered at the Centro de Ciencia Viva Del Algarve. It has three locations in the region: Faro, Lagos and Tavira.
The Centro Ciencia Viva de Faro is located on the banks of the RA Formosa, in an old electrical production plant. It is the first Living Science Center in Portugal and its main theme is the sea. From ah your open aquarium that allows touching and interacting species that inhabit the ra. It also has a multidisciplinary exhibition on astronomy, geology, light and senses, and a greenhouse with hydroponic and airport crops.
Swimming with ‘golfinhos’
The theme parks of the Algarve are always a good option, but if the little ones of the house feel a special weakness for Dolphins, Zoomarine cannot be missing in your route. From May 19, date of reopening, you can live the unforgettable experience of swim and interact with dolphins in small groups in a pool with the help of instructors who will explain all the curiosities about these marine mammals. The activity lasts about 30 minutes and the minimum age to participate is six years.
But Zoomarine’s appeal doesn’t end ah. In this place you will find sea lions, seals and tropical birds, three-dimensional cinema, an aquarium where you can see sharks and a giant ferris wheel up close, as well as other attractions such as speedboats, slides, carousel, pirate ship and children’s train.
Bathing under a waterfall
Not everything in the Algarve is beaches. In the Sierra del Interior algarvo are the most emblematic waterfalls of Monchique, a unique opportunity to spend a family day and take a dip in a space of singular beauty. It is one of the must-sees in this region, especially if you travel with children.
The most imposing is the Barbelote waterfall, with a torrent of water that rushes between rocks surrounded by an incredible vegetation. The Waterfall of Penedo do Buraco it flows only in the little rain, falling from a huge rock, practically inaccessible. Last but not least, Chilro, whose course ends at the beach of Amoreira (Aljezur) is another spectacle of water and vegetation. The area has a hiking trail, the best excuse to enter the natural landscapes of Monchique. Here you will also find Foia, the highest point of the Algarve, with 902 meters high.
Conquer a real castle
The history of the Algarve has left us as testimony fortifications, castles and walls that in their time defend their peoples from the attacks of the enemy. Today they are great tourist attractions in which the little ones can let their imagination fly.
The story of the time of pirates and corsairs tell us the fortresses of the Cape of San Vicente and Sagres, since that area was frequently attacked by, among others, the clebre Francis Drake. On the south coast, the fortaleza of Beliche allow to protect fishermen, while in Silves (pictured) one of the best examples of Arab military architecture in all of Portugal is immortalized on the national flag’s Shields.
In the capital, Faro, the walls that surround the historic center add almost 2,000 years of history, although it was extended between the ninth and eleventh centuries by the Arabs, while in Portimo the fortress of Santa Catarina offers an unforgettable panoramic view of the mouth of the river Ro Arade.
/ More information in the Algarve Junior Nature Tourism Guide, downloadable here, and in www.visitalgarve.pt
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