To the Algarve with Young Children
TIPS, TRICKS & IDEAS
Holidays in Southern Europe and in this case on the Atlantic coast in the picturesque Algarve! Sunbathing, swimming, visiting villages and cities, sightseeing, lunch, dinner late into the warm evenings, boat trips or various other activities, shopping, markets, amusement parks, long walks or dreaming together on the beach during the daily beautiful sunset. New parents are often disappointed when it turns out that all of the above are no longer possible with their little one. It can be hard to realise that your little one is now dictating the rhythm of your day, even when you are on holiday. We regularly see young families struggling with this change and they also regularly say: ‘We have travelled the world with backpacks, we are used to active holidays and now… it is hard to realise that all that is over…’. We try to cheer them up and at least make them realise that it’s only temporary, and hopefully our tips will help them enjoy one of life’s most special moments in a different way. Their first holiday abroad with their baby or young children!
Why Vila do Ouro? When we first arrived in Vila do Ouro in 2005, Linda was pregnant with our first daughter. We were thrown in at the deep end: firstly, we were living together for the first time; secondly, we had just taken on the responsibility of running a new business; and thirdly, we were suddenly parents in a country where we did not speak or understand the language very well. No family or friends nearby to support us, and absolutely no knowledge of the healthcare system here and everything that goes with it. Sure, it was a struggle at times, but in the end it was a wonderful experience and we used that experience to build Vila do Ouro at the same time. So we know what it is like to have young children in Portugal and we know what is useful and necessary when you are on holiday with young children. The basics are here: a well-equipped kitchen with, for example, children’s crockery or a microwave to heat up bottles quickly, good cots, good highchairs and, in addition, we have put together a package that parents can opt for if they want extra help: the ‘DeLuxo’ baby package. In addition to a cot and highchair, this package includes a changing table with bath, nappy bin, night light, baby monitor, toilet seat reducer and sunshades for the car. This package can be hired for €45 per stay. Just a cot (with mosquito net) and high chair costs €25 per stay. Our youngest guest was only 5 weeks old. For such small babies we have a cot booster and rocker available on request. All accommodation has space for at least 2 cots.
Young children often don’t need much on holiday. Our children’s pool has more than enough to keep them entertained. The pool consists of two levels, 40 cm and 90 cm to the edge. As holidays with young children are often in the low season, we heat the pool in April, May, late September and October. In the other months the water is warmer than 26C anyway. We heat up to 26C, ecologically of course! On the pool terrace we have a large treasure chest full of children’s toys such as buckets and watering cans. The children can usually play with these all day. Beach toys etc can also be taken to the beach. What you can bring pool arm bands, inflatable life jackets/ swimming aids or inflatable pool rings, UV shirts, good sunscreen and a good pair of eyes to keep an eye on the little ones. Even if they are wearing floaties or even if there are other children/people around, the best safety is parental control.
At Vila do Ouro, there is a small simple playground with swings, slide and seesaw. This is more than enough for small children. We have good wifi everywhere. It’s handy for the online baby monitors, but also to provide the kids with Kids-tube or something similar. In our lounge we have children’s books, toys, colouring books and games.
Vila do Ouro is 100% centrally located in the Algarve. With a (rental) car you have the whole Algarve at your fingertips. You can choose to take a short trip to the beach or a nearby village, or you can choose to do some sightseeing further away, so that your little one can sleep peacefully in the car on the way. Small babies can be taken anywhere. Most babies will sleep wherever they want, although of course some will only want to sleep in their own bed. Here in Portugal you can still see young couples strolling through the shops with their prams or sitting at a restaurant table at 11pm. With older children you can always take a trip to the Algarve shopping centre or the MAR shopping centre in Loulé. They have electric cars for young children and there is a playground outside. The playground at MAR Shopping is the most fun for young children. You can also eat well in the food court there. It is normal to take small babies and children everywhere. Young families are always welcome in all restaurants and you will find that children are allowed to scream, cry, whine, shout etc. None of the locals will look up in irritation.
When the kids are a bit older and can walk by themselves, there are fun attractions nearby that you can do together. For instance, we have Crazy World where you can have a morning of fun with the little ones. Only a 10-minute drive away! It is a kind of petting zoo/playground/animal park with swimming pool. A real zoo can be found in Lagos. That’s a 40-minute drive away. Absolutely recommended to do with small children! You can take long walks under the trees while watching the many different animals. If the children are 4 years or older, we can recommend Zoomarine. That is a dolphinarium/amusement park with many different sea animals and attractions for children. There is also a giant swimming pool and an artificial beach with a wave pool. From children aged 6 onwards, you can go to any of the 3 water parks in the Algarve.
An evening stroll along a boulevard with a pushchair? Around Vila do Ouro it is difficult with all the hills around. For promenade walks you can go to the port of Albufeira, to Armação de Pera, to Lagos or to Quarteira. If your pushchair has good pneumatic tyres, you can go to Albufeira itself, but you can also opt for the wooden paths of the nature trail near Salgados beach.
Our self-written and curated Vila do Ouro app for your mobile phone will direct you to great restaurants. There are some very child-friendly restaurants in the area with a playground so that parents can sit quietly or have fun playing together. Our app also makes it easy to find child-friendly beaches.
Vila do Ouro is also a relaxing place for parents: the whole park is fenced in and there is good social control. The Algarve is a very safe area. When the children are asleep during the day, parents can relax by the pool with a baby monitor. These are the moments when you can enjoy your own holiday feeling. All apartments are close to the sun terrace with the swimming pools. Another advantage is that there are often other young families. At the children’s pool, you can regularly share experiences with your ‘peers’ while the little ones fill and empty buckets together.
Another advantage of Vila do Ouro is that we can arrange a babysitter. Probably one of our daughters can babysit or we can try to arrange another babysitter. We can arrange this on the spot. Babysitting costs 6 euros per hour with a minimum of 4 hours.
Healthcare in Portugal is good. There is an international GP in Albufeira with whom we work. We also have an extra emergency line for accidents. The IMercencies service advises people in distress in English. There is a private hospital in Albufeira with good first aid facilities.
Young children often make great strides during the holidays. With the constant attention of their parents, who are often much more relaxed than at home, children grow in their abilities. For example, they often take their first steps or start to babble a few words. The presence of other (older) children is also a regular stimulus to ‘grow’. In Vila do Ouro many first steps are taken and the uneven road stones are a challenge for the children who think they can walk properly.
Holidaying in the Algarve with young children is possible and easy! The average flight time from Britain, Ireland, France or Germany is 3 hours. So, if the children are bothered by the plane, remember that three hours is a very short time. Most children do not sleep on the plane, but only close their eyes in the car on the way to Vila do Ouro. Tips for flying with children are easy to find on the internet. We hope our tips have helped you make a good decision. The most important tip is that when you are on holiday with young children, you should learn to enjoy the little things. An ice cream in a city can be the highlight of the day. Is that why you came to the Algarve? Yes, you did! Holidays are all about making memories and the memory of that ice cream is great for little kids. So, enjoy those sticky, fat cheeks and the ice cream dripping onto your clean clothes. Oh yes, in Vila do Ouro we also have a laundry service ….!
If you have any questions, you can always send us an email.
