The Quinta do Lago estate within the beautiful Ria Formosa nature reserve is rapidly becoming a major centre of the Algarve for those looking for an all-in-one family break.
After arriving at Faro airport, just a short drive away, you should check in at the charmingly retro, motel-style Magnolia Hotel for the perfect base to explore the area. Pick of the accommodation are the low-rise Family Cottages at the back (from €185 per night on a B&B basis): delightfully designed, set back from the main facility but only a short saunter away from the pool. Just next door to the sunloungers there’s a lovely and sociable bar, where new arrivals gather to get their bearings, grab some tips and play a game of pool over a nice cold Sagres.
The focus at the Quinta is on activity, with a world-class golf course and direct access to a string of beautiful beaches. The real heart of the place, however, is The Campus, an upmarket leisure centre that has been beautifully designed for users to enjoy the outdoor life, with a stunning pool, a gym which spills out onto an open balcony so you can pump iron al fresco, bikes for hire and a platoon of tennis and padel courts.
Wise holidaymakers with kids will book them in for one of the Football Escapes academies that are run here regularly by former professional players (£550 per week for children aged 5-15 years old). They offer a lovely bit of wish fulfilment for any kid that loves their soccer: they will get their own branded shirt to play in, expert tuition from an enthusiastic team and the opportunity to meet some of their footballing heroes. Parents, meanwhile, can watch the action on the pitch from a shady corner at the side or take themselves off for exotic concoctions at the smoothie parlour or a tuna tostada and Vietnamese chicken salad at the lively Dano’s sports bar.
There are a series of terrific restaurants within the Quinta too. The Bovino Steakhouse is a gorgeous and relaxing place for a laidback dinner, with its flamboyant design (check out the great bull’s head emerging from the wall), great racks of wine bottles and sink-in armchairs. Service is super friendly and very welcoming to kids, who have their own mini playground tucked away on the terrace. The steaks and grilled fish are sensational, served with ruffles of fried potato, honey-glazed carrots, roasted peppers or, for the ultimate comfort food hit, mac ‘n’ cheese with smoked panko.
At Portuguese restaurant Casa Velha, meanwhile, canny diners will book themselves in for sundowners on the terrace, sipping a chilled tipple under the trees, with the scent of bougainvillea in the air, before heading inside for exquisite sharing dishes: shrimps in chili and white wine, Algarvian-style fish rice, ceviche and wonderful Portuguese cheeses. And at Casa do Lago, perched on the edge of a gorgeous lake, you’ll gaze out at the view while enjoying hoppingly-fresh salads, grills and seafood. After lunch, take the kids out around the lake on one of the imaginatively-designed pedalos (the pirate ship is the pick of the bunch) from the neighbouring beach club.
The Quinta is designed to be self-contained, and you’ll find everything you need here to have a relaxing week’s family break. But it’s also easy to get a car and explore the coast, including the attractive nearby town of Albufeira, with its whitewashed buildings set around a sociable central square. Just outside Albufeira are some amazing tucked-away beaches including the beautiful Praia dos Pescadores (fishermen’s beach), the Praia da Vigia and the gorgeous Olhos de Agua where the sands are dotted with natural springs.