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We constantly mention throughout the site that Alvor is a very family friendly destination, and that is very true of the relatively quiet and small fishing village, it’s great to visit if you have kids, so let’s take a look at what Alvor for children is like.

Let’s start with the easiest activities that you can involve your children in, namely the same ones that you’ll be undertaking such as visiting the beautiful beaches and caves, and of course the possibility of Alvor boat trips.

Head to the Lagos Zoo

This one again is not necessary limited to a children’s activity, but they will surely love it a ton. The nearby Lagos Zoo has around 120 animal species which include giant porcupines, monkeys, tortoises and a plethora of tropical birds. Lagos can easily be reached with the help of some Algarve car hire services.

Portimao Pedagogical Farm

While not in Alvor proper, the Pedagogical Farm in Portimao is a great place to visit with your kids. A two-hectare area that brings nature and farm animals closer to the city, to create a great opportunity for the children to learn about many farm animals such as goats, chickens and cows, and actually see them. The activities at the farm include them making their own bread, taking care of a vegetable garden and many others.

More importantly, the entrance is free and it’s open from Tuesday to Friday and on the weekends. Also if you happen to visit during Easter, the summer vacations or some other official holidays, the Farm will have special activities.

Water parks

Slide and Splash – Algarve wather park

The easily reachable Slide and Splash water park is by far one of the main attractions that Alvor has to offer to children, even though it isn’t technically in Alvor. Nearby Lagoa can be easily reached by rental car or by bus.

Also an other fun area will be Zoomarine Algarve – a park with ocean animals, where children can relax and have fun in the same time.

The children’s area is very well organized and is supervised at all times by a team of trained lifeguards. In the meanwhile, while they’re having fun splashing about, you can relax by one of the pools or in the Jacuzzi, sipping on your favorite cocktail.

As we mention in other places on this site, Alvor is located at the mouth of the estuary formed by the River Alvor and River Arade, which makes for a wonderful location for nature enthusiasts to explore a wide plethora of biosphere.

This is one of the most important wetland areas in the entire region of the Algarve and is home to dozens of migratory bird species as well as a large variety of other animal life.

The region is protected by law so that all the species that thrive in the diverse habitats can continue their lives without intervention from human development.

Alvor nature trip

The Alvor Estuary is separated from the sea by two sand dunes and this gives birth to a unique type of coastal lagoon, and alongside the surrounding wetlands and the peninsulas of Quinta da Rocha and Abicada, make up an area of over 1454 hectares. We should note that in this protected area it is not just the animal and plant species that thrive, but there are also communities of fishermen and shellfish gatherers who rely on this rick ecosystem for their livelihood.

The wetland area can be seen to a certain degree on foot, but for most of it, the marshland is only accessible by either bicycle or rental car. Also the best way of exploring is by water, and in this respect canoeists will have a great time here since that’s the ideal means of exploring the place. Experienced individuals can go on their own, but for those who aren’t as experienced there are plenty of guided groups organized to take part in.

The lagoon and its immediate surroundings can easily occupy one’s time, but there are also options for those who are a bit more adventurous. They can go on trips up the river which are longer and more demanding of the traveler, but similarly they offer more sights.