Having just returned from visiting the Algarve Christmas markets with my kids, here are my honest impressions of the Algarve in December as a winter-sun destination for families.

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Algarve Family Holidays in Winter

Visiting Algarve with Kids

This December, I had the chance to visit the Algarve with my kids, and I was completely surprised by how family-friendly this beautiful region of Portugal is during the holiday season. While it was my second time in the Algarve (you can check out my previous trip here), this December getaway was a whole new experience, inspired by Christmas markets and winter sun.

Traveling to southern Portugal from Malaga in Southern Spain – a city beautifully decorated for Christmas – I had high expectations, but the Algarve exceeded them, especially when it comes to visiting with young children.

Algarve Christmas Markets with Kids

As you may have seen on the blog, I’m a big fan of Swiss Christmas markets, and until this trip, the Algarve had never appeared on my list of top Christmas destinations in Europe – after all, I usually crave that classic winter-wonderland vibe around Christmas.

However, when traveling with kids in December, my criteria as a parent are very different from when I travel solo or as a couple. With little ones, I prioritize child-friendly activities and mild weather, which allows kids to stay outside longer, enjoy playgrounds, and avoid being bundled up in endless layers. You know the struggle: they get too hot running around, but once they sit on a carousel in the cold, you need to dress them properly again. Add to that the crowds of northern European Christmas markets in December, and it can quickly become overwhelming.

While it’s wonderful to take kids to visit picturesque towns like Colmar in France, or occasionally enjoy a snowy getaway, the Algarve provided a far more comfortable and relaxed experience, allowing my children to truly enjoy the markets without the stress of cold, crowds, or heavy layers of clothing.

For this December getaway, we stayed near Portimão (at Casas Paulinha in Alvor) and explored the Christmas markets in the towns of Portimão, Lagoa, Lagos, and Loulé. Our full family-friendly Algarve winter itinerary will be published on the blog next week. In this post, I want to focus exclusively on visiting Christmas markets in the Algarve with kids and share some festive vibes with you through our photos.

Portimão Christmas Market with Kids

The first Christmas market we visited on our December Algarve getaway was in Portimão, held in the city center at Praça da República. Here, we also got to visit Santa’s house, where the kids received small gifts – a coloring book in Portuguese – which was really cute.

My children also enjoyed a few rides on the local carousel and a little train. As I mentioned earlier, Christmas markets in the Algarve are much less crowded than those in northern Europe, so the kids had the chance to ride multiple times until they were ready to move on.

If you’re visiting the Algarve with a baby, some of the carousels and trains allow you to ride along with the little one. At this market, we skipped the ice-skating rink because it was quite small, and we decided to visit it at another Christmas market later on.

Lagoa Christmas Market with Kids

Our favorite Christmas market in the Algarve was Lagoa (near Lagoa Municipal Auditorium). Visiting in the morning meant that all the carousels were open and there were only a few families around, so the kids could really enjoy themselves. At the Lagoa market, we also tried the ice-skating rink, where skating and all the gear were free for both adults and children.

The rink wasn’t huge, but it was just the right size for families. The staff spoke perfect English and explained that, with so few people around in the morning, kids could skate as long as they wanted. They even provided plastic cars for beginners so little ones could support themselves while skating – an amazing experience!

We enjoyed it so much that we returned in the evening, as the kids kept asking for more ice skating. The rink was busier then, so people skated in 15-minute shifts, but it was still a lot of fun. This market didn’t have many wooden stalls, but for families with children, I highly recommend visiting in the first half of the day to make the most of the rides and skating without the crowds.

Loulé Christmas Market with Kids

Another top Christmas destination in the Algarve region was Loulé. We stopped at a local café Pastelaria Amendoal to try some Portuguese pastries and then strolled around the city center to enjoy the decorations. However, Loulé ended up being a bit of a miss for us. We visited in the morning, and the main Christmas market, Aldeia dos Sonhos, is only open in the afternoons (except on Saturdays, when it opens in the morning). The town decorations were beautiful, but since we didn’t want to wait a few hours, we decided to skip the central Christmas village.

Instead, we visited a handmade Christmas market just outside the city of Loulé, which was only set up for a few days and luckily coincided with our Algarve trip. This market was fantastic for adults looking to buy authentic Portuguese handmade gifts, and it also had funny performers singing around the stalls, which the kids absolutely loved. It ended up being a fun experience for the whole family.

Lagos Christmas Market with Kids

The last Christmas market we visited was in Lagos. We enjoyed a stroll through the city center to admire the decorations and even got to meet Santa. While there were no carousels, there was a large playground that the kids loved, as well as an ice-skating rink. That said, we slightly preferred the Lagoa market – it felt a bit cozier and more intimate, making the experience especially enjoyable.

Is the Algarve worth visiting for Christmas?

In my opinion, the Algarve is especially worth visiting for Christmas vibes in December and January when traveling with young children. The Christmas markets in Portimão, Lagos, Lagoa, and Loulé were particularly enchanting, offering a perfect mix of holiday cheer and kid-friendly activities. What truly stood out for me was how child-centric everything was: there were free carousels, ice-skating rinks, and festive activities in nearly every town we visited – a refreshing surprise compared to many other European destinations.

That said, purely in terms of Christmas decorations, if you’re traveling without kids, I might choose other European destinations for a more traditional winter-wonderland experience. However, if weather is an important factor for your December getaway (even without children), the Algarve is still worth considering.

My honest opinion is that it definitely fits the bill for a family-friendly Christmas getaway, combining festive charm with mild winter weather and activities that kids genuinely enjoy.

Weather in the Algarve in December

One of the biggest advantages of visiting the Algarve in December is its mild winter climate. Average daytime temperatures typically range from 15°C to 18°C (59°F to 64°F), while evenings can dip to around 9°C to 12°C (48°F to 54°F). Rainfall is occasional but usually light, and the region enjoys plenty of sunny days compared to northern Europe.

While during our December visit we had one really foggy day, the weather was still very pleasant, around 15°C (59°F). This makes it perfect for families with young children: kids can play outdoors, explore Christmas markets, and visit playgrounds without heavy winter clothing slowing them down.

Algarve or Malaga in December

Before visiting the Algarve, we also made a stop in Málaga, southern Spain, and I wanted to share my honest impressions and compare the two, as many people often choose between Christmas in southern Spain and southern Portugal due to their similar weather. Overall, Málaga’s Christmas decorations (and those in nearby towns like Marbella or Mijas) were prettier than those in the Algarve, with lots of buzz, crowds, and bigger Christmas markets offering local products and plenty of restaurants. For adults on a child-free getaway, Málaga and southern Spain might be a more interesting option.

However, my kids enjoyed Christmas in the Algarve far more, as the markets there were mostly aimed at small children. Everything – from ice-skating gear to carousel rides – was free for families. In Spain, this is rare at local Christmas fairs, where private companies usually run the attractions and charge 2–3 euros per ride, especially in places like Torrejón de Ardoz near Madrid. I loved that in southern Portugal, local authorities invested in creating a family-focused holiday atmosphere rather than flashy decorations. Every child, whether local or visiting, could ride the carousels and skate as much as they wanted, without parents constantly reaching for their wallets.

One of the most delightful surprises was how uncrowded the Algarve Christmas markets and activities were. We visited in the mornings, and there were hardly any crowds, allowing my kids to freely enjoy the carousels, ice skating, and playgrounds without the usual hustle and bustle.

My video of Christmas decorations in Algarve

Still wondering if the Algarve is worth visiting in December for the Christmas holidays? – Watch my video showcasing this year’s festive lights, markets, and decorations on YouTube here!

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