Discover the Algarve: A Family Surf Adventure in Winter Sunshine

Standing on the sun-warmed sand of Praia da Luz, we watch the swell lines roll towards the shore. Surfers dot the water, eyes trained to the horizon, waiting for their next ride. My eight-year-old daughter glances up at the unrelenting blue sky. “Are you sure this is winter?” she asks.

We’ve just arrived in this small beach town in the western Algarve, where our family of four is spending February half-term with friends. It’s 18C (64F), sunny, and windless. Locals are dressed in long trousers and light coats, while we have giddily stripped to our T-shirts, knowing that at home it will be months before we feel warmth like this.

Impressed by the quality and choice of available accommodation, we rented a villa just a 10-minute walk from the beach. It comfortably sleeps all nine of us (four adults and five kids), set in large grounds with an outdoor pool, tennis court, and a small orange grove, costing £200 a night.

On our first full day, we wake to sunshine. The children, aged eight to 13, race off to pick fresh oranges for breakfast and return with juices dripping down their chins, declaring them the “best oranges we’ve ever tasted.”

Later, we stroll down to Praia da Luz, a long golden sandy beach backed by sea cliffs. As families who surf, we brought our own boards, but rentals and lessons are available from Salty Wave Surf School in Lagos. Out of season, the beaches aren’t lifeguarded, so we are vigilant as we look for rips and currents. The youngest play on the shoreline, while the rest of us take turns surfing in clean, shoulder-high waves.

After a long morning in the water, we are ready for lunch at Lazuli, a beachfront restaurant with outdoor seating. We order cheese and ham toasties for the children and a pitcher of fresh white sangria for the adults, relaxing under the sun.

The next day, with the wind turning onshore and the surf blown out, my son and I decide to hike along the cliff top to Lagos. We begin our walk along the cobbled beach front of Luz, then cut steeply up the red dirt trail towards the Rocha Negra headland. Reaching the top rewards us with a postcard view of Luz, with its cluster of white houses by the coast.

The two-hour hike hugs the cliff top all the way into Lagos, offering sweeping views over the wild beaches below. We encounter only two other walkers during our journey, greeting them with “Boa tarde” (good afternoon) as we practice our Portuguese.

Upon reaching Lagos, we reward ourselves with ice-creams and admire a distant rainbow from the edge of the fort. In February, the city has a gentle bustle, in contrast to its summer party atmosphere. We explore narrow, cobbled lanes and an array of attractive shops, but my son, like most 10-year-olds, is a reluctant shopper.

For dinner, he picks an Italian eatery, Pepperino, where the chef spins pizza bases and slots them into the wood-fired oven. The staff are warm, the pizzas delicious, and we leave happy and well-fed.

The next day, we visit Burgau, a sleepy fishing village just a 10-minute drive west. We enjoy the golden-sand cove sheltered by high cliffs, perfect for surfing. After our morning surf, we wander into A Prateleira, a tiny local cafe with views over the bay, indulging in pastel de nata custard tarts.

Visiting the Algarve in low season offers lack of crowds, quiet beaches, affordable prices, and easy dining. However, the evenings are cooler, so we often cook at our villa, enjoying music and drinks while the children swim in the floodlit pool.

We are gifted sunshine and smooth peeling waves for our final days, taking turns surfing and making ice-cream runs to the beachfront kiosk. As the sun sets on our last evening, our two families are the last to leave the beach, playing ball games and enjoying the waves before gathering our belongings for the final walk back to the villa.

With climate change affecting summer temperatures across southern Europe, visiting Portugal during this time is a joy, with the landscape verdant and fresh. For families like ours, who love the outdoors and prefer to avoid crowds, Portugal is a brilliant off-season destination for discovering quiet beaches, scenic walks, and wonderful waves.

Lucy Clarke is the bestselling author of nine novels. Her latest thriller, The Surf House, is out now.