Spain/Portugal for large family

vgf1995

Looking for suggestions for Spain/Portugal (never been before), for a group of 7 (2 parents, 2 adult children (23 and 18), teenager, 2 kids (10 and 5).

We would like a nice beach for kids, shops and restaurants, bars, stuff for the kids to do and stuff for everyone to do (we are more of a sight-seeing family than one that lies by the pool).

We were thinking a villa or an apartment would be preferable, but my parents aren't fond of the idea of getting a rental car so somewhere in a town would be preferable.

Our budget would be €2000-2500. 7-10 day trip late june/early july

Any suggestions would be much welcomed

BailMeOut

East Algarve and specifically east of Faro is good if you are on a budget. There is a town called Cabanas that is next to Tavira and you get a lot for your money here. We stayed in the "O Pomar Development" which has villas that would suit the size of your group and the pool is amazing as is the local beach. Well worth checking out and the neighbouring historic town Tavira is lovely.

naughtysmurf

What are you hoping your budget will cover?

vgf1995

naughtysmurf wrote: »

What are you hoping your budget will cover?

Hoping €2000 would be enough for accommodation. Rest for flights.

coylemj

vgf1995 wrote: »

Our budget would be €2000-2500. 7-10 day trip late june/early july

vgf1995 wrote: »

Hoping €2000 would be enough for accommodation. Rest for flights.

That leaves €500 to fly 7 people to Spain or Portugal and back during peak holiday season :eek:

You are budgeting an average of €350 p.p. which will not cover a decent holiday at that time of the year.

Go to the Irish travel company websites - Sunway, Budget, Abbey etc., check out the price of an apartment holiday for two people at that time of the year, that will give you a reality check.

naughtysmurf

Was recently looking at a week away for 2 adults & 1 teen for end of June, 4* hotel H/B & reckon I'd do it for approx 1K cheaper than TUI were looking for exact same so I'd expect the OP to do better DIYing it

Probably needs 3 or 4 bedrooms, hard to get in towns so with that budget probably looking at car hire too & a villa a little outside a town with a budget of 2.5k, agree that the budget is tight for decent quality & located accommodation

OP will need to start scouring villa rental sites

vgf1995

coylemj wrote: »

That leaves €500 to fly 7 people to Spain or Portugal and back during peak holiday season :eek:

You are budgeting an average of €350 p.p. which will not cover a decent holiday at that time of the year.

Go to the Irish travel company websites - Sunway, Budget, Abbey etc., check out the price of an apartment holiday for two people at that time of the year, that will give you a reality check.

That's a fair enough point. There is leeway on the budget, I was just trying to give an estimate. Could push to €3000 if needed. Would you really need crazy money to do a decent holiday for the lot of us?

(When i first checked sites it was coming up around €4,500 at the cheapest and I was really hoping I could find somewhere decent in the budget we have)

coylemj

naughtysmurf wrote: »

Was recently looking at a week away for 2 adults & 1 teen for end of June, 4* hotel H/B & reckon I'd do it for approx 1K cheaper than TUI were looking for exact same so I'd expect the OP to do better DIYing it

+1 but OP has never been to Spain or Portugal so probably has no experience of putting together a DIY holiday.

Given the pitfalls potentially involved in a holiday of this type - car hire rip-off charges, misdescribed (substandard/half-built/remote from the beach) hotels, rental villas that don't exist, I would seriously advise him/her to buy a package holiday.

naughtysmurf wrote: »

OP will need to start scouring villa rental sites

A minefield of shysters and scammers, even for experienced DIYers.

Tigerandahalf

You could consider renting 2 separate apartments that are in the same block. Both could be 2 bedroom. Villas are expensive and generally you will need a car to then get into the town.

vgf1995

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

You could consider renting 2 separate apartments that are in the same block. Both could be 2 bedroom. Villas are expensive and generally you will need a car to then get into the town.

Yes, I would consider that. Will keep that in mind when looking.

vgf1995

coylemj wrote: »

+1 but OP has never been to Spain or Portugal so probably has no experience of putting together a DIY holiday.

Given the pitfalls potentially involved in a holiday of this type - car hire rip-off charges, misdescribed (substandard/half-built/remote from the beach) hotels, rental villas that don't exist, I would seriously advise him/her to buy a package holiday.



A minefield of shysters and scammers, even for experienced DIYers.

I have some experience booking DIY holidays. Would probably prefer a package though for the reasons you just gave, and having no knowledge of the area really.

naughtysmurf

vgf1995 wrote: »

I have some experience booking DIY holidays. Would probably prefer a package though for the reasons you just gave, and having no knowledge of the area really.

I think you will either change your mind as regards a package for 7 or be seriously upping your budget once you get a few quotes from tour operators, of course that depends entirely on what level of comfort & quality you want, you'll get what you pay for.

Knowledge can be easily acquired now, TripAdvisor is a great resource with many very helpful posters, any questions you will have about most destinations will have more than likely been answered there already.

Some of the main 'tourist' spots in Portugal's Algarve are Alvor, Albufeira, Lagos, Portimao, Praia da Rocha & Vilamoura

In Spain you got the Costa's, Blanca, del Sol, Brava, de Almeria

If you want to keep it as simple as possible, fly into Malaga & choose Costa del Sol, it's not particularly my cup of tea but maybe start looking at Torremolinos, it's close to the airport so no need for car hire if you find suitable accommodation

You can set up flight alerts for Ryanair on airhint & everyone else on Skyscanner

Haven't booked a package in 20 years & had no issues but I do proper research & invariably you will get more bang for your buck.

jt_dublin

For around 3k... How about Barcelona & Sitges. The seaside town of Sitges is big enough to not need a car with plenty for all ages, and is only 20 minutes south of Barcelona airport, plus Barcelona city nearby if you wanted some sightseeing.

Ryanair to Barcelona Jun 20th to 30th around €1450 for 7 people.
https://www.ryanair.com/ie/en/booking/home/DUB/BCN/2019-06-20/2019-06-29/4/1/2/0

Airbnb apartments in Sitges for 10 days... starting around €124 per day
https://www.airbnb.ie/s/Sitges--Barcelona--Spain/homes?refinement_paths%5B%5D=%2Fhomes&query=Sitges%2C%20Barcelona%2C%20Spain&checkin=2019-06-20&checkout=2019-06-30&adults=5&children=2&infants=0&guests=7&toddlers=0&allow_override%5B%5D=&zoom=15&search_by_map=true&sw_lat=41.22904494485095&sw_lng=1.796393075233725&ne_lat=41.241275952276496&ne_lng=1.8133312405777657&price_max=176&s_tag=yHo_0C3x

Some Reviews on Tripadvisor might help you decide if it's the place for you.
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g187502-d3389921-Reviews-or10-La_Playa_de_Sitges-Sitges_Catalonia.html

https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g187502-d3326217-Reviews-Passeig_Maritim-Sitges_Catalonia.html

Lex Luthor

I think the flights will be the one that will eat into your budget the most
We recently booked flights to Faro early Jun for 4 of us next yr and comes in about €720
so you would be looking to almost double that but if you are flexible enough with your times going out & back you might shave some off aswell

We searched various options for accommodation and decided on an apt with Airbnb

Echo the recommendation of Sitges above. Lovely little village/town, close to Barcelona, I'd say you will find something on airbnb there