Once a modest, Portuguese fishing village, the seaside city of Albufeira has fast become one of the Algarve's most popular family-friendly beach holiday destinations. Make Albufeira your holiday base for getting the most of your day trips in the southern Algarve region

1. Visit the Castle of Silves

Slow the pace a little by visiting the quiet but quaint town of Silves. Often overlooked for its beachier neighbours, Silves' centrepiece is instead its grand Moorish castle. As the best-preserved castle in the Algarve, this ancient marvel is perched head and shoulders above the town making it a must for those looking for historical day trip ideas from Albufeira. The castle's elevated position was a big strategic advantage in wartimes, but today it's also great for photographing the Algarve's rolling countryside.  

2. Take the family to Zoomarine

Zoomarine is a fun-packed day out in Guia, just a 15-minute drive from Albuferia. As you may have guessed by the name, it's a marine theme park centred around conservation and all things aquatics. See seals and dolphins up close, get stuck into a pirate show or flounder around the aquarium. If you'd rather dive straight in, there's a choice of swimming pools and waterslides that'll be fun for all of the family. Water a great day out! 

3. Go on a boat trip to Benagil cave

Who goes to the Algarve and doesn't go on a boat tour? A popular excursion is to go out to the stunning Benagil sea caves. These incredible rock formations have become one of the most popular attractions in the Algarve and there's no better way to get there than by sea. Don your best sea legs and look up AlgarExperience, a trustworthy boat tour provider which runs all types of boat tours along the Algarve coastline.

4. Go bowling

Fuss-free entertainment on your doorstep? We'd say this could strike a chord with your party. Hot Shot Albufeira is a bowling alley right on the Albufeira marina, which would a great indoor activity if you need to kill a couple of hours between mealtimes. It's guaranteed low maintenance fun much closer to your accommodation in Albufeira and could be just the ticket for kids who are tougher to entertain on holiday.

If you'd like the perfect pad as your base for these day trips, you can see all our villas in albufeira here.