For anyone who thinks that I only slept, drank and ate during the press trip to Portugal… you are (almost) right 😉 . We have also been active, of course, to see how such an active family holiday can be arranged in the Algarve and in the vicinity of Lisbon.
Table of Contents
Off we go… flying at 5 in the morning and galloping through the woods of the Algarve at 4 in the afternoon. Well, why not? On the program of the press trip there was a choice; golf or horseback riding. Yes duhuh! That will of course be horse riding! And how delicious it was. I think it's been 12 years since I've ridden through nature so wonderfully. Nothing all the time. Clear your head.
The Pinetrees Riding Center is a short drive from the Martin hal Quinta Family Golf Resort and is a perfect reflection of how an equestrian center should operate. Especially when it comes to strangers who would like to take a trip outside. Fill out forms, change clothes (all clothing is provided, breeches, chaps, shoes, cap, how ideal!) and test drive. First, Madame Beverly Gibbons assesses how you drive. Fortunately I got through the balloting committee fine 😉 and my ride with Christian started after 5 minutes. The rest had to wait a little longer. Two days later I still felt that it had been a fantastic ride, haha. Also nice to do this during an active holiday with your family, right?
With the muscle pain still in my body from horseback riding, I got on the mountain bike on day 2 (yes really!). Arranging a bicycle at the Martinhal resorts is no problem (not even for children) and so we went out with Mister Belgique, who had taken a year off career to tour around as a bicycle attendant.
You can of course pick up these activities from any holiday address. For example, if you are in one of the nice holiday homes of Interhome, you can probably go to the bicycle rental location.
Also nice for an active holiday with your family, a bit of cycling. Uphill, downhill, through the loose sand and over the asphalt. We've all done it. I'm not much of a cyclist, but the fantastic vantage points make it all right. And voilà, the hangover has also disappeared after the bike ride 😉 . I can imagine taking smaller children on the back. Or else give them a little nap every now and then to give them a little gas. Look at these pictures!
Active travel with your family does not always have to consist of sporting activities. There are also plenty of fun things to see. We traveled from the Algarve to Lisbon on day 3, as you have read in my itinerary.
Since we have had a 3 hour drive, we spend the rest of the day on delicious food, a bit of recovery and a wonderful massage. For me, this one came at just the right time, as the muscle pain had taken over my body after the horseback riding and the bike ride 😉 .
And to go into the service of Martinhal… after the massage I was thanked by the masseuse 😉 . I didn't know how fast I had to stammer 'Nooooo, thank you'. Enjoy a little afterglow with a little taste water and some nuts I did here… do you understand now why I want to go back? Letting things go for a while and relaxing during an active holiday with your family is also part of it!
On day 4, making trips in the area was planned. And let it just be foggy outside;). Of the 365 days a year, Portugal has 300 days with sun, unfortunately this was not one of them. Perfect for my 40+ skin to cool off for a day, but a pity about the views!
On to Sintra. An almost Disney-like castle slowly emerges from behind a layer of fog. It is the Palácio da Pena, the former summer residence of the Royal family. It's like I've landed in a fairy tale, and I'm sure my kids would love this too. A bit semi-active with the family during an active holiday.
During the tour of the guide we let ourselves be impressed that the view is breathtaking. Let me show you the difference between my photo and one that was taken in good weather 😉 .
Need i say more?
Fortunately, it was just as magical inside and I was able to take beautiful pictures there!
Of course lunch has to be had again today, which we do in Martinhal Cascais and then work off the necessary calories in the playground 😉 .
Fortunately, in the afternoon it opens up a bit and we go to Cascais to soak up the atmosphere of this town. A nice stroll along the Casino and the beach ensures that we also gain enough impressions that day, super nice town! Pssstt… here too Manneken Pis is doing his best 😉 .
Tip:Also check out Porto and its surroundings
Lisbon is very suitable for an active holiday with your family if you also like a bit of culture and city hopping. We spend our last day here to take a look at the still to be opened Martinhal Chiado hotel, of which I already showed you a snapshot in my previous blog. And of course we also make Lisbon unsafe with the group of bloggers! V
from breathtaking views to sweet snaps at the love slots… take your pick! When you enter Lisbon, you see this monastery, don't you think it's fantastic?
Just as we know a bridge with locks on the Leidsegracht in Amsterdam and the Ponte Vecchio in Florence is also decorated, so here in Lisbon there is also a place for lovers who want to promise each other eternal fidelity in this way, cute!
And last but not least, a fantastic view from one of the towers in Lisbon which should not be missed in this range of active things to do.
What do you think, could such an active holiday be something for you and your family?
