Hello, after spending a week at a house near Ronda we are heading to the Algarve. We are a family of 4 with two kids (5&8). We would like to stay in a cute town but with plenty of restaurants and cafes and a great beach. We will only be there 4 days and we will have a car and do some exploring of the various sights along the coast and possibly inland too. That said I expect we will spend a fair amount of time in our own town. With young kids we don't expect to be out too late and we would rather sit on our own patio with some nice wine anyhow. Which town should we make ours for 4 days - Lagos or Carvoeiros? Thank you!

Carvoeiro is much smaller and quieter than Lagos. We much prefer Carvoeiro. Will be there in June!

I think we have similar tastes MyriamC. I ended up booking the hotel you recommended in Valencia too. Would we still find lots of places to grab a coffe in the morning and food in the day/evening? We are planning to find an apartment with a patio though things are booking up quickly. Where do you stay in Carvoeiro?

Oh yes, there are many cafés/restaurants in Carvoeiro. Try the pizzas in Villa Medici!

I booked hotel Mirachoro Praia, but I may change my mind if something better comes up. I liked it because of the price (we use a hotel just to shower and to sleep) and the quiet location.
BTW, this is our first time in Carvoeiro but we have vacationed many times in the Algarve (the Eastern Algarve). During our excursions to all of the villages/towns along the coast, we decided that 'next time' (which is in June) we would want to stay in Carvoeiro.

Have you checked www.homeway.com for holiday rentals?

Oops ... it's www.homeaway.com

Definitely, Carvoeiro. Beach is really beautifull and more easy to reach.