Would love some insight whether a week in late June to Algarve or Malaga would be more highly recommended. We have a family of five, bringing out 15/14/9 year-old boys. We love activities, beaches, historical sites, and all of us are into food. We will be coming from either Madrid or Seville. Any suggestions or opinions would be great.

Hello, I've been in both places and i recommend you Algarve. ITs more natural and it has amazing views.
Malaga of course its nice but for me nothing like Algarve

For a mix of culture, beaches and excellent food, I'd choose Málaga.
If all you want is perfect beaches, nothing beats Algarve.

We really enjoyed Malaga. There is a lot of sightseeing, such as the Alcazaba, Castillo, Cathedral, market, Picasso Museum and other art museums. There is a lovely promenade along the port, and you can stop for drinks and enjoy the views of the port and sea. And of course, you have beach time, if you want it, and tons of restaurants to choose from. The pedestrianized old town is beautiful!

The areas are completely. The Algarve, west to east, Sagres to Vila Real de Santo António, covers 150 km, with mostly rugged coast to the west of Faro and long expanses of beach to the east. Málaga is a vibrant port city on the Costa del Sol. The only real comparison is that both tend to be overbuilt and have too many tourist during the summer months, but you can learn to live with that. *Cultural interests are rather limited in the Algarve but are in abundance in Málaga, including the new Picasso museum, the Russian Museum and the outstanding*Museum of Fine Arts and the Provincial Archaeology Museum.

Cabo de São Vicente lighthouse at sunset, November 2018

Málaga during Carnival, March 2019

Both areas are great and June is a perfect month. When you mention 'Malaga' I'd extend this to the wider area of the Costa del Sol - just like with the Algarve. Then it becomes more comparable. Another option would be to visit the Costa de la Luz, just south of Seville.

Some inspiration on the Algarve with hotel recommendations for families can be found here: bestfamilyescapes.com Happy travels!