Travel - Thrillist

© Herdade de Matinha and weeping willows to add a touch of romance. The environment is so green and natural, it’s utterly refreshing, yet only ten minutes from the beaches.

The food is fantastic too – don’t miss the pork cheeks and carrot puree, the meringues, the morning pancakes or the homemade pizzas. Sit indoors or in the veranda where a touch of French chic has been instilled on top of the relaxed outdoor farmhouse stylish decor. It’s just the place to get disconnected from the world for a few days. Not a TV in sight. Bliss.

herdadedamatinha.com

In Sagres

Indulge the kids at Martinhal

Those travelling with younger children will know even a quick weekend away can turn into an expedition and be overwhelming. Thankfully, Martinhal resorts have it all figured out for parents with toddlers, and beyond. Providing all the kit in rooms that you may need, from highchair to baby bath, nappy bin or step to reach the sink, it’s all

there so you don’t need to worry about it. Book an Oceanfront suite spread over two floors, with two spacious bedrooms, beautiful sea views and a lounge and kitchen with all the equipment you’d need all in a cool contemporary decor, in classic neutrals with the odd splash of colour. What’s more, the resort is packed with fun activities for kids of all ages – indoor pool, outdoor pools, slides, playgrounds aplenty, trampolines, and kid’s clubs for different age groups. There’s also the beach with its crystalclear waters and fine sand, a water sports club for a kayaking expedition or a windsurfing lesson, ping pong table as well as tennis courts further afield.

You’ll have several restaurants to pick from, all with ample options for youngsters and grown-ups. The mushroom risotto and the Portuguese pizza are a must at Os Gambozinos while at the seaside Dunas restaurant, the tuna burger makes the perfect lunch with a view over Sagres’ waves and the playground below. There’s also a gym and Finisterra spa for extra relaxation, but the most relaxing thing is the knowledge that every member of the family is being catered for.

martinhal.com

Martinhal resorts have it all figured out for parents with toddlers, and beyond.

In Setubal

Escape to the peace and quiet of Quinta do Miguel

One of the summertime hideouts for those in the know, the Aldeia do Meco, is hidden just 50 km south of Lisbon. This is where the Atlantic waves meet endless beaches, and the ‘parasol’ pine trees provide much-needed shade. The wilderness, so close to the big city, is breathtaking. There are all the usual beachside activities on offer, from surfing to kayaking, or enjoying the waves or the quieter waters on the beach at Lagoa de Albufeira.

Escape from it all at the simple yet exquisite Quinta do Miguel, a seven-room hideaway which comes with heaps of tumbling Bougainvillea, large green lawns, ideal for a game of family football, and impressive old olive trees. The long swimming pool shimmers like a mirror, and the hot tub is always a treat, although kids are not allowed.

The rooms are utterly simple yet charming, all crisp white linens, grey polished cement floors and grey marble bathrooms, complete with giant family-sized round bathtub with lovely Rituals products. Although there is a mini kitchen with all mod cons, you can order breakfast trays laden with delicious yoghurt, rhubarb and chia seeds cups, fresh fruit, cereal, fresh bread and jams, as well

2 outdoor pools and one indoor, as well as a spa, in an idyllic countryside setting.

© Evora Farmhouse

ask for ham and cheese. Something for everyone.

quinta-do-miguel.hotelrunner.com

In the Algarve

Treat the family to pure luxury at Vila Vita Parc

A resort with a grand reputation to live up to, Vila Vita doesn’t disappoint. It’s all about comfort and luxury in a stunning 22 hectare setting, from the mature exotic gardens all the way to the beachside clifftops. The plush bedrooms lack nothing, sweet treats on arrival, all essential morning coffee pods and luxurious bathrooms. With a real accent on service, Vila Vita’s team really gets it right making the children feel welcome, too.

More of a village than a resort, there are a dozen restaurants to pick from, most offering junior menus –one can also opt for the very reasonably-priced kids half board option – as well as several pools, a playground with its own trampoline and swings and kid’s club for the youngest.

For the little ones, highlights included exploring the resort by golf buggy, luminous water features and swans, the indoor/outdoor heated pool and the never-ending breakfast buffet. Meanwhile, the grown-ups enjoyed the simple luxuries, such as vast fluffy towels, oversized beds with pillow menus, the steak and rose at sunset at the beachside restaurant and the availability of babysitters – a welcome service when indulging at the two Michelin star Ocean restaurant or the new Asian- inspired Mizu.

vilavitaparc.com

In the Alentejo

Mix culture and countryside vibes at Evora Farm House

Definitely a family friendly spot, this upmarket, contemporary resort set a 20-minute scenic drive out of Evora comes with two outdoor pools and one indoor, as well as a spa, in an idyllic countryside setting.

The highlights? A cycling trip down to the nearby lake – all on property, albeit a little bumpy – and a visit to the micro farm, home to a Shetland pony, a couple of dark pot-bellied pigs, two belligerent sheep and a pair of teeny goats. Rooms are plush in a simple, modern way. Super comfortable beds and beautiful wooden bunks to the kids’ delight, all in soothing mochas, beiges and greys with hints of natural fibres and wicker reminiscent of the rolling hills’ hay bales outside.

The pool bar is swanky enough, Ibiza style, with its oversized lamps and dark wooden barstools. Outside the hotel, don’t miss the 1st Century roman ruins, the beautiful cathedral, with its freaky chapel of bones, and the cobbled streets lined with little restaurants where Alentejano specialties abound. Visiting in summer? Don’t forget to book as tables are few and far between, especially at 7.30 when kids are already starving but doors only just opening!

evorafarmhotel.com

PORTUGAL

The Lumiares Hotel

Quinta do Miguel Evora Farm Hotel

Deep Downunder. down.

James Stewart goes deep down in Australian waters to get a closer look at Jaws.

James Stewart travelled with South Australia Tourism (www.southaustralia.com) and Rodney Fox Expeditions (www.rodneyfox.com.au). H ectic? What does Andrew mean this dive could get hectic? Look at how clumsy we are while swaddled in 7mm neoprene – boots, wetsuits, vests, gloves, hoods. Look at all those tuna gills dripping blood in the bait-box of our dive cage.

And just look at the sea.

We are anchored off the North Neptune Islands, a lonely Southern Ocean archipelago 30 miles from Port Lincoln, South Australia. Cold water and fur seals combine to make this the most sharky spot in Australia. Male great whites remain year-round and when seal pups take to the water in May, two-tonne females up to six metres long return from months of pelagic nomadism. So sharky are the Neptunes that Universal Pictures came here to shoot the live footage for Jaws. For several hours, a popsicle of compacted tuna guts has been defrosting on our dive platform. Gulls have whinnied over the globs of fish oil and intestine off our stern for a while. Now there are shadows in the water.

At around three metres long, the sharks are tiddlers by great white standards. Older, larger sharks patrol near the ocean floor. That’s where we’re bound with our box of guts. That’s where things might get hectic.

Deep-water encounters with great whites are what make Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions the ‘Everest’ of shark diving. While every other operator hangs cages off the boat then lures sharks up to their