Portugal’s rich history, stunning beaches, and delicious food make it a haven for family vacations.  We recently returned from a trip to Salema, a small and quiet coastal town in the Algarve region.  Did we enjoy our holiday?  Is Salema in Portugal worth visiting?  Let’s explore in my honest review and reflection on our family holiday in this region of the Faro district.

Salema Accommodation Options: Finding Paradise at NAU Salema Beach Village

Salema offers various accommodation options. You can find hotels, guesthouses, holiday apartments, and villas to suit different budgets and preferences. There’s also an eco-camp nearby for a slower pace of life and connection to nature.

We stayed in a 2-bedroom townhouse with a sea view at NAU Salema Beach Village.  The location was perfect – quiet and relaxing, with the sound of the waves as our nightly lullaby. The townhouse itself was spacious and well-equipped, with everything we needed for a comfortable self-catering stay.

The kids loved having their own space, and en-suite(!), and the balcony and rooftop terrace with the ocean view became our favourite spot for an evening drink to watch the sun go down, or for a sunrise first thing in the morning when we woke early enough!

Salema Activities: Beach Days and Beyond

Salema, Portugal is a laid-back beach town known for its stunning coastline and relaxed atmosphere. Salema’s beach is the real star of the show. Clean, safe, and with crystal-clear water, and only a 500-meter walk from our accommodation! Salema is small, so wherever your accommodation is, if you are staying in Salema village itself, the beach will be close enough to walk. 

The beach is perfect for swimming, building sandcastles, and bodyboarding.  The sand is golden and the sea was calm during our entire week’s stay, so I am not sure if they get larger waves here or not.  There was a day with a lot of surfers at one end of the beach, so perhaps they do.

When we weren’t building sandcastles, we explored the surrounding area. One day, we took a coastal walk to the Forte de Almadena, enjoying the scenery and learning about the area’s history.  Feeling more adventurous, we embarked on a longer hike along the Algarve coast, starting at Praia da Salema, passing through Praia Santa, Praia da Figueira, Praia da Andorinha and reaching Praia das Furnas.  The views were breathtaking! 

For something truly unique, we even went on a “dino-hunt” looking for dinosaur footprints in Salema and trying to find fossils and rocks at the rockier end of the beach.

More Things To Do In and Around Salema

Here are some things you can do while visiting Salema (some might only be available during peak season):

• Relax on the beach: Salema Beach is a beautiful stretch of golden sand with calm waters, perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and building sandcastles. You can also rent sun loungers and parasols in the summer months.
• Explore the coastline: The Algarve coastline is dramatic and rugged, with cliffs, coves, and hidden beaches. You can take a boat trip along the coast to see the sights or explore on foot.
• Go dolphin watching: The waters off the Algarve coast are home to bottlenose dolphins and other marine life. You can take a boat trip from Salema to see these amazing creatures in their natural habitat.
• Try water sports: Salema is a great place to try out water sports such as kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Surfing and bodyboarding are also possible when the conditions are right. You can rent equipment from the beach or take a lesson from a qualified instructor with local companies offering this service in peak season in Salema.

• Go hiking: There are some lovely hiking trails in the area which take in stunning coastal scenery. Check out my list of free things to do in Salema for more budget-friendly activities.
• Visit Salema village: Salema village is small and charming, with a few shops, restaurants, and bars. It’s a great place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere with streets lined with whitewashed houses, animal tiles to spot and sea views peeking through the alleyways.
• Day trips: Use Salema as a base to explore nearby attractions such as Sagres, Lagos, or the Costa Vicentina Natural Park. If you like to shop then the nearby town of Lagos is a lively resort with a beautiful marina, historic centre, and plenty of shops, restaurants, and bars.

Foodie Delights in Salema

Portugal is famous for its food, and although we were self-catering and mainly made our own food, Salema, although small, has a good selection of restaurants for those who wish to dine out. 

Being vegan travellers, we were pleased to see many of the restaurants offer vegan options.  We went to Atlantico restaurant twice, and although they did not list a vegan option on the menu, they were able to make the curry vegan friendly, make a salad vegan friendly and the kids enjoyed a portion of chips each!

We had hoped to go to My Sushi which had a variety of vegan dishes, but we’ll have to visit next time.  There were also a couple of bars, more restaurants and even a curry house.

Here’s a look at some of the best-rated restaurant options in Salema:

• Restaurante O Lourenco: A seafood restaurant which mentions offering vegetarian dishes, however, I cannot see any mention of vegan-friendly dishes anywhere online, but perhaps just need to enquire. We did pass by here one day and they let us buy a bottle of rose wine to takeaway and were friendly. It scores 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor so people like the food here.
• Spice Cottage Salema: An Indian restaurant scoring a high 4.8/5 stars on Google reviews with 284 reviews at the time of writing. One reviewer says it’s their second favourite Indian restaurant in the world, being a worldwide traveller. Many others say they have lots of vegan options, so I will be trying this place for dinner if we return to Salema, which I believe we will.
• Salema My Sushi: Also highly recommended by customer reviews scoring 4.6/5 stars on Google. A friendly and relaxed atmosphere with tasty sushi and vegan options.
• Atlantico: We went here twice, mainly because it has great views over the beach and out to sea with nice-looking Tiki parasols outside. The staff were friendly and accommodating of our vegan diet requirements, making a vegan salad and vegan curry for us. They also let us buy takeaway ciders at the end of our meal to enjoy on the beach. The menu looked varied for those who are not vegan.

The Verdict: Salema for Families

Is Salema Portugal Worth Visiting? Yes, Salema in Portugal is worth visiting. It’s a picturesque fishing village with stunning beaches, scenic cliffs, and a relaxed atmosphere.

You can enjoy delicious food at local restaurants, explore the charming streets, and relax on the beautiful sandy beach. It’s a great place to unwind and experience the authentic Portuguese coastal lifestyle.

If you’re looking for a relaxing beach vacation with plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities and nature, Salema is a great choice. Here are some of the things we loved about Salema:

• Based on our experience, Salema is a perfect place for a family vacation for those who like a more peaceful resort which is smaller and has a beach on the doorstep!
• We love to hike and walk, enjoying the coastal paths, beaches and sea, away from crowds which made this a great location for families like us.
• The village is full of whitewashed houses, not a high-rise hotel in sight!
• It’s beautiful and relaxing, especially in February when there are barely any people there. We had the beach to ourselves on two after-dinner evening walks.
• The accommodation at NAU Salema Beach Village was excellent, with plenty of space and amenities. 
• We were surprised by the number of restaurants. We didn’t expect so many as we already knew it was a small and quiet resort.

We did hire a car and would recommend this as we went to nearby supermarkets to stock up on food to cook our own meals and make picnics.  However, even in February, there were plenty of restaurants open for lunch and dinner for those who prefer to eat out each day.

Here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons for families considering Salema:

Salema Pros:

• Beautiful beaches and stunning coastal paths
• Quiet and relaxing atmosphere
• Good selection of restaurants for a small resort
• Plenty of things to do for families who love beaches, nature and outdoor activities like hiking, coastal paths and sea swimming

Salema Cons:

• Not many shops or restaurants (compared to larger resorts)
• Not a lively resort (if you’re looking for nightlife)
• Can be expensive in peak season

Overall, Salema was a fantastic choice for our family holiday and if you, too, are not bothered about nightlife, large hotels or crowds.  It’s a beautiful place with a lot to offer for nature lovers and those who prefer peace, especially out of peak seasons where we practically had the surrounding beaches to ourselves and enjoyed coastal walks barely seeing another soul!

Bonus Tip: While the best weather is between May and September, we found February offered sunshine up to 20 degrees in the day when there was no cloud cover. On sunny days this allowed for swimming in the ocean, though temperatures might be too cold when the sun isn’t out!

Additional Tips for Planning Your Family Holiday to Salema

• The best time to visit Salema is from May to September when the weather is warm and sunny. However, we visited in February for a budget-friendly holiday to Salema and the weather was good with plenty of sunshine. Keep in mind that temperatures might be mild at this time of year.
• If you’re on a budget or want to avoid the busiest times in Salema, avoid visiting during peak season (July and August).
• Be sure to book your accommodation in advance, especially if you’re travelling during peak season, as Salema is not a large resort compared to others in the Algarve.
• The currency in Portugal is the euro.
• Portuguese is the official language of Portugal, but English is widely spoken in tourist areas including Salema.  The restaurants have English-translated menus.
• Hire a car to make the most of your trip to Salema.  Public transport in the area is limited and the supermarkets in the village are small.  Nearby villages Budens and Vila do Bispo have larger supermarkets with everything you need.  Car hire also means you can venture further and visit more of the southwestern tip of Portugal such as Castelejo Beach and Cabo de São Vicente Lighthouse.

I hope this blog post has helped you decide if Salema is the right destination for your next family holiday!

See how we made our holiday to Salema even cheaper by only taking under-seat hand luggage for one week: My Family 7-Night Ryanair Underseat Bag Packing List.