Porto is the perfect destination for a family golf holiday, here’s why

When planning a family holiday with a toddler, convenience naturally becomes one of the biggest priorities. A short flight, spacious accommodation and easy access to restaurants and activities can make a huge difference. As a golfer, I also wanted somewhere that would allow me to play a memorable course without taking too much time away from the family.

Porto offered exactly the balance we were looking for. It is easy to reach from the UK, welcoming towards families and offers good value, alongside pleasantly warm summer weather. By staying at Tivoli Estela Golf & Lodges, we could combine time in the city with a relaxing coastal trip and excellent links golf.

One of Porto's main attractions was the short flight from the UK. Anyone who has travelled with a toddler will know how valuable that can be, and it helped make the start and end of our holiday much more manageable.

We also knew that Portugal was a very family-friendly destination, and this was clear throughout our trip. Everywhere we went, from hotels to restaurants, the staff were welcoming and accommodating. We never felt as though arriving with a young child was an inconvenience, which made it easy to relax and enjoy our time away.

Porto offers good value compared with many other popular European summer destinations. We travelled in August and found the weather ideal. It was warm enough to enjoy the pool and beach, but without the more extreme temperatures often experienced in the Algarve at that time of year.

The city itself is compact enough to explore without needing an extensive itinerary. Its colourful streets, historic buildings and lively riverside area give you plenty to see, even if you only have a day or two.

Insider tip: It is worth remembering that Porto is very hilly. Some of the steeper streets were challenging with a pram, but we took our time and found the city well worth exploring.

For the resort part of our holiday, we stayed at Tivoli Estela Golf & Lodges, located on Portugal's north-west coast and around 30 minutes from Porto Airport.

The resort felt very family-friendly. There were plenty of other children staying while we were there, which helped create a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. It was clearly a place designed to welcome families, but it never felt overcrowded or overly busy.

Its secluded setting was one of the reasons we chose it. There is not a great deal within walking distance outside the property, but we were looking for somewhere peaceful where we could slow down and spend time together.

For families, I would recommend considering the half-board option. Having breakfast and dinner available on site made each day much easier, as we did not need to find a suitable restaurant or travel elsewhere with a tired toddler every evening.

One of the things I liked most about Tivoli Estela was the accommodation. Instead of staying in a traditional hotel room, we had our own spacious lodge.

There was plenty of room for a cot without the lodge feeling cramped, while the large sofas can open into beds for families travelling with older children. The extra space made a real difference in comparison to standard hotel rooms, particularly once our toddler had gone to sleep and we still wanted somewhere comfortable to sit and relax.

The resort is relatively new, so everything felt fresh and pristine. The lodges also have a modern, eco-conscious design that fits naturally into the surrounding landscape. They are a great alternative to a standard hotel room and particularly well suited to a family stay.

The entire resort was easy to navigate on foot. Whether we were heading to the restaurant, swimming pool, spa or gym, it was never more than around a five-minute walk from our lodge. When travelling with everything a toddler requires, that convenience was a major benefit.

There are separate outdoor pools for adults and children, as well as a playground and plenty of open space. These facilities gave us lots of easy ways to spend time together and made it simple to balance family time with a round of golf.

The beach was around a 10-minute walk from our lodge and was one of my favourite parts of the trip.

It is a beautiful, quiet stretch of coastline that felt peaceful even though we were visiting in August. It was never overcrowded, and the open Atlantic setting gave it a much more natural feel than some of Portugal's busier resort beaches.

We could spend part of the day beside the pool and then walk down to the beach without needing to pack the car or plan a full excursion. That flexibility was ideal with a toddler, as we could structure each day around naps, meals and whatever we felt like doing.

From a golfer's perspective, one of the biggest advantages of staying at Tivoli Estela is having Estela Golf Club next door. The hotel can shuttle golfers across in a buggy in just five minutes, so getting from our lodge to the course could not have been easier.

Estela is a traditional links course beside the Atlantic Ocean, with sea views from most holes. The windmill pictured here is one of its most famous landmarks. Visible from both the course and resort, it is so closely associated with Estela that the course logo was modelled on it.

The layout is tight without being overly long, placing more emphasis on accuracy than distance. The coastal wind adds to the challenge, while the dunes and natural vegetation can punish anyone who misses the fairways.

Ranked No. 11 in Portugal by Top 100 Golf Courses, Estela also offers excellent value, with green fees considerably lower than many leading courses around Lisbon and the Algarve. It is a great opportunity to experience one of Portugal's highest-rated courses without the premium price.

Despite offering a good challenge, it is exactly what I look for from holiday golf. The course makes you think, but it remains enjoyable, and the ocean views ensure the experience is memorable regardless of your score.

Most importantly, playing a round did not mean disappearing for an entire day. With the course immediately next to the resort and the hotel providing a buggy transfer, I could enjoy 18 holes and still spend plenty of time with my family afterwards.

What I enjoyed most about Porto was the variety we could fit into one holiday.

We spent time exploring the city, relaxed beside the pool, walked down to a quiet beach and enjoyed an excellent round of golf. The trip never revolved entirely around golf, which was important when travelling as a family, but I did not have to compromise on course quality either.

Porto provided the restaurants, atmosphere and sightseeing of a city break, while Tivoli Estela offered the space and simplicity of a coastal resort. Having Estela Golf Club next door brought everything together.

Porto delivered exactly what we wanted from our family golf trip.

The short flight, welcoming atmosphere and comfortable summer temperatures made travelling with a toddler relatively straightforward. Tivoli Estela Golf & Lodges gave us spacious accommodation, convenient facilities and a peaceful coastal setting, while Porto provided plenty to experience away from the resort.

For me, the easy access to Estela Golf Club was the finishing touch. I could play an excellent links course beside the Atlantic without sacrificing a full day of our family holiday.

If you want to combine quality golf with a relaxed and genuinely family-friendly escape, Porto is an excellent choice.