We bought the house here in Praia d'El Rey because it still feels like the 'real' Portugal in this area. It doesn't have the intense heat of the Algarve, but regularly hits 28 - 30 degrees in the summer - plenty hot enough with our young children! The beaches are fabulous - miles and miles of sand, and many of those miles with hardly a soul on them - and with our family members being keen tennis players, golfers and surfers, there is loads for us to do in the area. We have explored the immediate vicinity and love the beaches, restaurants, small pretty towns, and further afield have rather fallen in love with Lisbon and Porto.
For teens, as well as the golf and tennis, there is a go-karting, paint balling, bowling, sailing, surfing and a vibrant night life in the nearby towns of Ferrel and Baleal.