What Is An Affordable Holiday For A Family Of 5?

✈️ Our Family Trip to Portugal: How We Did 10 Days for €2000 (Flights, Villa & Fun Included!)

We’re back from sunny Portugal, and I have to say — what a trip! 🇵🇹
Between Lisbon’s cobbled streets, delicious cafés, dolphins at the zoo, and our dreamy villa in Lourinhã, it’s safe to say this was one of our best homeschool adventures yet.

We booked our flights with Aer Lingus just one month in advance — nothing fancy, just the cheapest fares. We each had 10kg of checked luggage (that’s 50kg total for our crew!).
We started with four bags on the way out and… well, came back with five. Because honestly, who doesn’t end up buying a few “essentials” (ahem… souvenirs)? 😉

💡 Money-saving tip: Always compare platforms!

The Aer Lingus app didn’t show the 50% child discount at checkout, but booking via desktop did — saved us €30 right there! Our round-trip flights cost €570 in total, and we made sure to choose seats in the same row (because peace > chaos).

🏨 Lisbon: 3 Days at Jam Hotel — A Perfect Family Spot

We stayed three nights at the Jam Lisbon Hotel and loved it! We booked through Booking.com since it was cheaper than the hotel’s own website (€600 total, no breakfast).

The family bunk-bed room was perfect — cozy, modern, and ideal for 5 people. No TV (which was actually great for reconnecting as a family) and a lovely shower room. The location is unbeatable — right in town and surrounded by cafés and restaurants.

We paid a small tourist tax (€20) upon arrival, which we already knew about, and then set off to explore!

🦓 Fun in Lisbon — Science, Illusions & Dolphins!

Lisbon is amazing for kids! Our top picks were:

🧪 Pavilhão do Conhecimento – Science Museum
— Super interactive, under €30 for all of us (one exhibit was closed, but still worth it!).

🌀 Museum of Illusions Lisbon
— So much fun and laughter, €47 for the family.

🐬 Lisbon Zoo
— The priciest outing (€90), but the dolphin and bird shows were unforgettable. The kids learned so much about animals, conservation, and — most importantly — patience while walking all day in the sun!

We used the Lisbon Zapping Card, which works on buses, trams, and metro. You load it with credit (we started with €10 each), and it automatically deducts the correct fare per trip — a lifesaver for families exploring on a budget!

🚗 The Road to Lourinhã — Our Dream Villa Awaits

After our three fun-filled days, we picked up a rental car from the airport (another Uber ride, €26).
Our car — a comfy diesel Audi with a child seat — cost only €85 for 7 days! We booked through Discover Cars and were pleasantly surprised at how smooth everything went.

A short 45-minute drive later, we arrived in Ventosa, Santa Bárbara (Lourinhã) and met our lovely host, Melissa. We had found the villa on Booking.com but ended up booking through Airbnb last minute — and what a win!

💸 Price drop: €1500 → €650 (with a long-stay discount + cleaning included!)

Our 3-bedroom villa had: A heated private pool (yes, heated 🔥)- Air conditioning in every room – Two bathrooms -Fully equipped kitchen And plenty of space for kids to play (and parents to breathe!)

Honestly, 5⭐️ all the way. The company owns 38 villas around the area, so we’ll definitely rent with them again.

🐚 Lourinhã Adventures: Dinosaurs, Beaches & Sun

Lourinhã is famous for its Dino Park — a must-visit for families! 🦖
You can explore life-size models, fossil replicas, and real excavation areas where dinosaurs once roamed. The nearby Praia da Areia Branca beach is stunning, with surf schools, cafés, and shallow water for little ones.

We spent our days swimming, sunbathing, playing dominoes, cards, UNO, and soaking up the last rays before heading back to rainy Ireland. ☀️

💶 The Grand Total

Here’s roughly what 10 days in Portugal cost us:

Total: €2,000 for a family of 5!

Last year’s all-inclusive Morocco trip was €2,700 for 7 days — so yes, this was definitely a win for us.
Nothing beats the freedom, privacy, and flexibility of your own villa and the joy of discovering new places together.

🎒 Coming Next: Back-to-Season Learning Plans!

Now that we’re home, it’s time to dive back into our homeschool rhythm — October’s planner is now live, if you missed it here it is: week 6 filled with Halloween activities, autumn learning, and some Irish folklore fun. 🍂

If you’re a homeschooling family (or just dreaming of one), stay tuned — because our next adventures are all about learning through life.