Vale do Lobo may no longer be the smartest of the resorts but it is probably the most child friendly. I worked out last week that I have notched up a whopping 25 visits. The nature and make up of my holidays have been decidedly different over the years, ranging from teenage summers with my family, hedonistic student trips and now half terms and holidays with my own young family. However, the basics of what makes a good holiday for me haven't changed: guaranteed sun, some local market shopping, swimming and a beach to die for. And for all of these, the Algarve is hard to beat.

Plus it is an incredibly 'easy' holiday destination. Many of the resorts are less than 20 minutes from Faro airport; I have often brought the three kids out on my own with relatively little effort. Once here, the pharmacies and supermarkets cater to all ills and eccentricities of English kids - and the people are universally friendly.

There is accommodation in the resorts to suit all budgets, from luxy villas with swimming pools and on-tap maid service to lovely apartments overlooking the sea or golf courses.

If you can drag yourself away from the pool or sea, there is much in the area to do and see. Contrary to its reputation as becoming another Costa del Sol, strict planning control has meant that, on the whole (the sprawling tourist traps of parts of Quateria and Albufera are to be avoided at all costs), the influx of tourists and the consequent building works has been kept under control. There is also a lot of traditional Portugal still here - even if it does need some seeking out.

We love buying food from markets. The Saturday market at Loulé (about 5km north from Vale do Lobo) is a must. Arrive early and mix with the locals buying their produce, exquisite lace and cotton tablecloths/bedspreads and wicker baskets. Only a couple of years ago, live chickens and rabbits were sold here but EU regulations have put a stop to that.

Another great market experience is at Quateria (the only reason you'd visit). The fish and fruit & veg markets are a real taste of Portugal. Buy clams, sardines, ugly monkfish still with their heads on and, if you're lucky, lobsters to BBQ back at your villa/apartment. Go next door for a wonderful selection of fruit and non-EU-size-conforming vegetables. We always buy mountains of cherries and fresh peas. The meat counter beyond is not for the faint-hearted: here you can buy pigs' trotters (and heads!) as well as delicious lamb. Join the locals in the next-door café for a mid-morning pitstop, authentic natas (custard tarts) and strong black coffee. You might also be lucky enough to find a street seller selling freshly fried doughnuts. The market on Wednesdays looks impressive but is really a load of tat.

If you're after souvenirs, you're better off planning a trip to Porches, an hour or so along the coast on the EN125. As you approach the town, dotted along the roadside are numerous shops/stalls selling exquisite pottery.

Travelling a bit further west on a rare cloudy day, the towns of Silves, Monchique and Portimao are well worth a trip. Silves' history dates back to the 8th century when the Moors invaded and built the fortress city and it has been the site of bloody battles over the years. The nearby mountain and spa town of Monchique has been untouched for centuries with artisans and craftsmen still selling their wares outside their houses that line the steep, cobbled streets. In Portimao, you can still watch the fisherman arrive with their hawl of sardines and enjoy eating them at beachside restaurants.

These are beautiful towns but the allure of Portugal during the summer for me is to spend hours in the swimming pool with the children or loading up the car and setting up camp on the beach. The sandy beaches stretch for miles and miles and are ideal for playing cricket. The waves can get quite high even in summer and we can spend ages 'jumping the waves'. Older children can enjoy the watersports such as paragliding and the banana boat. For sailing and fishing you should head into nearby Vilamoura, where you can charter a deep-sea fishing boat in search of tuna and kingfish.

There are lots of restaurants dotted along the beach - some very relaxed and others smarter. Everyone has their favourite but they all serve pretty much the same fare: clams, sardines, barbecued meat and fish. At all the resorts there are some sort of childcare facilities. The Penguin club in Vale do Lobo is open all day and has indoor games, a pool and large outdoor play area. For a day for which your children will thank you for ever, you have to visit Aqualand: the ultimate waterpark experience complete with wave pool, Raging Rapids and Kamikaze. If golf is your thing, there is plenty of opportunity for both the experienced and beginner. The famous 16th hole on the Vale do Lobo Royal golf course is a cliff-top par 3. A unique challenge but also - and even as a non-player I can appreciate this - a truly stunning setting and one to put in the scrap book. In Vale do Lobo, Dunas Dourados and other nearby mini resorts, you can buy passes or get discounted golf rounds included in your rental. You also have access to the Barrington Centre, where you can swim, work out at the gym, have some beauty treatments and practise your own golf or teach your children at the driving range.

The Vale do Lobo Tennis Academy runs week-long courses for children and adults, ideal for the Easter holidays when it's not so hot. The neighbouring resort of Quinta do Lago and its own offshoot resorts have similar amenities. The top hotels, such as Vale do Lobo's Le Meridien Dona Filipa and Quinta do Lago's Hotel Quinta do Lago (with its new spa), also offer good rates for golf.

It's many years since I have been to a bull fight but they do still happen from time to time. Although I remember being totally fascinated by the experience (it isn't to the kill in Portugal like in Spain - just maimed enough to stop the proceedings), attitudes have changed a lot and I am not sure how happy I would be for my children to sit through such brutality. You'll see notices all across the towns of Quateria and Almancil when they're on.

There's no way you will be able to fit everything into a week or even two, especially if, like me, you prefer the relaxed version of a holiday. Perhaps you'll become a perennial visitor like us, finding new experiences each time you go.