Do you padel when you travel?

Padel. It’s the activity everyone is talking about.

 Having surged in popularity in the past year, the world’s fastest growing sport* is now taking a holiday. And by that we mean a 5-star holiday!

Luxury resorts are offering everything from padel coaching to organised tournaments, interspersed with all the high-end comforts of a lavish getaway.

With this in mind, here at Travel Seen we thought we’d dive into the padel craze with all you need to know about the game; as well as offering our very own, exclusive:

Portugal Padel Package!

What is padel and why is it so popular?

A racquet sport played on a court about two thirds the size of a traditional tennis court, padel is like a mixture between tennis and squash.

With a net in the middle, players can bounce the ball (which is smaller than a tennis ball) off the walls of the enclosed court, using their solid racquet.

You play in doubles and the idea is to get a good rally going to give the padel game some pace – which makes it all very social and certainly one of the reasons why it’s so popular.

It’s a game that’s easy to pick up – particularly if you’re familiar with tennis or squash – and this supports it’s rise in status.

What’s more, celebrities the world over from Eva Longoria to David Beckham, have been picking up their padel racquets and taking to social media to promote their love for the support; which has certainly done wonders for padel’s PR.

Padel and travel

“I jumped on the padel bandwagon last year and have totally fallen in love with the sport,” says Travel Seen Founder Jen Atkinson.

“Padel feels like the new golf – in that it’s a sport you’d happily centre a holiday around.

“Rather than just flopping on a beach, it gives you an activity with likeminded people that nurtures your physical and mental health. Thus creating an experiential holiday – which is a key travel trend for 2025 and beyond.

“Because I’m time poor, what I find hard is getting a group together for a padel holiday.

“If someone organised a tournament, some padel coaching, all at a luxury resort with plenty of sunshine, great food and accommodation; well, that’s the dream.”

Jen, your wish is our command: CHECK OUT TRAVEL SEEN’S LUXURY PADEL PACKAGE HERE!

Padel in Portugal

Short-haul Portugal is a year-round favourite destination for British luxury travellers, so when we were looking for the perfect spot for our exclusive padel package, we looked no further.

This 3-night getaway from 15^th to 18^th May 2025 will see you staying at the Tivoli Marina Vilamoura on a half board basis. May is a dreamy time to visit Portugal, with temperatures hovering around 23C – ideal for playing padel.

Flights have been budgeted from Manchester airport (and the package includes transfers). But other airports can be arranged.

The trip includes coaching and a tournament within your group at the Vilamoura Tennis and Padel Academy, with time for you to enjoy the resort’s luxury facilities too, which include direct access to Vilamoura Beach and indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

Portugal Padel Holidays with Kids

 If you’ve got kids in tow, Portugal has many resorts ideal for families which also boast their own padel courts.

Quinto do Lago is a fab option for active kids, with The Campus featuring four outdoor padel courts equipped with the latest technology and court floodlights, as well as two indoor Padel courts for year-round play.

Martinhal Sagres is another excellent option. It has indoor and outdoor heated pools and free use of the tennis and two glass paddle courts in winter, which you’ll find at the Club 98 Sports Centre. The Martinhal’s padel courts are kept in tournament condition, and all equipment including rackets and balls can be rented on site. There is even a Padel Academy for 12-16 year olds.

Tempted to book your own padel holiday? Start a chat with Atlas, our Travel Butler; and he’ll put you in touch with a member of the Travel Seen team.