Lisboa. Lisbon. Love!
Portugal’s capital and largest city was our second stop on a 10-day Portugal trip with our extended family. Compared to our first leg in Porto, this was the city where it was the easiest for the group to find its own speed at activities during the day and come together in the evening for family suppers. Second only to Athens as Europe’s oldest capital city, Lisbon exudes charm with its preserved history, and was a great destination for our multi-family trip!
Read on to find our top 5 recommended activities for families with young kids traveling to Lisbon.
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Things to Know Before You Go
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Getting There and Around
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5 Family-Friendly Activities in Lisbon
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Day-Trip from Lisbon: Sintra
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Where to Eat in Lisbon
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Where to Stay in Lisbon
Things to Know Before You Go
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Plan a few days to adjust to the time change.
- Cobblestone roads are horrible for strollers and for anyone who uses a cane. Sidewalks are not always available.
- Are you chestfeeding? There are plenty of places to stop and nurse, and locals seem totally cool with it. Click here for our nursing essentials while traveling.
- Be prepared to adjust to the local eating schedule. We found that this usually meant eating dinner later than we do at home to accommodate for the larger lunch that is more typical. For the little ones this just means carry snacks and be prepared to hit up those little markets and cafes for extra fuel. Be aware that some restaurants close during the hours between lunch and dinner. Touristy areas will cater to the eating routines of non-locals, but that may not be the case if you leave the big cities.
What we packed
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Airplane essentials for kids
- Bug spray – most places do not have screens on their windows as mosquitos can be a problem
- Baby carrier, stroller, or hiking backpack
- Grippy shoes or socks for slippery tile floors
Getting There and Around
Flying to Lisbon
Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) is an 11-hour non-stop flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
Train to Lisbon
The train ride from Porto to Lisbon is 2.5 hours, and about 200 miles.
The São Bento Train Station in Porto was pretty amazing by itself with beautiful tile and architecture.
But as described in our Portugal post, we were too frazzled by the confusing rental car drop-off situation to truly enjoy it. The train itself was clean and efficient.
Getting around Lisbon
In Lisbon, getting around was much easier to call a ride share or just walk. The sidewalks did tend to disappear or became terribly thin with very little warning which was challenging with a stroller. Luckily our phone’s GPS worked well and we never felt stranded.
We were able to take a taxi, a Lyft, a tuk tuk, or the metro to many places around the city. Overall, it was easy enough to navigate with children. Click here for a map of the Metro Lisboa.
5 Family-Friendly Activities in Lisbon
1. Ride a Tuk Tuk (for families with kids older than 5)
For families with children who no longer need a car seat, tuk tuk’s are an exciting way to tour the city. Our kids wanted to take them everywhere, so we decided to negotiate a 1.5 hour tour through Lisbon on a tuk tuk.
The tuk tuks are everywhere in the Alhambra and the drivers are amazing at navigating the narrow cobblestone roads, zipping around the cars, and making the kids laugh.
Ask your tuk tuk driver for restaurant and event tips, too, because we were able to find some really yummy spots and see a cool outdoor event based on recommendations.
Be aware: some tuk tuk drivers declined giving rides to families with babies or children under 4 years of age, stating that they were not allowed to take young children. I could not confirm this rule, and admit we rode once with a baby.
2. Castelo de São Jorge (€5-€10/person, free for children under 12)
Our group spent an afternoon at this hilltop castle, which was first built and occupied in the early centuries BC. As with many castles in Europe, you will find them in various states of renovation. This one has been nicely renovated and is easy to navigate around the historic grounds.
After checking out the castle we decided to eat in the little cafe inside the castle where a big peacock walked around looking for leftovers at empty tables.
As was common at the time of construction, the castle is located on a high point of the old town with many narrow pedestrian- and tuk tuk-heavy streets all around. But the taxis, tuk tuks, and Lyfts will all take you directly to the castle entrance if you don’t want to walk up the hills.
Also outside of the castle are many shops with trinkets and souvenirs that you can visit on your way downhill.
3. Convento da Ordem do Carmo (€4-€5/person, free for kids under 14)
Construction of this former Catholic convent began in 1389 and it is built in the Gothic style. What sets this site apart from other archeological and culturally significant places in Lisbon is the lack of a roof, which gives the convent a totally different feel from other heavy, dark churches and castles of the time.
The roof over the nave, or main portion of the church, was destroyed in a large earthquake in 1775 and was never repaired, though much of the rest of the church has been reconstructed.
We lucked out and were able to go to the convent one evening for a historical movie that was projected on the walls as we sat inside. The whole convent was lit up from the inside and looked amazing. Though the event was in Portuguese, our older daughters were enthralled and loved the experience while our younger son stayed at the apartment with the grandparents.
4. Estufa Fria/Parque Eduardo VII
Estufa Fria is not just any greenhouse—it is HUGE! There are actually three greenhouses in the complex: Estufa Fria, Estufa Quente, and Estufa Doce.
We arrived on a humid day—which usually isn’t the best time to be in a greenhouse—but this greenhouse had powerful sprinklers that helped keep things cool and became a game when the kids tried to avoid them.
The greenhouse is terraced and beautiful, with many lush and vibrant plants that occasionally hang over the walkways making little caves to hide from the sprinklers.
After visiting the greenhouse, we wandered around the rest of the large and iconic Parque Eduardo VII where the greenhouses are located and enjoyed visiting a little playground with a nearby ice cream shop.
On a separate day, the rest of our group went to the greenhouse and had an enjoyable time, even if they weren’t running away from sprinklers!
5. Ocenario de Lisboa (Lisbon Aquarium)
The Lisbon Aquarium was a fun break from the previously suggested and more typical Lisbon tourist activities that mostly involve visiting historic and museum-like places. At the Ocenario de Lisboa, our kids could be kids again.
Run inside to explore the different tanks, videos, and exhibits in this beautiful aquarium, and greet the beautiful sea creatures.
Buy tickets online to avoid the line. Tickets are free for kids 0-2, 15.00€ for ages 3-12, 25.00€ for adults.
The aquarium also offers a Concert for Babies on Saturdays for an extra fee (52.00€ for a family of three, includes entrance to the aquarium).
Sintra: Great Day-Trip Option from Lisbon
I highly recommend a trip to Sintra! It was a quick 30-minute train ride from Lisbon that was pretty simple to figure out. We planned to get there as early as we could because we had read that the destinations fill up quickly and will stop selling tickets if there are too many people waiting.
The streets of Sintra are more of the narrow, cobblestone variety with some hills but nothing too drastic, and you can grab a Lyft or tuk tuk if needed.
There are many castles and estates to visit in the Sintra area. In one day you can fit in one or two castles. Some of our favorites were:
Quinta da Regaleira
The Quinta da Regaleira did not disappoint! This UNESCO World Heritage Site was built in the 1800s and has an eclectic variety of architectural styles and influences, which made it fun to wander and be curious about what you might find.
Some highlights:
- Walking across narrow stepping stones that were in a shallow pond covered with green water plants. This was part of the gardens which also featured many grottos and tunnels.
- Going through the popular Initiation Well, which does not have water but is more like an open, underground tower with a large, spiraling staircase around the outside.
The palace there is full of intricate details and many quirks from the ceiling to the floor. And, of course, we had an excellent lunch on the grounds before heading back to the train station. Read our full review here.
Where to Eat in Lisbon
Roda Vida (€15-€25/person)
We had many many great meals in Lisbon and one of them was a short walk away from our apartment. The owners and delicious food here are from Mozambique.
At one point the owner came around to talk to us and I asked about their special, spicy sauce which he said was so good because it has been cured for over a year!
The restaurant itself is very small—our party of 8 took up most of the seats. But the atmosphere is nice and cozy.
Cantinho do Avillez (€20-€35/person)
A restaurant of Portuguese chef José Avillez, we came here for one of our splurge dinners upon the recommendation from our tuk tuk driver!
It reminded me a lot of home (California) in that there was exceptionally good food (Portuguese-inspired) with a laid back atmosphere. They were super accommodating with our kids, too. At some point during the meal my youngest was upset because his sister had “mistakenly” eaten his pickle.
Parents know how these situations can either be cute moments or can blow up into a meltdown! We took a shot and asked the staff for another slice of pickle and they laughed along with us at the absurdity and brought him a beautifully plated pickle slice.
We try not to have many moments of special privilege behavior, but it really felt like they understood the situation and probably did not want a meltdown over a pickle, either!
Where to Stay in Lisbon
Airbnb in Alfama
One deceptive thing about Google maps, which was primarily what we were using to plan routes, is that there isn’t a quick way to determine if your short quarter mile walk is all uphill.
Our Airbnb rested at the top of a couple blocks of hills in the historic Alfama neighborhood, which was absolutely beautiful to look at, and also challenging to wrangle ten people, all the luggage, kids, and being concerned for the grandparents’ knees.
Once we settled in and explored the area it was an amazing location. There were quite a few great food options, like a vegan pizza shop that far exceeded the taste and crumb of many traditional pizza places, an ice cream shop, two restaurants, and a wine bar all within the same block.
Sadly, the exact Airbnb we stayed at is no longer available. Check their website for other options in this area – we highly recommend it!
Tagged ages 0-2, ages 2-5, ages 6-12, castles, cathedrals, food, grandparents, long trips, mishaps, multi-family, porto, portugal, villas