Lisbon with kids: Travel Tips + A 4-Day Itinerary
The iconic Tram 28 in Lisbon.
Lisbon or Lisboa as the city is popularly known, the capital of Portugal, was unlike any other major city we came across. It is a beautiful and historic city located on the west coast of Portugal. It is known for its charming, colorful neighborhoods, stunning architecture, and rich culture and not forgetting its yummy local delicacies. With its streets ladened with cobblestone and buildings covered with ceramic from head to bottom, its laid-back charm will instantly draw you in. If you wander into the streets of Barrio Alto or Alfama and look up, you will notice a balcony less than a foot long filled with potted plants in colorful earthen planters, a clothesline hanging down from every other window, and tea lights running across the streets, and an old abuela staring out of the window from another. 11 am on a Thursday and the stores are just opening. You hear a faint sound of music playing at a distance and that's your cue that the day in this sunny city of Lisbon has just begun.
We stayed in Lisbon for 4 days of which we spent a day exploring Sintra, but a 3-day trip is fine if you are only planning on visiting Lisbon.
Things you should know before traveling to Lisbon with kids.
Buy the Lisbon travel card. It includes public transport and covers entry tickets to a few of the tourist attractions. 24, 48, and 72-hour passes are available depending on the duration of your stay. But if you don't opt for that you can easily hop on a tramp and pay just for the ride. Tram rides cost about €3 for an adult and kids ride free. You can find more details here https://www.lisboacard.org/
Lisbon is known as the city of seven hills and is covered with cobblestone in its historic center which makes it difficult to navigate around with a stroller. Be prepared to walk a lot on steep cobblestone pathways and stairways. The young feet can tire walking around Lisbon. A carry sack would be ideal for younger kids. If your kids are old enough to walk that would be a great option to explore the city. And when they do get tired, hop on a tuk-tuk or the tram and the kids will surely enjoy that ride.
The people were friendly and accommodating to families with young kids.
Local stores open late in the day, so if you are an early riser, shop for snacks or breakfast the night before. A few supermarkets open by 9 am and a few local cafes open early for breakfast but the ones we found were full or had long queues outside.
Drinking water is easily available at different points in the city. Restaurants or cafes will happily refill your water bottles for you if you ask them.
Safety: We found Lisbon safe to walk around with the kids. We arrived at 12:30 am and were surprised to find the streets quite busy at that hour, with a lot of people enjoying the nightlife.
Many tourist attractions, will have family lines at the ticket counter. One of the perks of traveling with kids, you get to skip the line. Tip: Book the tickets online if you don’t take the Lisbon city card, to avoid the long queues.
Carry cash. Many places accept cards but a few local vendors and stores accept only cash.
We traveled during the last week of January and experienced a pleasant climate with daytime temperatures between 16-20 Degrees Celsius and light showers. We were happy to find places not too crowded during this time.
DAY 1:
Arco da Rua Augusta, Lisbon.
Praça do Comércio: It’s in Lisbon's historical center and one of the most popular neighborhoods, Baixa.
Here you will find the Arco da Rua Augusta which opens out to the main square where the royal palace once stood. Now you will find cafes and restaurants around the square.
Cais das Colunas pier: The pier and the two pillars that sit in the middle of the river signify the ceremonial entrance to the city. We were lucky to find the pier not crowded, an old man was playing the guitar, the waves crashing the steps that signified the entrance to the city while young and old sat by soaking in the cool winter breeze.
A short (uphill) walk from the square is the Castelo de San Jorge. On the way to the Castle, you will pass The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major ( Santa Maria Maior de Lisboa)
Castelo de San Jorge. This historic castle and Lisbon’s national monument is situated in the Alfama neighborhood. The queue to buy the tickets can get long. We bought the tickets online which saved us time. Especially when you have little kids with you. Once you enter the castle, apart from the spectacular views, you will come across a muster of peafowls. We found one putting on a show just as we were entering the Castle. The best time to visit the castle would be at dusk to catch the breathtaking views of the city of Lisbon, the Tagus river, and the gorgeous sunset. https://castelodesaojorge.pt/en/
After walking around the castle, we tried the highly-spoken of, Natas, Portugal’s famous custard tart. We spent the rest of the evening strolling around the lanes of Alfama and made our way down to the Time Out Food Market.
Time Out Food market. Food plays a major role for me when I travel. I feel traveling is incomplete until you eat in the local joints and try out their delicacies. The Time Out Food market can get crowded at night. We went there just a little after sunset and the crowds had not yet kicked in. From local delicacies to wine tasting to even a pizza shop, you will be spoilt for choice. I’ll post about the Places to eat in Lisbon soon. Till then, I’m leaving this link here for you to find out all you want about the market. https://www.timeoutmarket.com/lisboa/en/
DAY 2:
We had planned to head out of the city to one of the beaches nearby but we had to change plans, I had to handle a work emergency so Nikhil and the kids spent the first half of the day exploring the city alone. They did send me a few pics and I must say I felt terrible to miss out on all the fun.
Igreja do Carmo/Carmo Convent Ruins: The earthquake of 1755 brought about significant changes in Lisbon, this Convent is one such reminder of the devastation and is left as it was. The roof collapsed on the congregation killing everyone inside. Walking into the place sends a chill down your spine. While the structure still stands, when you look up all you can see is open skies. The roofless convent as it’s famously known.
Elevador de Santa Justa: A short walk from the Carmo convent Ruins. This is an elevator that stands in the middle of the city center. Apart from its unique design, you can ride it for a different perspective and view of Lisbon. The queues for this can get long. We skipped it.
Ride the tram 28: If you have the Lisbon city card, you can ride the tram for free or you can hop on it for €3 for an adult and kids ride for free. It’s one of Europe's oldest running trams with wooden interiors and benches.
End the evening with dinner at one of the number of restaurants around Barrio Alto or Alfama. We went to Oficina do Duque. Their cuisine was a modern take on traditional Portuguese dishes. And they were very accommodating to our needs. Make sure to make a reservation in advance.
DAY 3
Belem tower, Lisbon.
Get an early start to the day and take an uber or a short train ride to Torre de Belem.
Torre de Belem: A 20 mins tram ride from the city center with get you here. The structure is constructed using limestone blocks. Over the years it was used for hosting a banquet to being used as a prison and later being used as a lighthouse. Tickets can be booked online at https://www.belemtowertickets.com/es/ While you are there, you can enjoy a pina colada straight out of a pineapple, yeah you heard it right, or sip on a glass of wine while you watch the boats entering the port.
Beach Praia de Caxias: After visiting Torre de Belem a quick train ride and you are at the beach in less than 10 mins. Or you can opt for an uber which would be a 5 min ride. The climate during late January when we traveled was pleasant for a beach day. After having a relaxed afternoon, leave for the Monastery of Jeronimos between 3:00-3:30 pm so you get just enough time and avoid the crowds.
Monastery of Jerónimos: On the way back from the beach stop by at Monastery of Jeronimos.Going during the latter half of the day, it was less crowded and allowed us to soak in the place rather than rush through it. For context, it’s Vasco da Gama’s resting place. The architecture will leave you mesmerized. It takes about a couple of hours depending on how fast or slow you go. Food is not permitted on the premises so be prepared to feed the kids before you enter. There are a few local stores just outside including the famous Pasteis de Belem for Natas and other baked goodies.
Monastery of Jerónimos, Lisbon. Portugal.
DAY 4:
Palacio de Pena, Sintra.
You should plan to visit Sintra from Lisbon. It’s a short train ride away of just 45 mins. If you have the Lisbon Travel card, you can travel to Sintra with the same card.
Palacio de Pena, Sintra. It’s one of the most colorful palaces you would have seen. It took us 2 hours to see the place. If you have little ones, book tickets for the bus up to the palace at the same time. They have a timed entry to the palace so having a bit of buffer time with kids is always a great idea. https://www.penapalacetickets.com/en/
Castillo de Moros, Sintra. A short walk from the Palace, you will come to Castillo de Moros or the Castle of the Moors. For all the GOT lovers, this was a treat, it will remind you of dragon stone.
The Triton is a mythological monster that is half-man and half-fish that sits above the entrance of Palacio de Pena at Sintra, Portugal.
There are a few other beautiful places to visit in Sintra but for this, you would need to dedicate another day just to this. We definitely plan to visit these places when we return to Lisbon.
We headed straight to the airport from here since we had a late evening flight back to Madrid.
Have you been to Lisbon? What was your experience like?
