Lisbon with kids (2024): itinerary and tips

Your ultimate guide to a weekend break in Lisbon with kids, including a day-by-day itinerary, where to stay, and how to get around.

Feeling the warm sun on my face, my toe tapping to the buskers behind me, I couldn’t help but feel a little smug that we were visiting Lisbon in December. I was sat on the steps of the Tagus River at Comércio Plaza, whilst the boys chased the waves lapping up the steps, dodging tourists with their selfie-sticks.

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Check out our video of what we got up to in Lisbon with kids.

Admittedly the warm winter sun and bright blue skies provided the perfect filter, but Lisbon was a city I instantly fell in love with; cobbled streets connecting grand architecture, restaurants spilling out onto expansive plazas, and brightly coloured buildings framed by terracotta rooftops. Everything I want from a European city break.

Plus, we found that there is so much to do in Lisbon for kids! The Oceanarium and Science Museum were a huge hit, but also riding the trams and metro, as well lots of open, pedestrianised squares for running and chasing pigeons. Then there’s the river; Lisbon is considered one of the most instagrammable places in Europe on a river cruise.

If you’re visiting Lisbon with kids, you should kind some inspiration here. There is particularly lots to do in Lisbon for toddlers.

Our Lisbon with kids itinerary

We usually embrace slow travel and generally like some downtime of an afternoon. Not this time. The boys were on form this weekend and were happy to keep going and going (Portuguese ice-cream must contain magic beans). Plus, there is really so much to do in Lisbon with kids, that we wanted to cram in as much as possible!

We flew in to Lisbon in December on a Thursday morning, arriving at our hotel just before noon, and left on a Sunday morning. So we had 72 hours across 4 days.

Day 1 – Soak up the history

As we arrived at our hotel just before noon, our first day started around lunch time…

Begin your Lisbon family adventures in the heart of the old town at Comércio Plaza. If the sun is shining, head down to the steps on the river and soak up the atmosphere, before enjoying a short wander along the waterfront.

Head back to the Comércio Plaza and through Arco da Rua Augusta to stroll along pedestrianised Rua Augusta towards Rossio. Give in to temptation and stop for a drink at one of the many restaurants spilling out on to the cobbled streets.

Take tram No.12 from Praça da Figueira towards São Jorge’s Castle (it’s a short walk up hill from the tram stop) to marvel the impressive views across the old city and over to the Tagus River and beyond, before exploring inside the castle. Unintentionally, we timed our visit perfectly with sunset.

We had wanted to have dinner in the area, but found restaurants closing. So instead we took a very crammed tram back to Comércio Plaza and found a restaurant along Rua Augusta.

Almost next to the Oceanarium is Pavilhão do conhecimento (Science Museum). This is honestly the BEST kids science museum we have ever been to. This museum is all about learning through play, and extremely fun play.  We spent a good few hours here, and there are friendly staff on hand to help kids work out how to to do things. My boys particularly loved playing with the wheels and cranes in the building area, driving the car with square wheels, creating flowers out of their heads through dance, and programming a robot around a maze. This would be our absolute must do if visiting Lisbon with kids.

Then for some chilled time, enjoy the cable car ride along the river and back again, before jumping on Bus no728 from here  to Comércio Plaza. Walk along Rua Augusta and select a spot for an early dinner.

Back in the city, as we were visiting Lisbon in December, we visited Wonderland Lisboa to soak up some Christmas cheer. Being brutally honest, rides are over-priced and there were long queues. However, I don’t think that’s very different to any other Christmas markets across Europe. But we all loved the views from the top of the ferris wheel, even if the cabin did feel like a sauna in the winter sunshine.

And whilst we found ourselves back at Comércio Plaza yet again, we felt it suitable to enjoy dinner for a third night in a row along one of Rua Augusta’s side streets. If visiting Lisbon with toddlers, this area is perfect for dining as you can sit outside and it’s pedestrianised for your little one to wander around close to the table.

Day 4 – Return home

Our flight back home departed at 10:20 am. We therefore only had time for breakfast, before catching the 15 minute metro to Lisbon airport. If you are departing from Terminal 2, allow enough time to get the transfer bus as the metro takes you to Terminal 1.

If you have more time…

Check out this extensive guide for: things to do in Lisbon. But if you’re visiting Lisbon with kids, we also recommend a visit to the Puppet Museum or Lisbon Zoo.

Where to stay in Lisbon with kids

We stayed at TRYP Lisboa Oriente Hotel and we would certainly recommend it to those visiting Lisbon with kids. Check out the tripadvisor reviews.

The location is fantastic for the Oceanarium and Pavilhão do conhecimento (Science Museum), and there is a massive supermarket in the mall across the road. Plus, it’s only three stops away from the airport. However, we only spent half a day at these places and seemed to gravitate more towards Comércio Plaza and its surrounding streets. To get to Comércio Plaza you either have to take a bus or the metro (including a change). Although this wasn’t too much of a problem as my boys loved riding the public transport.

Check rates and book TRYP Lisboa Oriente Hotel

We had a family room on the 10th floor overlooking the Oriente train station; my train-obsessed boys loved this, although personally I would have preferred a river view. Rooms are modern, clean and a good size. There’s a fridge in the room, although unfortunately no coffee and tea making facilities. We had a double bed and a bunk bed for the boys. Do note that the sides of the beds in the bunks aren’t entirely safe, as there are big gaps where they could fall out. We filled these gaps with pillows and bedding, which worked, but wouldn’t be ideal for very young children.

A buffet breakfast is provided, including a full English, pancakes, omelettes, breads, meats, cheeses – it really is an impressive spread! Although do note that the hotel is popular with tour buses and so breakfast does get busy at all times.

Getting around Lisbon with kids

It is very easy to navigate the public transport system and signage is very clear. Plus, we never seemed to be too far from a metro, bus or tram stop; and rarely had to wait long.

Be warned though that from our experience, Lisbon public transport gets extremely busy, especially around rush hour. We were lucky on a few occasions to actually get a seat. If travelling with babies and toddlers, I would imagine that getting a pushchair on and off would be hard work. Consider taking a carrier.

Getting to Lisbon

We flew direct from Manchester, UK, to Lisbon in December with easyJet. It’s a 2 hour 50 minute flight.

Manchester airport is only a one hour hour drive from our home and we left our car at the airport using the Meet & Greet option booked with Holiday Extras. This is super easy. Drive to the Meet & Greet drop off following the signs (M+G), pass through the inspection area that automatically scans your car to record its condition, park up, drop keys into the machine, and walk the 2 minutes into the terminal. On return, pick up your keys from the collection point in arrivals and you will find your car parked in the short-term car-park. It was 15 minutes from walking off our flight to stepping into our car and driving home.

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