LISBON WITH KIDS

Portugal has been my dream destination for a while. I saved 24 places on the map of Portugal that I would love to see but ten days of our trip wouldn’t be enough even for half of the list. Starting in Lisbon and finishing our road trip in Porto, we needed to make our picks. So here is our road trip itinerary in the order of stops:

  • Lisbon
  • Praya do Guincho
  • Cascais
  • Sintra 
  • Praya Grande
  • Cabo da Roca
  • Sintra 
  • Sao do Martinho da Porto
  • Praya Foz do Arelho
  • Obidos
  • Coimbra
  • Aveiro
  • Praya do Costa Nova
  • Porto 

We spent 3 days in Lisbon and in Porto respectively, so I will focus on both cities a little more. You can read about Porto HERE and about our road-tripping on the North of Portugal’s inland HERE.

LISBON

1. Where to stay with kids

  • Downtown
  • Alfama

Lisbon is a very beautiful and safe city, so wherever you choose to stay is fine – it all depends on your personal preferences. One thing to consider is that some parts of the city are located on steep hills (Bairro Alto, Alfama), and some street are walking only and not accessible by taxis. If you have smaller kids and luggage in toll, I would recommend staying in downtown because it’s just in the middle of everything. From there you can easily reach other neighborhoods and explore them at your own pace.

2. Transportation

A ride in a quaint Lisbon tram as it screeches and rattles through the narrow streets of the city is a must-do for all tourists, but also it is a very convenient way of transportation. These antique looking trams are not only the charming symbols of Lisbon, but also a convenient way to travel around the steep city. The number 28 Lisbon tram is the most famous of all because it passes through the popular tourist districts of Graca, Alfama, Baixa and Estrela. It’s a must-do for many tourists, and alas that’s why it’s always crowded and often becomes a target for pickpocketers. 

Travel tips:

  1. when you check Google Maps for directions you will see trams marked with E (for “electrical”), e.g. 28E
  2. get the 24-hour public transport ticket from any metro station: A single ticket purchased onboard the tram costs €3.00,  while the 24-hour public  costs €6.40 and includes the metro and all tram and bus services
  3. most tourists board tram 28 at Martim Moniz to get a seat, but the lines are long and could take up to 2h  It’s actually easier to get on at its last stop at Campo Ourique, or – strangely enough – on the second stop from Martim Moniz because there are usually some empty seats left. 
  4. consider riding other trams – we liked number 25 just as much as 28!

Also, tuk-tuk are a great eco-friendly option to explore the city – many of them offer tours which you can adjust based on your budget and must-see places.

3. Exploring the city

  • Bairro Alto
  • Alfama
  • Downtown
  • Belem

Bairro Alto neighborhood: Go to the belvedere of the Sao Pedro de Alcantara Garden and walk around Bairro Alto, one of the most typical and now design neighborhoods. See Igreja de Sao Roque. You can go all the way down and end in the Baixa. Go to Rossio you can take the lift “Elevador de Santa Justa” and walk through R. Augusta down to Praca do Comercio (a three-sided square opened to the river) and walk all the way to the waterfront in the Cais das Colunas.

Alfama neighborhood: This charming neighborhood is the birthplace of Fado, it is located in one of the city’s main hills and has very beautiful little streets and stairs that meander between the vernacular buildings of this popular neighborhood.

Downtown area:

  • Castelo de São Jorge (Castle): go inside the castle and look for the door of “Martim Moniz”. He is a popular hero! In 1147 he gave his life so that the king and the Portuguese could conquer the castle and the city to the Moors.
  • Walk downtown’s historical center main street – Rua Augusta
  • Praça do Comércio (yellow buildings plaza near the Tagus river – once palaces of the kings, now government buildings with great restaurants). In the gates of the plaza Arco Triunfal da Rua Augusta pay 3€ and go upstairs (they have a great viewpoint over the city)
  • Rossio
  • Chiado (stop at ‘Santini’ for an ice cream – http://santini.pt/)
  • Cathedral (Sé de Lisboa)
  • Bica
  • Principe Real (go to the Esplanada do Principe Real for an aperitivo before sunset / Embaixada is a new place full of concept stores)

When in downtown area walk the streets of “Chiado” and be amazed with old coffee shops that once were frequented by local artists, writers and poets. Fernando Pessoa is one of the most well-known.

Belém area:

  • Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (don’t miss the cloister) – very close by you have the famous egg custard tarts shop – “Pasteis de Belem”, there is typically a small wait, but is well worth it.
  • Monument to the discoveries (evoking the period when Portuguese ruled the world)
  • Belém Tower
  • Belém Cultural Center – excellent contemporary art collection & beautiful outdoor area with frequent open-air concerts

On your way back to Lisbon from Belem stop by at XL Factory – the locals call it “Brooklyn of Lisbon”, and it did remind us our urban homeland. It’s a large area of converted factories and outdoor spaces around them where you can see some street art, do shopping at cool local boutiques, enjoy various cuisines and have a drink on a terrace under Pont 25 while enjoying the view of the sun setting behind the Chisto statue.

If you would like to see Lisbon from birds view, there are many viewpoints/belvederes to see the city called “Miradouros”. They are free, the view is all yours to enjoy, and in some places, you can enjoy a glass of wine/beer in a “esplanada”. http://www.lisbonlux.com/lisbon/miradouros.html 

One to check out is Miradouro da Graça. Next to Miradouro da Graça you should explore: Cortiço & Netos for the best gifts (azulejos); Teatro da Garagem (super cool theatre + bar with a view); O’ Galeria (illustration gallery

If you happen to be in Lisbon on Tuesday or Saturday check out the big flea market Mercado de Santa Clara. It’s located around a beautiful church in Alfama neighborhood. Lots of cool find for both adults and kids.

4. Parks & playgrounds

  • Jardim da Cerca da Graça – hillside green space featuring city views, picnic areas, a playground & a kiosk café. It’s close to Miradouro da Graca so you can combine the two.
  • Jardim da Estrela – landscaped garden, with plant-filled greenhouses, waterfalls and a kids’ playground.
  • Principe Real garden – lush public garden with an iconic cypress tree (the oldest in Lisbon!) in its center, plus a playground & frequent events.
  • Jardín Botánico de Ajuda – Botanical gardens with fountains & statuary, plus trees & species from Portugal’s former colonies.

5. Food & Restaurants

Portugal, and Lisbon, in particular, is famous for its pastries. You will see a lot of bakeries spread out through the city and there is one new chain called “Padaria Portuguesa” in every neighborhood (like Starbucks but with fresh bread, great pastries, and the most delicious cakes) If you like lemon cakes try the “tarte de limão merengada” and their special is “pão de Deus” (God’s bread) a coconut and sugar bread.

The best custard tart (locals call it “pastéis de nata” – pronounces like “pashtEIs de nAtah”) you will ever taste is at Pastéis de Belém: http://pasteisdebelem.pt/en/. The wait is totally worth it. You can buy a pack of 6 or 8 to bring home with you. It’s about 1.05€ each pastel. Of course every coffee house in Lisbon sells their own ‘pastel de nata’, but this place has the perfect recipe. You can eat them with cinnamon and powder sugar on top (they will provide).

Also, Portugal is famous for its wines, from porto to the green wine “Vinho Verde” – which was my personal favorite, life-changing find (I now prefer vinho verde to all other types of white wines)

Restaurants in Lisbon:

For all of you who read that far (thank you!) – here is the link to my Google Maps with saved Favorites of all the places I mentioned here:

https://www.google.com/maps/placelists/list/nGNbFyEpxryoOGwuBoMMQ59da2e4OQ


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