Lisbon For Families- Treacherous Hills But Lots To Do With Children
By Rhiannon Hoey
Age is no barrier when it comes to treacherous hills of Lisbon. For families and kids, the city may seem daunting at first but, this is far from the truth. A place for young and old, the incredible colours and spectacular scenery will soon have you forgetting about the dreaded hills and steep streets. Instead, you will be blown away by the beauty, culture and fun of Lisbon.
Lisbon has an endless amount of things to do for families. Despite most children finding history boring, it is made more appealing because they get a taste of the Age of Discovery. This is thanks to the multiple World Heritage sites such as Belem Tower and at Sintra. Lisbon’s Oceanario Aquarium has over 8,000 species of marine wildlife too.
A Lisbon of fairytales
For any little girl who dreams of being a princess, the castle is just like a fairytale looking over the city. It will bring her dreams to life and of course it will also be a fairytale for any of the future princes out there too.
The Botanical Gardens of Belem
The Botanical Gardens in Belem are great for families of all ages. It gives kids the chance to let off a bit of steam and offers a break from the steep hills for everyone in the family. While the kids are exploring it gives parents a great opportunity to relax. There are also shady spots to cool down, have an ice cream or a nice refreshing drink.
Hippo Water Tour
This is a land-sea excursion full of surprises and excitement. Every day is a journey and every journey is a lifelong memory in the streets of Lisbon. So why not do it in the most exciting way possible?
Get around the heart of Portugal in a splash in an exciting fun way to learn about the city’s history and culture through a local guide explaining it all by telling stories, myths and legends. It’s a fun family day out for those who have a great sense of adventure and is an easy way to keep the little ones entertained for at least a solid 90 minutes.
Price: Adult €28pp (17-65) Child €16 (2-16) Senior (+65)
LX factory – The quarter of creativity and imagination
Lisbon’s population is continuing to grow because of the city’s young creatives who are reimaging Lisbon through art-deco and cutting-edge architecture, bars and restaurants from the reuse of dilapidated buildings and from the use of sustainability. There is no better place to go to in the rebranded city than the Lx Factory. It is the social hub for artists. From the moment you enter the Lx Factory you get a great sense of freedom and discovery as your mind will explode from all the colours bursting out in front of you.
Ever dream of going to San Francisco but couldn’t afford it or dreaded the long flight with kids? Look no further Lisbon Is the place to go. It ticks all the boxes as you as it instantly gives you the vibe that you there because of the metro and the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge, it’s a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The best thing about it is, with our beloved friend Michael O’leary you are guaranteed to grab a bargain with flights for a cheeky getaway whether it is a short city break at Easter or a much-deserved family holiday in the summer. Not only that, it’s only a fraction of the price of flights to San Francisco!
While visiting the Lx Factory there are outstanding views of the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge (the longest bridge in Europe) stretching out into the distance from the rooftop bar. The Lx Factory has been reindustrialized by bringing the cities past to life by having an industrial strip with a wide variety of places to do, go and visit as a family. From the wide selection of cafes, bars and restaurants, to vintage shops and yoga studios. At the Lx Factory there is a whole different range of shops that you wouldn’t get anywhere else. In total there are over fifty bars, restaurants and shops that are brought to life through street art.
Where to eat as a family in Lisbon
Eating out in Lisbon couldn’t be any easier with families of all ages due to the wide variety of cultures in the city. I especially liked the African and Portuguese restaurants in the area. I’m possibly one of the pickiest eaters ever and struggle to find somewhere to eat when I’m abroad. However, I simply didn’t have this issue in Lisbon. All of the menus are carefully detailed, and the variety is incredible. You sometimes need to try new things to really know what your taste buds are like.
Places to eat for larger groups, children and families are welcome in most restaurants due to the Portuguese culture being so welcoming and all about family.
Kids love clowning around and the best place for this is the quirky Chapitô à Mesa
Situated around the castle itself, it’s a restaurant housed in the grounds of a circus school. So you can only imagine there are lots of distractions if the kids ever start to get restless and need a little distraction!
At Café Buenos Aires family groups are more than welcome at this Argentinian restaurant
It is known for its views overlooking the city and its steaks. Seating arrangements during the summer months are arranged for everyone to enjoy family time. This means that tables are set in long rows on the pavement outside the restaurant so there’s plenty of room for everybody to enjoy traditional family time together.
Even if you end up sitting inside, don’t worry. The interior is truly fascinating, decorated with vintage knick-knacks and posters of various tango dancers. But get down there early to get yourself a place, due to it being so popular to eat for both locals and tourists.
Family-friendly accommodation Lisbon
Accommodation couldn’t be any more appealing for families with children. Stepping away from the more traditional styled hotel accommodation, Lisbon is packed with unique hostels, boutique hotels and Airbnb’s.
Casa Balthazar – Topped rated Boutique Hotel for families
Casa Balthazar offers modern family-friendly, self-catering units that are perfect for your Lison getaway. Located just three minutes away from the Rossio Metro Station, the hotel is beautifully decorated in a style that blends modern and antique.
With spacious, air-conditioned rooms and suites, complete with all of the mod-cons you could ask for, you’re guaranteed no complaining children or teenagers!. Not only this but, the hotel has a garden, with a pool and sun loungers and the optional selection of having your own private balcony or panoramic views of Lisbon.
Price starting from €123
Lisbon Cheese & Wine Suites – rated it 9.2 for a stay with kids.
Lisbon Cheese and Wine Suites are one of the top picks in Lisbon. It is located in the trendy Santos district in Lisbon, the Suites offer a unique experience in elegant and carefully quirky decorated accommodation. For anyone who enjoys the bohemian vibe, this property is a must.
With a homely feel to it too, you’ll feel right at home straight away! Each of the rooms includes an en suite bathroom, air conditioning and high-quality amenities and WIFI also. The details in the rooms are something else and it is very clear a lot of imagination and time went into creating these pieces of art. The uniqueness of this property is definitely not one to miss. A delicious breakfast is included in the rate and is served every morning, where guests will find a variety of traditional delicacies. There are also plenty of bars where guests can relax and enjoy a beverage in the evening and enjoy traditional Portuguese restaurants.
This article is one of a series about Lisbon. To discover more and get excellent information about this city, head over to the Lisbon Portugal Travel Guide.
As the topic of sustainability is so important, you may be interested to learn more about Why Lisbon Is A Top Sustainable Destination by Eduardo Lera Latorre
If you are considering relocating or retiring to Portugal, you may find this article about relocation and retirement to Portugal of interest. It is written by a relocation expert. Doctor Valentino Coletto.
Other articles featured in this Lisbon series are:
- Lisbon ceramics – how azulejos are a huge feature in the city
- Lisbon as a romantic destination
- Lisbon sports destination
- Lisbon solo travel
- Lisbon with children
- Instagrammable Lisbon
- Sustainable Lisbon
- Lisbon for Millennials
- Lisbon Girlies Weekend
- Lisbon Local Dishes & Top Places To Eat
- Fado in Lisbon (typical Portuguese music)
- Lisbon Architecture
- Lisbon After The Earthquake
- Heading 150 km north of Lisbon – be sure to check out the article on the Silver Coast Portugal – written by my Portuguese partner!!
