With kids · Lisbon · Portugal

Lisbon with kids

Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.

Updated 23 October 2026By the AMZBooking editorial team

Quick answer

Lisbon suits families who enjoy trams, castles and aquariums, and Portuguese culture is warm towards children. The hills and slippery pavements are hard with strollers, so plan around trams, lifts and the flat riverside areas of Belém and Parque das Nações. Top picks: Lisbon Oceanarium, Parque das Nações and the riverside cable car and São Jorge Castle. Families usually base themselves in Belém.

Family picks: 5
Best area for families: Belém
Rainy-day options: 1
Busiest months: June–August

Best things to do with kids

Aquarium · Parque das Nações

1.Lisbon Oceanarium

Built for Expo 98, the Oceanário is one of Europe's largest aquariums, arranged around a huge central tank with sharks, rays and shoals of fish, surrounded by four habitats representing the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Antarctic oceans, with sea otters and penguins.

Book online for a timed slot and combine it with the riverside cable car and the Pavilhão do Conhecimento science centre nearby.

Time needed: 2–3 hours
Cost: Mid-priced
Book ahead: Weekends and school holidays sell out at peak times; reserve a slot online.

Kids
Rainy day
Nature

Waterfront · Parque das Nações

2.Parque das Nações and the riverside cable car

The former Expo 98 site is a modern riverside district with Santiago Calatrava's Oriente station, the 12-km Vasco da Gama Bridge on the horizon and a cable car gliding above the water's edge. Wide promenades, gardens and the Pavilhão do Conhecimento science centre make it the easiest part of Lisbon for children.

Rent bikes or scooters to ride the flat promenade towards the Vasco da Gama Bridge.

Time needed: Half a day
Cost: Free

Free
Kids
Outdoors
Architecture

Castle · Alfama

3.São Jorge Castle

Moorish walls and towers crown Lisbon's highest central hill, captured by Afonso Henriques in 1147 and later used as a royal palace. Visitors walk the ramparts and towers, explore archaeological remains of Moorish houses and look out over the Baixa, the Tagus and the bridges from shaded terraces where peacocks roam.

Go late afternoon for the light on the city, and take bus 737 or a taxi up if the climb through Alfama is too steep.

Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Cost: Mid-priced

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Views
History
Kids
Couples

Experience · Graça

4.Tram 28

The classic yellow 1930s-style trams of route 28 rattle between Martim Moniz and Campo de Ourique through Graça, Alfama, the Baixa, Chiado and Estrela, squeezing through streets barely wider than the carriage. It is a working public route as well as Lisbon's most famous ride.

Board at the Martim Moniz or Campo de Ourique terminus early in the morning for a seat, and keep valuables zipped away: the route is notorious for pickpockets.

Time needed: 40–50 minutes end to end
Cost: Low cost

Iconic
Kids
Views
Photo spot

Landmark · Belém

5.Belém Tower

Built between 1514 and 1519 to guard the entrance to Lisbon's harbour, this small Manueline fortress stands at the river's edge decorated with stone ropes, crosses of the Order of Christ and a carved rhinoceros. Inside, a narrow spiral staircase climbs to a terrace with views along the Tagus.

The exterior and setting are the highlight; walk the riverside path from the Padrão dos Descobrimentos and decide on the interior when you see the queue.

Time needed: 45 minutes–1 hour
Cost: Mid-priced

Iconic
History
Views
Photo spot
Kids

Rainy-day ideas

Lisbon Oceanarium — Book online for a timed slot and combine it with the riverside cable car and the Pavilhão do Conhecimento science centre nearby.

Where families should stay

$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and culture

Belém

Belém holds the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the Padrão dos Descobrimentos and MAAT along a wide riverside promenade, plus the original Pastéis de Belém bakery. It is quiet and spacious, with gardens and cycle paths, but it is a 20–30 minute tram or train ride from the centre.

Good: Major sights on the doorstep; Open space and riverside paths; Quiet at night
Watch out: Far from central nightlife; Very busy with day-trippers around midday
Nearby: Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, Padrão dos Descobrimentos, MAAT

Family travel tips

Very young children usually travel free on public transport, and most museums and monuments have reduced or free child tickets; check age limits before you buy.
The Pavilhão do Conhecimento science centre in Parque das Nações is excellent on a rainy day.
A baby carrier is easier than a stroller in Alfama, Graça and Bairro Alto.
Beaches at Carcavelos and Cascais are easy train trips; Atlantic waves can be strong, so stay in lifeguarded areas.
Restaurants welcome children, and many serve half portions (meia dose) that suit kids.

Day trips for families

Sintra (About 40 minutes by train) — Sintra's wooded hills hide the brightly painted Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle, the mystical gardens and initiation well of Quinta da Regaleira and the Monserrate palace.
Cascais and Estoril (About 40 minutes by train) — The coastal line runs past beaches to the old fishing town of Cascais, with sandy coves, a marina, the Boca do Inferno sea cliffs and the Casa das Histórias Paula Rego museum.
Setúbal and the Arrábida coast (About 1 hour by train, plus a bus or taxi to the beaches) — Setúbal is known for fried cuttlefish (choco frito) and boat trips to see the resident bottlenose dolphins of the Sado estuary.

When to go with children

The best months overall are April–June and September–October. June–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.

Questions travellers ask

+Is Lisbon good for kids?

+What can kids do in Lisbon?

Lisbon Oceanarium, Parque das Nações and the riverside cable car, São Jorge Castle, Tram 28 and Belém Tower.

+Where should families stay in Lisbon?

Belém: Riverside monuments, museums and gardens 6 km west of the centre.