Lisbon with kids
Lisbon with kids works better than the hills suggest, as long as you plan around them. The old centre is steep, cobbled and full of steps, and a stroller in Alfama is hard work. The flat parts are where family days go well: Parque das Nações by the river, with the aquarium, the cable car and the science centre within a short walk of each other, and the zoo, which sits on top of a metro station.
Summer afternoons are hot and the big sights have little shade, so do the castle or Belém early and keep a park or the aquarium for after lunch. Distances between areas are longer than they look on a map. Pick one area per day and you will spend the time with the animals and the trams, not on transport.
Things to do in Lisbon with kids
AquariumOceanário de Lisboa
child from €17.70One huge central tank you keep coming back to, ramps and lifts all the way, and cheaper after 4 pm.
ZooJardim Zoológico (Lisbon Zoo)
child from €19A full day out right on top of a metro station, but the cable car does not take strollers.
Science museumPavilhão do Conhecimento
child from €10Hands-on science centre where touching everything is the point. Closed on Mondays outside summer.
Cable carTelecabine Lisboa
child from €5.50Short cable car ride along the river. Easy win with small children after the aquarium.
CastleCastelo de São Jorge
child from €8.50Real walls to walk and peacocks to spot, free up to age 12. The climb to get there is the hard part.
MonasteryMosteiro dos Jerónimos
child from €9The landmark of Belém. Children up to 12 are free, but there is little here for under-8s.
Historic tramTram 28
child from €3.30The old yellow tram through Graça, Sé, Chiado and Estrela. Fun from age 4 if you get a seat.
Land and river tourHIPPOtrip amphibious bus
child from €20A bus that drives into the Tagus. Minimum age 2, no strollers, 90 minutes without a stop.
Palace day tripPena Palace, Sintra
child from €18The coloured palace on the hill. A long day with timed entry, steep paths and stairs inside.
Park and playgroundJardim da Estrela
No ticket neededFree neighbourhood park with playgrounds, a duck pond, a café and toilets, right on tram 28.
GardenGulbenkian Garden
No ticket neededFree, quiet garden with a lake and ducks, good for a stroller nap. No ball games or bikes.
Stadium tourBenfica Stadium and Museum
For football fans from about 7. Closed or restricted on match days, so check the fixture list.
Lisbon with kids: common questions
Is Lisbon stroller-friendly?
Partly. Parque das Nações, the zoo and the Oceanário are easy, and 47 of 56 metro stations have lifts to the platform. Alfama, the castle hill and the historic trams are not, so bring a carrier for those days.
Do children pay on Lisbon public transport?
Children up to 3 travel free on the Metro and Carris with an adult. From age 4 they need a full ticket and their own €0.50 card. A Carris/Metro ticket is €1.90 and the 24-hour ticket €7.25.
Is Pena Palace in Sintra worth it with small children?
Not really before age six. It is a train, a bus, a steep 600-metre approach and a palace full of staircases, with a timed entry to hit. With under-5s, buy the park-only ticket or leave Sintra for another trip.
What can we do in Lisbon with kids when it rains?
The Oceanário and the Pavilhão do Conhecimento are both indoors and a short walk from Oriente metro station. The science centre ticket allows re-entry all day, so the two together fill a wet day.