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Guide · Lisbon

Lisbon with kids

Lisbon is beautiful and steep, and the two facts are related. The hills that produce the views also make a pushchair hard work, and the traditional pavement, small polished limestone blocks, becomes genuinely slippery in the rain. Shoes with grip matter more here than in most cities.

The trick is knowing where the flat parts are. The riverfront runs level for kilometres, and the eastern district built for the 1998 expo is modern, flat and has the aquarium, a cable car and open space by the water. A day there is much easier than a day in the old hill districts, and it is where local families go at weekends.

For the hills themselves, use the funiculars and the lifts rather than fighting them. They are part of the transport system, they cost little, and riding one is an attraction in its own right for a small child.

Open Lisbon on the map

Family places in Lisbon

🎠Activities 6

  • Cantinho dos Póneis (Sintra)A pony farm near Sintra where children can ride and help care for the ponies. Online booking only; a gentle countryside outing to pair with a Sintra day.
    Petting farmOutdoor space
    Official website
  • Frigate Dom Fernando II e GlóriaA restored 19th-century sailing frigate you can board and explore, in Cacilhas just across the river. Pirate-for-a-day territory for kids who love ships. Free under 4.
    IndoorOutdoor space
    Official website
  • HippoTrip Amphibious TourA sightseeing tour in a bus that drives through the streets and then splashes straight into the river. The novelty of a vehicle that floats is a big hit with kids.
    Ages 3+Indoor
    Official website
  • JumpYard LisboaA big indoor trampoline and activity park with foam pits, dodgeball and climbing zones. A good rainy-day option for energetic older kids and teens, but there's also a toddler area for 0-4.
    Play areaIndoor
    Official website
  • KidZania LisboaAn indoor role-play city where kids take on grown-up jobs, from firefighter to surgeon, earning and spending their own play money. Best for roughly ages 4 to 12. Inside the Dolce Vita Tejo mall, a short drive from the centre. Free under 3.
    Ages 3-15Play areaGamesIndoor
    Official website
  • Telecabine LisboaA cable car along the riverfront at Parque das Nações, a short ride with views over the Tagus and the old expo grounds.
    Park
    Official website

🌳Parks 2

  • Estufa FriaA tranquil greenhouse garden tucked into Parque Eduardo VII, with shaded walkways winding past ponds, ferns and exotic plants. A cool, calm escape on a hot day and easy with a stroller. Free under 6, and for all ages every Sunday mornings.
    Outdoor
  • Parque Florestal de MonsantoThe largest green space in Lisbon, a wooded hill with trails, viewpoints, picnic areas and several playgrounds.
    FreePlay area
    Official website

🏛️Museums 3

  • Museu da Marioneta (Puppet Museum)A small, charming museum of puppets and marionettes from around the world, set in a former convent. A quiet hidden gem that works well for curious school-age children. Free under 13.
    Ages 4+
    Official website
  • National Museum of Natural History & ScienceHands-on science exhibits alongside natural-history collections, with interactive displays that reward a slow visit. Good for school-age kids who like to press buttons and ask why. Free under 10.
    Ages 5+
    Official website
  • Pavilhão do ConhecimentoA hands-on science museum at Parque das Nações with interactive exhibits and a dedicated area for under-sixes. Free under 2.
    Indoor
    Official website

🏰Castles 2

  • Castelo de São JorgeLisbon's hilltop castle, with ramparts to walk, towers to climb and peacocks wandering the grounds. The walls and cannons fire up young imaginations, and the city views are the best around. Cobbles and steps make a carrier easier than a stroller. Free under 13.
    Outdoor
    Official website
  • Torre de BelémA 16th-century fortified tower on the river at Belém, with narrow stairs to climb and views from the top. Free under 12.
    Outdoor
    Official website

🦁Zoo & Animals 1

  • Lisbon Zoo (Jardim Zoológico)A large, leafy zoo with a cable car over the enclosures, a dolphin presentation and a petting area. Plenty of shade and space for a full day out with younger children. Free under 3, strollers for hire for free with deposit.
    Outdoor
    Official website

🐠Aquarium 1

  • Oceanário de LisboaOne of Europe's largest aquariums, built around a huge central tank you circle on two levels. Sea otters, sharks, rays and a sunfish make it a reliable winner with kids of any age. In the Parque das Nações riverside district. Activities for all ages including toddlers. Free under 2.
    Indoor
    Official website

🛝Playgrounds 11

  • Anima Park (Cascais)Cascais's first big indoor playground, with around 1500 square metres of soft-play, slides and climbing structures for a range of ages.
    Ages 4-14Games
    Official website
  • Hello ParkA paid, supervised adventure playground inside the Serafina park, with a treehouse, pirate ship, go-karts, a giant ball pit and indoor and outdoor zones. Charged by the hour; best for ages 4 to 9.
    Ages 3-12
    Official website
  • Jardim da EstrelaA beloved central garden with two playgrounds (one with a sandpit), a duck pond, peacocks and a kiosk cafe with a sunny terrace. An easy, pretty stop opposite the Basílica da Estrela.
    Free
  • Jardim da Parada (Teófilo Braga)A leafy neighbourhood square in Campo de Ourique with a playground for ages 2 to 10, small lakes and kiosk cafes all around. Very local, very easy with little ones.
    Free
  • Jardim do Príncipe RealA small playground in one of Lisbon's most charming garden squares, ringed by cafes and shops. It gets busy at peak times, and there's a weekend artisan market alongside.
    Free
  • Parque dos Moinhos de SantanaA scenic hilltop park in Restelo with a playground, mini-golf, skate park, duck pond and historic windmills, plus a cafe terrace and viewpoint over the river. Paths are mostly stroller-friendly with a few slopes.
    Free
  • Parque Eduardo VII PlaygroundA large playground with a sandy area, shade and a zipline, tucked behind Estufa Fria in the city's big central park. A kiosk nearby handles snacks and coffee.
    Free
  • Parque Infantil Coberto da Quinta de Santo AntónioA renovated park in Belém with both covered indoor and outdoor play areas, so it works rain or shine. A dedicated zone for under-3s plus space for older kids, with clean toilets and changing facilities.
    Free
  • Parque José Gomes Ferreira (Mata de Alvalade)A wooded 10-hectare park with a playground, two picnic areas with drinking fountains and the relaxed Esplanada da Mata kiosk for food and music. Good for combining a play stop with a nature walk.
    Free
  • Parque Recreativo do Alto da SerafinaKnown locally as Parque dos Índios, this large playground in Monsanto forest has play areas for every age, a mini road circuit with traffic lights for budding cyclists, picnic tables and toilets with changing facilities. One of the best free days out in the city.
    Free
  • Parque Recreativo do AlvitoA relaxed Monsanto park with varied playgrounds, shaded picnic spots, a sports court and a cafe. Quieter than Serafina and good for a calmer afternoon.
    Free

⭐Local Tips 2

  • Hospital de Bonecas (Dolls Hospital)A quirky, century-old shop and tiny museum where damaged dolls are repaired. An offbeat five-minute stop in the Praça da Figueira area that delights some children and fascinates parents.
    FreeIndoor
    Official website
  • Jardim da Cerca da GraçaA spacious hillside garden between Graça and Mouraria with lawns to run on, a small play area and one of the loveliest viewpoints in the city. A relaxed local spot to let kids loose between sights.
    FreeOutdoor

🍔Kids Restaurants 8

  • A.P.F. Café & RestaurantA genuinely family-built spot with a ground-floor playground and a covered terrace, plus highchairs, a kids' menu and weekend babysitting. Friendly, casual and easy with small children.
    Play areaGamesTerrace
    Official website
  • Doca de SantoA riverside restaurant with its own enclosed playground, so kids can play while parents linger over a meal. Highchairs, a kids' menu and changing facilities, with Belém and the docks for a post-lunch stroll.
    Play areaTerrace
    Official website
  • Este OesteAn Italian-and-Japanese spot at the Belém Cultural Centre with a big terrace, river views and a wide open square outside for kids. Kids' menu, highchairs, changing facilities and crayons on hand.
    GamesTerrace
    Official website
  • Golf SpotA relaxed restaurant at a golf academy near Campo Grande with an outdoor playground and open views. Kids' menu, highchairs and changing facilities, with easy parking.
    Play areaTerrace
    Official website
  • HEROES Galactic FoodA superhero-themed diner packed with life-size figures and comic memorabilia, with costumed characters wandering between tables.
    Games
    Official website
  • Jardim NativoA garden restaurant in Parque Urbano de Miraflores with a playground at the bottom of the garden and mini-golf alongside. Relaxed, green and set up for families, with highchairs and a kids' menu.
    Play areaGamesTerrace
    Official website
  • Monte Mar LisboaA riverfront seafood restaurant with weekend entertainers for children and a dedicated kids' menu. A nicer sit-down meal with highchairs and changing facilities, right by the water.
    GamesTerrace
    Official website
  • Village FoodA casual eatery built into a double-decker bus at Village Underground, with a big open outdoor area where kids can roam. Burgers and snacks, free parking, and a fun setting (the entrance is through a tram yard).
    Terrace
    Official website

See everything we have mapped in Lisbon

Practical tips

  • Let the funiculars do the climbingThe hill lifts run on normal transport tickets and save the worst of the gradients.
  • Wear grippy shoesThe polished stone pavement is slick when wet and catches people out. It affects adults carrying children more than the children.
  • Head east for a flat dayThe expo district by the river is level, modern and full of space to run, with the aquarium at its centre.

Tram 28 is famous and packed. If you want the tram experience with a child, take one of the ordinary routes instead and you will get a seat.