Exploring Portugal with Kids: Family-Friendly Adventures and Tips

Last summer, we took our two daughters, aged 7 and 17, on an almost two-week adventure in Portugal. Traveling with children is always challenging, and having kids with such a wide age gap brings its own unique set of challenges and advantages, which I wanted to share with my readers. Our itinerary included Lisbon, Cascais, and Porto, and it was a perfect 11 days.

A classic yellow tram ascends through the narrow, picturesque streets of Lisbon, Portugal, with colorful buildings flanking the cobblestone path and an open view of the distant river.

Portugal Itinerary:

• Lisbon (3 Nights) - What can I say about Lisbon? It is by far one of my favorite cities in the world. The perfect combo of food, sightseeing, and shopping can be found in Lisbon, and this is generally what we love to do when travelling. We visited in late May, early June, and the weather was perfectly mild and great for walking around and exploring (beware of Lisbon's hills with kids, they are no joke!). We booked a local Tuk Tuk tour, visited the Lisbon Aquarium, and spent a day just walking around and exploring the city. We came across open markets, grabbed espresso in local squares, and ate TONs of fresh seafood.

  • Hotel: Hotel de Baixa is situated in the charming Baixa neighborhood, which is abundant with restaurants and shops, and only a short distance from the Praça do Comércio, one of my favorite landmarks in Lisbon. We stayed in a wonderful family suite with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

  • Kendra's Tip: When deciding where to stay with children, consider sidewalks. We opted for Baixa because many streets are car-free (only trams) and typically have proper sidewalks. On a past trip, my husband and I stayed in Bairro Alto, but the lack of sidewalks and the bustling streets made us reconsider this location for traveling with kids.

• Cascais (4 Nights) - On my husband's and my previous trip to Portugal, we stopped in Cascais for a quick break on a day trip to Sintra from Lisbon. We fell in love with it from that first stop and knew we had to come back and experience its small-town charm and beaches. We chose to explore Sintra and the Pena Palace from here and booked a private tour through our hotel. Mostly, we lounged by the pool and spent days on the beach. This stop was fully for our youngest, Brooklyn, who will play in the pool/ocean for days on end.

  • Hotel: We stayed at the InterContinental Cascais-Estoril by IHG and once again had a great family room on the main floor. The hotel was very accommodating and helped us book our Pena Palace tour, as well as our transfer to Porto at the end of our trip. While we were there, they had a kids' day celebration and organized activities and special food for the kids all day.

  • Kendra's Tip: I found it difficult to book a trip to the Pena Palace from Cascais before being in Portugal, so I took a chance and waited. It worked out, and our hotel was able to book it for me, but during peak season in late June/July, I may not have taken this chance.

    
    

• Porto (4 Nights) - What can I say about Porto? Its beauty is unmatched. I may be convinced that I will never see another location as beautiful as Porto, Portugal, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Mike and I hadn't made it to Porto on our previous trip, so this was a first for everyone. We were coming to the end of our trip, so we didn't plan too much into the days because the kids started to get tired (and bored in the case of our 17-year-old) at this stage of the trip. The major benefit to this is that Marlee (17) will offer to keep Brooklyn at the hotel while Mike and I explore, or I enjoy a few extra drinks before heading back for bed.

  • Hotel: This gem, 296 Heritage Apartments, was a no-frills mini apartment with a full kitchen and an open living area. The front desk was staffed 7 AM-10 PM only, and they didn't have room service or any of the benefits that come with a hotel. The view from this hotel was the most breathtaking, overlooking the historical skyline of Porto and with views out onto the water.

  • Kendra's Tip: Take time in Porto, we will definitely be going back, and I would easily spend a week here.

Tips I've learned when traveling with Kids and Teenagers -

• Don't overschedule- Plan for Free time

• Plan for Late European Dinners

• Prioritize comfort and ease

• Plan for a no-plan day upon your return

Favorite Places to Plan Trips

I generally use TripAdvisor and Pinterest to plan, and then I'll book on TripAdvisor and Expedia for most activities and hotels. I've learned the hard way that when booking flights, always book directly with your preferred airline.

Conclusion

We LOVE Portugal! After visiting twice already, there is a high likelihood that we will be back, and if we're lucky, may even be living there (fingers crossed) one day. What are your traveling with kids tips and tricks? Share them in the comments below.