Whether you’re travelling to Lisbon with tiny tots or teens, you’ll find lots to do to keep them entertained here. Of course there are plenty of fantastic beaches in and around Lisbon which you can get to by hopping on the Cascais train, but as you would expect from a European capital there are enough options to keep all ages happy.
There is a wide variety of fun activities to be found around the Parque das Nações (Park of the Nations) on the banks of the Tagus. Most young travellers will love exploring the city using the iconic yellow trams, although some lines, such as the Number 28 can get pretty busy.
Lisbon Oceanarium shark
Lisbon Oceanarium
This is the largest and one of the best aquariums in Europe. Found in the Parque das Nações, on the banks of the River Tejo, this state-of-the-art building is home to a huge collection of fish, birds and more. The penguins, otters and sharks are the reason most visitors come and they won’t be disappointed. It’s easy to spend at least 2 hours discovering everything that’s on offer here.
If you’re coming here with young children, you’ll want to avoid the long queues for tickets to get in, so it’s highly recommended that you buy tickets online before your visit. To avoid the crowds, which can get in the way of your views of the exhibits, its best to arrive here as soon as possible after opening times.
Cable Car Ride along the River Tagus
Kids will love the thrill of travelling along the banks of the river in a gondola. Giving birds-eye views of the river and the Vasco da Gama bridge, the gondola travels a distance of 1.2 kilometres and each car seats up to 8 persons.
Cable Cars - Parque dos Nacoes
Parks
As well as the Parque das Nações, with its many family-orientated attractions, there are plenty of quiet, leafy parks in the city suitable for walks, picnics and play. Our personal favourites include Monsanto Forest Park with its hiking and cycle trails and a good children’s play area, and the more central Jardim da Estrela.
Lisbon Zoo
A trip to Lisbon Zoo will give you and your kids an opportunity to travel around the world without ever leaving the city. There are Sumatran tigers lurking in the rainforest, lions and giraffes grazing in the African Savannah and gorillas and chimps doing their thing. Kids will especially enjoy the dolphin and reptile demonstrations as well as taking a ride on the cable car and zoo train.
Science Museums
The Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT), housed in a former power station may be of interest to older children, and the Pavilion of Knowledge Science Museum has lots of interactive features and hands-on activities for children of all ages.
