Lisbon, Portugal: The best places to see with kids

On our trip to Madeira with TAP, we had the option to make a stopover at no extra cost. We like to visit cities with the kids, Rome and Prague are two of their favorites! We chose to spend 3 nights in Lisbon, Portugal and had plenty of time to explore the best places to see of the city! I found a good flight deal, one with checked luggage included. You’ll find more travel budget tips here!

We stayed at The Art INN in the center of Lisbon, a winner! The lovely rooms, good beds and the most impressive rooftop area where we could enjoy magnificent sunsets impressed us!! We booked this hotel on Booking.com. 

For the city of Lisbon the ‘Lisbon card’ is a good way to save some money (option one, two or three days)! The card is not just to visit the highlights of the city. You can use public transport with the card too.

Lisbon is a popular city. That means it’s challenging from time to time to avoid tourist traps. You read more about this here.

Find out in this article what we did during our short stay in Lisbon!

Tram 28

Getting around in Lisbon, Portugal with this iconic tram gives you a nice sightseeing tour through the city and alle the interesting places to see. Buy a day pass for 6 euros, with this pass you can also use the lifts and funiculars (a single ride costs 3 euros). If you stay longer in the city, there are interesting formulas such as a weekend pass that also allows you to use the metro.

-> if you don’t have a Lisbon card, you can get a ticket for tram 28 here!

Pastéis de Nata

Don’t forget to try the local delicacy: the Pastéis de Nata. You can find them at every bakery in Lisbon.

Castelo de Sao Jorge

This magnificent fortress is located on a 120m high hill in the middle of Lisbon, Portugal and is a place you absolutely have to see. The ascent is beautiful, the view from the top is simply stunning! Visiting the castle takes about an hour and costs 8.5 euros. Not in the mood for a long climb? Take tram 12 or 28 and you are already halfway there! This castle was also like the majority of Lisbon largely destroyed by the earthquake of 1755, but in the last century a large part of the Castela de Sao Jorge was restored. This way you get a nice impression of centuries of history: this place has been used as a settlement since 700 BC, and successively Romans, Visigoths and Moors also found an ideal location on this spot. There are cozy cafes and restaurants nearby!

-> get your skip-the-line ticket for Sao Jorge castle here!

Alfama

Spend a few hours wandering around medieval Lisbon. A great way to spend your afternoon!

If you don’t want to go walking on your own, than join a walking tour!

Praça do Comércio

This beautiful square is located on the banks of the Tagus. From here you can follow the river on foot. The perfect place for a morning walk (and breakfast), we were here also in the evening and saw the inhabitants of the city come together, have a chat and here and there there was also some music, a very pleasant atmosphere! This square has an interesting history. You can take a guided tour here to find out! 

Along the city side of the square is the Arco Triumfal, a beautiful triumphal arch and the entrance to Baixa. This district is the beating heart of Lisbon!

Elevador de Santa Justa

The structure of this lift is somewhat reminiscent of the metal skeleton of the Eifel Tower. Which is no coincidence since the designer was a student of Eifel. This beautiful lift takes you to the higher parts of the district (here you can also use your day pass for the tram). If you also want to visit the viewing platform of the Elevador de Santa Justa, this will cost you 5,15 euros. At sunset this place is magical! The rooftop of the Art INN hotel where we stayed is next to this elevator. So we could enjoy a magical sunset here every evening!!

Museo Arqueologico do Carmo

This museum is located in the ruins of the Convento do Carmo. These are the imposing remains of the Convento that remained after the earthquake of 1755. The Convento do Carmo is located on the beautiful Largo do Carmo square, a neighborhood where there are also excellent restaurants. From the Terraços do Carmo you also have a magnificent view over the city!

Rossio

This beautiful square is surrounded by impressive Art Nouveau facades. Here you can stroll around and enjoy all the activity. In this square, in April 1974, during the revolution, a florist gave a soldier a carnation, which gave the revolution the name ‘Revoluçia dos Cravos’ (carnation revolution).

Ascensor da Bica and Ascensor da Gloria

The Ascensor da Bica is a funicular that goes up 45m to the center of the Biarro Alto, a nice bustling neighbourhood. Finding the entrance to the building where the Ascensor departs is not easy. Behind the Mercado da Ribeira, a market located opposite the Cais do Sondré station, half of which has been a food court since 2014 (an interesting place to pop in!), this funicular leaves from an apparently ordinary house! From the top station of the funicular, it’s only a short walk to the Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcântara, another beautiful vantage point! Next to this point is the Ascensor da Gloria with which you can descend the hill again. The route of the Ascensor da Gloria is again very steep!

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