So you’re planning your family trip to Lisbon? As a Lisbon local who now visits a handful of times of year, I understand the challenge with figuring out the best family friendly hotels and areas to stay in Lisbon with kids.
Although the city’s map may look like a labyrinth, the Portuguese capital is now one of Europe’s most vibrant cities and perfect for a family holiday break, but as always, some neighbourhoods are more child-friendly than others. Which is why I thought I’d put it in one handy post for anyone planning a family break to Lisbon, including a variety of accommodations from boutique hotels to apartments that fit larger families.
I also have a fairly thorough itinerary in Lisbon with kids post if you’re still wondering what to do when you get to Lisbon. If you have any questions about any of the areas feel free to write a comment below, or message me on social media – I’m always happy to help!
Best places to stay in Baixa/Chiado with children
There’s a lot to be said for staying in the heart of the city, and Baixa is bang in the middle of it all. A stone’s throw away from Chiado, Alfama and a small tram ride to the castle, Baixa is where you want to be if you’re planning on walking (almost) everywhere.The charming, historic streets of downtown are flat, and some are pedestrianised (bring the kids’ scooters!), with lots of fantastic cafés, restaurants and shops – it ticks all my family-friendly boxes.
MARTINHAL CHIADO
Boutique family hotel
The most child-friendly hotel in Lisbon is located in Chiado, where you’ll find Martinhal Chiado Family Suites. Boasting a kids’ club (evenings too for the foodies out there!), beautifully designed and fully fitted apartments this is undoubtly one of the best places to stay in Lisbon with young children.
You can book here or read our review.
ALMARIA EDIFICIO DA CORTE
Fit for a family of five
An upmarket selection of apartments in the heart of Baixa, it is a perfect base for a larger family to not compromise on comfort and luxury, but with the added bonus of small homely touches.
Find out more about this beautifully decorated selection of apartments.
CENTRAL HOUSE
Budget friendly for families
A budget-friendly option for families wanting to stay in a larger room in the centre of Lisbon, the Central House Hostel is a fantastic place to stay. The hostel is modern and has an industrial-style design and some extraordinary views over the city – perfect for families with slightly older children and teens. Find out more
Best places to stay in Belem with kids
In my opinion, Belém is arguably the most child-friendly area in Lisbon. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city-centre, here you can enjoy the wide-open spaces overlooking the river Tagus; large, beautiful gardens made for little ones to run around, plenty of museums, the Monastery of Jeronimos and Belém Tower keeping grown-ups happy too. Oh, and let’s not forget it’s the home of the iconic Pastel de Nata!
PALACIO DO GOVERNADOR
Pool luxury palace
We love this plush, yet modern palace located in the heart of Belém. It may look a bit fancy for your kiddos, but it does feature junior suits with baby cots and/or rollaway beds, and a children’s pool, so you know your little tribe will be more than welcome to play in the palace’s fabulous gardens and pool.
Famous Crows Apartment
Fit for a family of five
This simple yet modern apartment is a great option for larger families wanting to avoid booking two bedrooms at a hotel, or travelling with little ones.
It has a kitchen and a little lounge area. Centrally located in the centre of Belem, you won’t have to go far to eat, explore and just soak it all up.
MS APARTHOTEL
Pool on a budget & further afield
If a super central location isn’t essential, why not stay in the Algés area of Lisbon? It’s very well connected with the tram that goes by Belem (only 10 minutes away), plus trains direct to Lisbon’s Baixa and many buses. Here you can stay at the MS Aparthotel that is a fraction of the price, but is comfortable and has that all elusive pool (indoor and outdoor), which is almost essential in the summer months.
How to get to Belem
Tram number 15E (modern, great for strollers) will take you straight to the heart of Baixa in around 20 minutes, a taxi drive will cost around €5/6.
Airport transfer The cost of a taxi journey from the airport to Belém is around €12 (depending on traffic).
Where to stay in Estrela, Lapa or Campo de Ourique with kids
Jardim da Estrela is one of Lisbon’s prettiest and most interesting gardens, and with a huge playground, duck ponds, and two great cafés it’s no wonder why I always visit with my son when I’m in town! The nearby neighbourhood of Campo de Ourique is Lisbon’s a great family-friendly neighbourhood, full of small independent shops, cafés and restaurants.
JARDIM DA LAPA
Boutique Hotel
Jardim da Lapa is a small boutique hotel, with a garden and pool perfect for kids to relax after a day exploring the city. It’s close to Estrela with its fantastic park and cafés, though keep in mind there are some steep street to manoeuvre if you’ve got a buggy.
ESTRELA POOL APARTMENT
Stylish and cool
This is a brilliant option for families: a stone’s throw away from the Estrela Park, this cosy but bright apartment has a refreshing swimming pool, in arguably the best location in the city for families, and everything you need for a short stay in Lisbon.
CAMPO DE OURIQUE FLAT
Apartment fit for family of five
This modern apartment is very well located in the cool neighbourhood of Campo de Ourique and fits a family of five. It’s a short walk from the park, Campo de Ourique’s great food market and from Estrela, and surrounded by great cafés and independent shops, and perfect to watch local life go by.
How to get to Estrela
Tram 28 from Estrela will take you straight to the heart of the city (Baixa/Alfama/Castle) in under 2o minutes (tip: If you’re going to Campo de Ourique, catch the tram there as it gets busy in Jardim da Estrela)
Taxi: There is a taxi rank just outside the Jardim da Estrela and alsoby Jardim da Parada in Campo de Ourique.
Airport Transfer: A taxi journey from the airport costs around €12.
Avenida da Liberdade / Principe Real
The Champs-Elysées of Lisbon, Avenida da Liberdade is the city’s biggest and most elegant boulevard, stretching from Marques de Pombal to Restauradores. The tree-lined boulevard boasts some of the city’s most beautiful architecture, designer stores, fabulous restaurants, and several Kiosks, should you need to stop for an imperial or two! The large and flat pavements make it easy to get around with children and strollers, plus you’re within walking distance of virtually all major sights in central Lisbon. Up the hill is where you’ll find Principe Real, one of Lisbon’s best neighbourhoods, home to the Natural History Museum, the Botanical Gardens, fantastic independent shops and a small park with a playground.
CASA DO JASMIN
Boutique in Principe Real
This is a beautifully stylish boutique b&b that won’t break the bank. Well located next tho Principe Real’s park, these hosted apartments have a variety of rooms that suit most families.
THE ONE PALACE DA ANUNCIADA
5* Luxury palace
If you’re looking for a splash of luxury on your Lisbon stay, this five star palace has a spa, pool, gym and a pleasant terrace perfect for a little drink after a day in town. Its extremely well located, within walking distance of many of the cities highlights. The pool area is not particularly suited for toddlers, but older children would certainly love it.
TRANSPORT
Airport Transfer: The AERO bus has a shuttle between Avenida da Liberdade and the Airport. The ticket price is €3.50pp
A taxi journey from the airport costs around €9/€10 (depending on traffic).
Graca / Alfama
I don’t usually suggest staying in Alfama with small children, as the very steep hills, non-existent pavements and labyrithian layout will have you all gasping for air within 10 minutes of leaving the hotel (let alone at the end of the day!). Having said that, the nearby neighbourhood of Graca isn’t nearly as challenging, and may be a compromise if you’re desperate to stay by the Castle.
HERMITAGE CASTELO
Modern apartment near the castle
Cosy apartments near the castle, perfect for families with older kids. The streets are very steep here, and not buggy friendly, so as charming as the neighbourhood is,it’s always a challenge using Alfama as your base.
Further afield – Cascais & Sintra
If you’re looking to mix city and beach, then a stay in Cascais is a must. A scenic 30 minute train journey from the centre of Lisbon, Cascais is the quintessential seaside resort – stylish, quaint and full of character. It’s also perfect if you’re planning on exploring nearby Sintra, and Cascais’ fabulous beaches like Guincho.
Best places to stay in Cascais & Sintra
Family Hotel: Martinhal
My favourite family hotel in the whole of Portugal is located in Cascais – Martinhal Family Resorts. You may already be familiar with the Martinhal hotels, but if not I’d suggest trying them out as they’re really something else. They’ve really sussed out luxury for families, in a beautifully designed hotel, surrounded by woodland and nearby Guincho, where you never feel like your child isn’t welcome – the spa even has parent/child massages! The restaurants have child and baby menus (all home made and wholesome), there’s a kids club, rental bikes to explore the nearby trails and lots of outdoor space for the kids to run around.
Family & Golf: Onyria Quinta da Marinha
We stayed at this hotel a few years ago, and really rated it. It’s more affordable than the option above, but you’ll still feel like you’re on a beach holiday within a short distance of Lisbon. I wrote a review of the Onyria Quinta da Marinha which you may want to read.
– SAVE FOR LATER –
Where to Stay in Lisbon with Kids #FamilyTravel #TMOM #VisitPortugal https://t.co/dCflonXTso pic.twitter.com/wMndLR3ICO — Maria Belfort (@onetinyleap) January 29, 2016
I hope you’ve found this article helpful in planning your family holiday to Lisbon. I’m always happy to help you, so do just drop me an email if you have any questions about a particular area/street.
nb: This post contains affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase, I will get some pennies but it won’t cost you any more.
15 comments
I love Lisbon, it’s easily one of my favourite cities, although I’ve yet to visit it with my daughter. The first time I stayed there, we were in Alfama right next to the castle (the converted kitchens in fact) which was wonderful – but I struggled in heels on the steep cobbles so I definitely wouldn’t want to attempt it with a buggy! I absolutely love Belem though, and that’s a great idea to stay there – very calm but easily to get in and out (and not just because of the pasteis de nata, of course…). #citytripping
OOOOH – definintely saving this one for later. Lisbon is definitely on our list and this was a perfect overview where to target! Thanks and cheers from Copenhagen!
This is a fabulous guide which I am going to pin for later:) I love Lisbon, such an incredibly friendly and interesting city. It used to be one of my fav stops when I worked on the ships. Great tip re: staying in Belem, I will definitely keep this in mind for a future family city break
Great post! I’m keen to visit Lisbon (I’ve never been) so this will be VERY useful. Thank you! Cheers for linking to #citytripping
We are hoping to visit Lisbon later this year so I have bookmarked this page to help with my research! #mondayescapes
Lisbon is a place I’d love to visit and these tips are very helpful, thanks for sharing!
I like centrally located places. Therefore, I think I would like to stay in Baixa. I hope this is the year I would be visiting Portugal.
Lisbon is so incredible. And you aren’t kidding about being hilly. We had our 5 month old in a stroller there and had to carry it half the time. Luckily we brought a kid-carrier as well!
Really useful tips, Maria. Thank you! Great timing for us because we’re off to Lisbon in two weeks – we’re staying in Bairro Alto. Can’t wait!
This is so useful, thank you! I was in Lisbon only once, years before I had kids, and keep meaning to go back with them. As it happens, my memory is selective so, until now, I have put the trip off thinking about the Alfama’s winding streets… it’s great to have names of alternative areas to use as a base, hopefully this means we can come back sooner than we thought! xx
And of course GRACA / ALFAMA is the area that most appeals to me. LOL
Great guide. I have yet to come to Lisbon… mmm you have me thinking now for this summer!! Campo de Ourique looks like a neighbourhoos right up out street! They all look wonderful. Thanks for linking up with #MondayEscapes
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