Lisbon with Children

Review Martinhal Chiado Lisbon Portugal www.minitravellers.co.uk

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Earlier this year we had a wonderful break in Lisbon with Children aged 6, 5 and 5.  We spent 4 days in the city and at a beach hotel just outside the city and loved the whole trip so much we are seriously considering a trip back there at October half term too.

So what was it about Lisbon that we loved so much, and what might you want to think about.

Ease of Travel

The ease at which you can get to Lisbon from the UK. Flights of less than 3 hours from all over the UK at decent times and for incredibly decent prices.  It would have cost £1000 to get to the Algarve at February Half Term for the 5 of us, but instead we paid £250 for all of us to fly to Lisbon from Manchester airport.

Review Martinhal Cascais Lisbon Portugal www.minitravellers.co.uk (3)
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Weather

It can be tricky to find short haul destinations to visit from the UK in February and October if you are wanting a bit of sun.  However we have been to Portugal twice now at February Half Term and had sunshine meaning we could wear shorts and t-shirts and throw on light jumpers or coats if the weather got a little breezy. In my experience children prefer a little sun rather than a lot, particularly if there is no swimming pool to jump into.

Review Martinhal Cascais Lisbon Portugal www.minitravellers.co.uk

Food

The food was quite simply marvellous. Hubby and I would like to return for a gastro weekend in the near future. However the restaurants all welcomed children and there were so many options of where to eat. One of our favourites for variety was the wonderful Time Out Food All in Chiado.

Time Out Market Lisbon www.minitravellers.co.uk

Where to Stay

Lisbon is full of hotels and apartments to suit all budgets. We stayed at Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Family Suites serviced apartments in the centre of Lisbon, specialising in luxury family stays, and also Martinhal Lisbon Cascais Hotel.

Martinhal really do know how to do family friendly, and the apartments in Chiado have to be some of my favourite ever as it was incredible to have a kids club and kids facilities in a hotel in the city meaning we could go out for dinner and drinks happy in the knowledge the kids were chilling out and having a LOT of fun.

Review Martinhal Chiado Lisbon Portugal www.minitravellers.co.uk
Review Martinhal Chiado Lisbon Portugal www.minitravellers.co.uk

Getting Around

As we were negotiating the steep roads, steps, trams and cobbles in Lisbon I remarked to my husband that I was glad we had waited until the kids were old enough to walk around themselves and I wasn’t pushing a pram. For mine it was all about discovery, although towards the end of a day they did get tired and ask to go back to the hotel.  If I had been pushing a pram I may not have been as enamoured with the city. Baby carriers or slings would have worked well for babies but definitely something to consider if you are thinking of visiting with toddlers.

Review Martinhal Chiado Lisbon Portugal www.minitravellers.co.uk

Things to Do

We didn’t have as much time as we would have liked to explore Lisbon but that only means we need to go back. We spent a day exploring the Fairytale Palaces of Sintra and you can take a look at my full post on that here, but there are also attractions such as the Oceanario Aquarium and the Cable Car that runs down by the river; or spend time on the trams, you’ll see some of the best sites in the City and it is only $2.90 a person.

Review Martinhal Chiado Lisbon Portugal www.minitravellers.co.uk

If I haven’t persuaded you to visit Lisbon then why not take a look at some recommendations for European Cities from some other family travel bloggers:

Nell Heshram will revisit Oslo, one of her favourite cities, this summer. On her blog the Pigeon Pair and Me she’s put together a round-up of the top family-friendly museums in the Norwegian capital.
 
Samantha from North East Family Fun has visited Barcelona on numerous occasions with her three children and highly recommends the Catalonian capital as a fantastic city to visit with the kids. Did you know that Barcelona is one of the few cities in the world with it’s very own beach? Find out why Samantha rates Barcelona so highly and recommends as the perfect option for a family city break here.
 
Emma from A Bavarian Sojourn is well qualified to recommend a family trip to Munich having lived there up until recently for the past five years. This city is surprisingly child friendly, and really does have something for everyone. Explore Munich’s green spaces (look out for the surfers in the Englischer Gartens!), visit a local museum, swim in a nearby crystal clear lake, or explore the biggest science museum in the world. Emma’s list of things to do and see here goes on (and on)… 
 
Penny from Parentshaped shares a treasure hunt in Amsterdam, a city packed with invitations to play and new things to discover and learn as a family.
 
Over on Space in Your Case Penny visits Bologna, few people realise is it is the foodie capital of Italy. Bologna also has lots to keep children entertained, as Penny discovered on a weekend break courtesy of Bolgona Welcome.
 
Lisa from Travel Loving Family shares her five must see sights in the capital of Madeira, Funchal. Her recommendations include a scenic cable car ride to a view point at an incredible 1,800 feet overlooking the whole island, a thrilling toboggan ride in a wicker basket and a visit to Blandy’s Wine Lodge to taste the famous Madeira wine.
 
With three hundred days of sunshine, six theme parks and miles and miles of golden sandy beaches, Jane Batt from Taking 5 says you should definitely consider Benidorm when planning your next family holiday. Pop over to Taking 5 and have a look at Jane’s recommendations for what to do and where to stay in Benidorm as well as her family’s top ten Benidorm activities.
Daisy over at Dais Like These Family Travel Blog shares a few ideas on how to keep kids entertained during 24 hours in Bruges, Belgium.
 
 
Ting from My Travel Monkey spent a week exploring snow covered Iceland and discovered there was so much to see and do in Reykyavik – even for young children…
 
If you have visited all of the bigger London icons and are looking for Alternative things to do, hop over to Like Love Do. Donna shares 10 hidden gems in London
 
Check out POD Travels if you’re looking to visit Berlin in the near future. Charly shares the top 30 places to visit with kids and where you can explore without them. With posts on the Berlin Wall, East Side Gallery and Wall Museum, a round up of the top Christmas markets in the city and a look at the Berlin street art scene, there’s more than enough to keep you occupied
If you are planning to visit the UK during your European break, Zena talks about why her family loved their visit to Liverpool and why it’s worth visiting if your looking for a vibrant and cultural city outside of London: http://zenas-suitcase.co.uk/2017/07…
 
 Pop over to Mums do travel to find out why Gretta Schifano and her teenage daughter think that Belfast is a great place for a family city break.
 
Susanna from A Modern Mother tells us the 12 reasons that families should visit Costa Barcelona.
 
Laura from Have Kids, Can Travel had just one day in Pompeii with her family on their Italy Road Trip – here she talks about the strange feeling of walking back in time through someone else’s home from 2,000 years ago, and her top tips on making the most of a even just a short visit to the ruined city.
 
Why not PIN this:
Lisbon with Children www.minitravellers.co.uk
 
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4 thoughts on “Lisbon with Children”

  1. Lisbon with the kids looks like such a fun adventure! I dont have any kids yet, but I m always happy to visit Lisboa, because it has so much to offer. It seems like it is a great destinations for families as well.

    Reply

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