13+ Fun Things to do in Lisbon with Kids

Heading to Portugal with your family and curious about what to do in Lisbon with kids? You’ve come to the right place. Visiting Lisbon with a family is a fantastic idea; the city is full of lively culture, exciting history, delicious food, and colorful treasures around pretty much every corner.

We were in Lisbon as a family with our three kids (9, 7, and 5 at the time) during the spring—April, to be exact—and it was the perfect time to visit. The weather was excellent and it wasn’t too busy yet.

Our family trip to Portugal was part of a two-week Spain and Portugal road trip; I highly recommend it if you have the time! And honestly, our time in Lisbon was a highlight for our family.

Fun Things to do in Lisbon with Kids

We managed to do all of these fun things with our kids in Lisbon in just a couple of days, but I would’ve loved to stay longer if time permitted. I think three or four days in Lisbon would be perfect.

If you have more time in the city, I’m sharing other things to do around Lisbon with a family at the end.

Let’s just jump right into it then, shall we? Here are some fun things to do in Lisbon with kids that adults will really enjoy, too.

Go on a Tuk-Tuk Tour

Okay, not going to lie about this one. Going on a tuk-tuk tour was my favorite part of Lisbon. Bonus points were that the kids LOVED exploring Lisbon on a tuk-tuk, too.

This was such a fun way to see the city. The open-air method of transportation kept the kids awake and alert, and the frequent stops kept them from getting too bored.

Tuk-Tuks are plentiful in Lisbon, but I recommend you reserve ahead of time to guarantee you have one when you want it. We went on a 3-hour tour, but I honestly would’ve done an even longer one.

Skip the hop-on hop-off bus tours. If you’re looking for a great way to explore Lisbon with a family, this is it. Not only does it go up and down those teeny tiny streets, but it gives you an up-close-and-personal look at all the best sites.

Check out These Tuk-Tuk Tours

This is the tuk-tuk tour we went on with our family in Lisbon, but they all looked great. Here are some more top-rated tuk-tuk tours in Lisbon (with kids allowed):

Pro tip: Check the age requirements if you’re in Lisbon with kids. I passed on several of them because the minimum age was 10 or 12.

Paint Your Own Tiles

Hot diggity dog, I’m glad we found this experience. Talk about an awesome immersion into Lisbon’s culture. Painting our own tiles in the city of tiles was easily one of the kids’ favorite things that we did in Lisbon.

You can’t go one block in Lisbon without seeing gorgeous tiles gracing a building’s facade or even on the ground. The kids noticed this, too. So being able to paint their own piece of the city was really neat for them, and for us. We had just as much fun.

Pro tip: Do this on your first day in Lisbon, because the tiles have to cure and you pick them up the next day. Also, make sure you pack them really well so they get home in one piece. Speaking from an unfortunate experience here…

Kid-friendly Tile Painting in Lisbon

This is the tile painting experience we used, but there are several more available in Lisbon for kids. (Full disclosure: my husband thought the instructor was a little short with our two younger kids, but I personally thought her patience after four hours was still well intact!) Here’s a look at some so you don’t have to search high and low for them:

Visit the Aquarium

Honestly, aquariums and zoos aren’t on my list of things to do in cities with our kids. But in Lisbon, we heard the Oceanário was a must-see, so we went. The kids loved it.

We spent a good half day at the aquarium, although I will say that I kinda wished we were out exploring a little bit more. However, if you’re in Lisbon with kids for several days and really need something to do, then hit up the Aquarium. But if you’re just there for a couple of days, I’d maybe hold off unless the weather is bad and you want an indoor place to hang out.

Pro tip: Get this skip-the-line ticket before you go; it actually ended up being cheaper than getting it at the door. Skipped the line and paid less. SCORE.

See the Coolest Tiles in Lisbon

A lot of people recommended checking out the National Tile Museum (the pictures above are from there)….so we went. However, after actually seeing it and being there, we don’t think it’s the most kid-friendly thing to do in Lisbon.

The tiles inside are beautiful, but it wasn’t exactly “kid-friendly,” and all three kids got bored fairly quickly. They also got “shushed” a few times by workers there (and our kids are pretty darn respectful in museums, so this got on my nerves).

Instead, when you’re in Lisbon with kids, take them over to São Vincente de Fora to see the huge tile mural at Garden Botto Machado across from the National Pantheon. It’s 188 meters long, has 52,738 tiles, and has some pretty fun things to see on it.

You can take some fun photos, look for distinctive designs (a round or two of “Eye Spy” is pretty fun here), and marvel at how gigantic the whole thing is. This was a way more kid-friendly thing to do in Lisbon than the tile museum.

Pro tip (if you go): The National Tile Museum has pretty strict “European Hours” (meaning, they close in the middle of the day). And if you’re in line when it’s time to close, you’ll be left high and dry without getting in. They’ll turn you away and tell you to come back later (been there, done that, got the door slammed in our face). So, check out their hours on Google (their website is currently under construction), and plan accordingly if you visit.

Take a Time Out for Lunch

The place is called Time Out Market and it’s basically a huge indoor food hall. While the seating isn’t convenient for little kids (think high bar tops), with more than two dozen different food stalls, shops, and bars; there’s something for everyone here.

It’s actually ranked number one on Tripadvisor, but if you’re visiting the location in Lisbon with a family then I suggest getting there early. It was packed when we were there and we ended up waiting a good 30-45 minutes for a couple of our meals. That’s basically an eternity when you’re hangry. Thankfully it was all delicious and fun, so nobody turned into crazy monsters.

And if your little ones aren’t keen on sitting on tall bar stools yet (or if you need to get some ants out of some pants), take your food to go. There’s a park just across the street. If you’re looking for a diverse place to eat in Lisbon with kids, this is it.

Pro tip: If you’re heading in with kids, have a game plan first. We did one walk-through first and pointed out things the kids may like, then we did a divide-and-conquer situation. I took two kids to get their order going and then he took another one. Each place will give you a little buzzer to tell you when your order is ready.

Eat all the Pastéis!

Speaking of food. I can’t write a post about Lisbon without mentioning my favorite thing: pastéis! A pastel de nata (or pastéis if we’re talking about more than one), is probably one of my favorite thing in Lisbon. My kids, on the other hand, were hit or miss with them. One liked them, one thought they were okay, and one had one bite and said, “NOPE.”

So what is a pastel de nata? It’s basically an egg-custard pastry…but I don’t think that gives it any justice. ⁠The pastry is a super buttery and flakey, melt-in-your-mouth crust filled with a not-too-sweet egg-yolk custard with a caramelized crust. Top it off with a dusting of cinnamon and whoa! They’re sooooo good.

Make it a challenge to see how many you can try—just about every bakery will have them!

Bonus idea: Take a Food Class

But not just any food class. Learn to make your own pastel de nata! We didn’t do this and I regret it, but all the more reason to go back to Lisbon with the family sooner rather than later.

If We Had More Time in Lisbon with Kids

As always, I wish we had more time in Lisbon. It was such a great place to be with a family—the people were friendly, the city was beautiful, and there was so much to do.

Here are a few more things on my list for next time, or for your trip if you have more time in Lisbon with your family.

Get outside at the Jamor Adventure Park.
Usually, adventure parks with zip lines, obstacle courses, and other outdoor activities are only for big kids, but if you have smaller kids in Lisbon, this is the place for you. Their Little Forest Circuit starts for kids 110cm (3′ 6″) tall!

Check out Pavilhão do Conhecimento.
Not far from the aquarium is another place in Lisbon that kids will go crazy for. This kid-oriented science center is hands-on and great for school-aged kids visiting Lisbon.

Head to the beach.
There’s no shortage of beauty just outside of Lisbon. Take the kids to either Praia da Figueirinha or Praia de Carcavelos for a beach day.

Pretend to be Royalty at Castelo Sao Jorge
This castle sitting high above Lisbon dates back to the 8th century. Check their calendar for some fun family-friendly events, and let the kids explore the area.

Hitch a Ride on Tram 28
I so badly wanted to do this, but the tram was packed every time we saw it, which honestly would’ve been miserable for us and our kids. But if you happen to be in Lisbon with your family and see that it’s not elbow to elbow, then this is a must-do.

See the Pink Street
Another thing on our list, especially my girls’ list, that we didn’t have time for. It’s also another place I heard super mixed reviews on. This street, Rua Nova do Carvalho, is indeed painted pink. But besides a fun photo op, there’s not much there for kids. Still, we’d like to go back and see it.

Hang out at the LX Factory
Most people say to get there before the sun goes down (otherwise it gets super crowded), and when you’re there, wander around and immerse yourself in this funky area. Fun street art, music, food…it’s all here.

Day Trip Ideas From Lisbon For Families

Depending on how much time you have in the city, I highly recommend a couple of family-friendly day trips out of Lison that the kids will enjoy.

Take a trip to Sintra (you can see several of the highlights in just a day). Hire a tour guide that will pick you up and drive you around (see several options here). My one tip: get to Pena Palace early. Totally worth a day trip from Lisbon!

Less than an hour away from Lisbon is the largest living cork tree in the world, aka The Whistler Tree. It’s huge and amazing. And keep your eyes peeled for cork harvesting while you’re in the area.

Make your way down the coast for some delicious food and gorgeous views.

And if you have even more time to get away from Lisbon, kids will love finding dinosaur footprints on a beach in Algarve! and a side trip to the Algarve area down south. While a weekend there can scratch the surface, Algarve is an awesome place to relax and enjoy a slower pace of life.

Where to Stay in Lisbon with a Family

We LOVED this place where we stayed in Lisbon. It was fantastic in every way, and my husband even said it was his favorite from our whole trip. With that said: you do need a car since it was slightly outside of the main parts of Lisbon. The host is remarkable and will answer your questions even before you book.

Other places to stay in Lisbon with family:

Happy Lisbon Planning!

I hope you have a great family vacation to Lisbon, and I hope this post helps you find fun things to do with your kids in the city and surrounding area.

If you’ve recently visited and went somewhere awesome in Lisbon with your kids, let me know about it so I can include it!