Portugal is fabulous for people with little people! Like Italy and Spain it’s a naturally family-friendly country with loads of experiences for wee ones, teens and in-betweens, and it’s all a mere 2-3 hours flight from the UK, depending where you fly from.
Three hundred glorious 300 days of sunshine every year and some of the nicest winter weather in Europe make things even better. You can pack fewer kiddie-clothes and it’s warm enough to enjoy yourselves day and night.
Known and loved for diverse experiences for every age, Portugal has everything from fantastically ancient castles to 1000 year old towns with narrow, Harry Potter-esque streets. Then there’s the vibrancy of big city life in Lisbon and famously fab Algarve beaches, lovely nature reserves and tons of fascinating UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The Azores, 900 miles out in the Atlantic, belongs to Portugal and the islands share many aspects of its culture. The Jurassic Park-like jungles, vast volcanoes, geysers and volcanic lakes are mind-bogglingly beautiful. City-wise, many people say Lisbon is a better urban-based family destination than Porto, simply because flights land at Lisbon airport and it’s a bigger city.
Once you’re in Portugal, town or city, coast or inland, you’ll find the people unusually kid-friendly. Little ones are allowed almost everywhere including smart art galleries, posh restaurants and grand theatres. Children are a part of everyday life here. The local kiddies are used to adult company and behave as well as their parents when out and about, and it’s heart-warming to see. Your kids will be involved in conversations, asked questions and made welcome by everyone you come across.
Shop in a supermarket with the kids and you’ll probably find yourself sent to the front of the queue. The same goes on buses and trains. You can feed your baby in public without being frowned at and it’s a safe country, too. Plenty of police on the streets, a welcoming national culture and an unusually low crime rate make it safe for your children, too. The pavements in towns and cities are a bit of a nightmare, narrow and uneven, and the hills can be steep, but it’s worth every puff and pant!
Walk the awe-inspiring Arouca 516 bridge
Children love thrills, and we’ve seen some little ones totally awestruck by the majesty of this immense feat of engineering. Teens love the Instagrammable-ness of it all, the romance and the frankly unnerving views. A magnificent sight but knee-tremblingly high up.
Find your way to Porto’s Arouca Unesco Global Geopark to see the planet’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge. It’s 516m / 1693 feet across and dangles a dizzying 175m / 574 feet above the Paiva River, and it feels like you’re flying. You can see through the walkway itself, looking way down between your feet to the landscape below. Not for the fait hearted! Luckily it has high rails either side so there’s no chance of falling off, even if you’re an over-excited child.
Under the bridge the Passadiços de Paiva route awaits you, an excellent alternative if you’re scared of heights. The 8km / 5.5 mile route follows lovely natural wood walkways parallel to the river, a scenic up-and-down stairs walk that’s safe for children, full of eye candy, and burns loads of child-energy.
Tickets are limited and they don’t sell them at the bridge, so make sure to pre-book. The bridge day-ticket includes the Passadiços do Paiva. Between May and September from 6.30 pm you have to visit the walkways first, then the bridge.
More about the amazing Arouca 516 bridge
- It’s 16m / 52 feet longer than the previous record holder, the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge in Switzerland
- It took 3 years to build, from May 2018 to April 2021
- Every group has a guide to take them over
- The bridge cost around €2.3 million to build, which doesn’t seem much when it’s so magnificent, such a huge engineering challenge
Fall in love with family friendly Sagres and the Costa Vicentina
This is the end of the world… well, sort of! In the olden days people thought Cape saint Vincent was where the continent ended. Then, from the 1400s, fleets of bold, brave Portuguese adventurers set sail for parts unknown and changed everything.
This coastline till has the feel of remoteness despite the tourist trade, pointing out into the lonely Atlantic. It’s also an exceptionally nice place for people with active kids, from tiny tots to teens.
Sagres is special for its sun, sea, sand and surf. Try your hand at surfing if you like, joining one of the local surf schools. There are some great restaurants in town, excellent ice cream, live music at night and a whole load of fun in between. The backdrop of dramatic cliffs and the vast Atlantic is simply gorgeous. Nature loving children adore it, the maritime history is exciting, the historic fortresses are wonderfully evocative and the coast itself is simply spectacular.
Every watersport you can imagine, glorious beaches and superb sunbathing delight the teens. The little ones can paddle safely on some beaches and there’s great surf at others. Some have lifeguards and others don’t so always check before setting off – it’s good to have a Lifeguard when there are kids around. Praia da Mareta is a family-friendly beach with golden sand and clear waters. Praia do Tonel is great for surfing and watching surfers do their magic. Praia da Martinhal is picturesque and secluded Praia do Beliche hides between cliffs, nice and quiet.
Sagres in bullets
- There’s a cool Maritime Museum, breathtaking sunsets and brilliant birdwatching
- Nearby Porto da Baleeira fishing village is really pretty
- Walk, hike and cycle in the surrounding area – you can hire bikes for the whole family and follow excellent cycling trails
- Buy local pottery to take home with you – the town is famous for its ceramics
- Sample regional cuisine at quaint family-friendly cafes and restaurants
Wow… it’s the art-filled Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Like everywhere else in this child-loving country, the magnificent Calouste Gulbenkian Museum welcomes babies, tots, tweens and teens. This is one of the most important art collections on earth, everything from ancient Egyptian things to masterpieces from the early 1900s, right in the middle of Lisbon. The rolling gardens are a lovely place to chill out, green and pleasant, a place for children to freely play, watch the ducks and spot big koi carp while you relax and soak in the vibe. Inside it’s cool, shady and stuffed with treasures for arty and creative kids to marvel at.
The cafe is a nice touch for parents, offering simple, tasty food that won’t freak your picky eaters out as well as good value for money. And everything is housed in a setting designed for the collection in the heart of a garden described as one of the country’s most emblematic. There are regular temporary exhibitions here as well, with exciting exhibits on loan from around the world.
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum facts
- Free on Sundays from 2pm onwards
- Free entry for children up to 12 get in free
- Free entry for carers for people with disabilities / limited mobility
- The permanent collection is displayed in time and geographical order, giving you two different ways to experience it
- Work by some of the most famous painters in the world are on show here, including some of the best-loved French Impressionists
- The gardens are perfect for creative Instagram posts and selfies
So what will you treat your children to in your next Portugal holiday? City or beach, natural or urban, chills or thrills?
