We were lucky enough to spend a week in Portugal this summer with our extended family, and we all had a blast! Based on our busy itinerary, we rounded up a list of the best things we found to do in Lisbon with kids! My father-in-law actually used a travel agent to book our four days here - which I think was key to helping us discover so many fun activities. Even with kids ages 2-14 plus their parents and grandparents, there was definitely something for everyone at each spot. Here are all the details for our "Day 1" itinerary - a food tour, family cooking class, local shopping, and a rooftop dinner!
10am: Historic Food Tour
OK so you know that I live to eat... but I promise this was the trip highlight of at least half our group! Our guide was Lara from Papa Mia, and she is an absolute gem. Not only is she a mom who cooks with her kids at home, but she's knowledgable, patient, organized, thoughtful, gentle, and so joyful!
She started the morning with us on a walking tour, and we began right outside our hotel in the Barrio Alta neighborhood. As we visited each of the stops, Lara explained the history of each place but also its place in Portuguese culture today (e.g. "On our way to a girls' dinner, we might often by this spot for a drink - like an aperitif!"). As we walked through Chiado and Baixa, she also highlighted other spots (world's oldest bookshop) that we should circle back to later.
While we did this on our last day and it was wonderful, I'd say actually do this on your first day if you can swing it - as it gives you the lay of the land (seeing a few of the coolest neighborhoods) and introduces you to so many traditional dishes. That way you can add more stops to your future itinerary if you find something you missed during planning!
Alright - and now, the walking food tour details.
1. We walked down the hill to our first stop - Manteigaria Silva - the oldest grocery store in Lisbon. It's a small market selling specialty meats, cheeses, olives, jams, and ports. Lara arranged a little tasting of some 'jambon' (prosciutto) and a specialty cheese with some gooseberry jam atop. She even treated us to tiny glasses of port at the end. Everything was so good that we bought several meats and cheeses plus an old port to take with us. Interestingly the meats and cheeses weren't refrigerated when we bought them, so we were actually able to bring them along and save them for a few days later when we had a little hotel party! The port was packaged really carefully, and we were able to bring it home in our backpack stuffed with dirty laundry easily.
2. The next stop was around the corner at A Ginjinha. It's a small shop - and most of the space inside is for the line at the bar to get your little glass of Ginjinha, which you can drink on the little square in front of the shop. The drink is a type of sour-ish cherry liquor. It's famous in Lisbon, and this shop started the tradition in 1840; you can feel the rich history in the way Lara and other locals describe the drink.
3. Our last stop was the Mercado da Ribeira, a large fresh market right next to the famous Time Out Market. We went to pick up ingredients for our cooking class! Lara gave the kids two little carts and a list, and parts of the shopping list, and they helped go around to the vendors finding the items (in a race - boys versus girls). The kids had fun being part of the process, and one of the vendors even gave the kids cuts of watermelon, so basically they were in heaven.
Note: If you plot the stops below on a map, you may notice that it's 2+ miles of walking. For our littlest ones, they definitely started dragging, and Lara was on top of it and offered to arrange a 'tuk tuk' for this last segment. I think for the older kids (5+), it was doable, but it's nice to know this option exists - judgement-free! :)
Noon: Portuguese Cooking Class
After we finished our shopping at the market, the last stop was a modern little rental kitchen up the hill in Chiado called Workshops Pop Up. The space was part cute shop, part modern meets rustic dining space, and part large, new kitchen. Right when we arrived, Lara and her sous chef passed out orange juices for the kids and wine for the adults, and she got the kids started personalizing their little chef hats and aprons with markers.
She told us about what we were going to make:
Bacalhau a Bras: We saw this dish all over Lisbon, and it's SO good. It's a mix of thin shoestring potato chips, eggs, salted cod, and olives... which may sound like something your kids will question - but I am pretty sure they'll love it (as we all did!).
Fish and Prawns Rice: As it sounds - but it's special because all the ingredients are together in one pot so the rice is extra tasty being cooked in the delicious broth. Also - it was fun for the kids (if they are up for it) to help peel the full prawns - as we definitely don't do this very often at home.
Chocolate Salami: Despite the name, there isn't meat in this dish... it's pure chocolate, butter, and pieces of cookie all molded into a salami shape... it's ridiculously good. And it was so easy for the kids to help with this one - by breaking up cookies, whisking, and molding the dough.
Pasteis de Nata: Would it even be a Portuguese meal without these little custard tarts?! You see them everywhere, and there is a good reason for that. They're the local specialty but they are also delicious for any meal. Lara made sure we made at least one per person, and it was another dish that the kids could do nearly independently (especially because she covered the little things - like pre-making the homemade pastry shell so it was ready to roll out when we got there!).
After she told us what we were going to make, she asked each of the kids what they were most interested in making, and she divided them into little groups - working on all the dishes at the same time across the giant kitchen island. It was absolutely no pressure to participate, so a few of the adults naturally gravitated to the kitchen, and many others sat at the dining table in the same room, watching and listening and enjoying wine. It was perfection!
Lara let the older kids work at the stove and was really careful to remind them about safety while allowing them to truly contribute. Every kid participated, and she also had colored pencils and paper out for any breaks in the action (or the littlest ones who tapered off after a bit). Lastly, she was also SUPER conscious of allergens. Lara has a kid of her own with allergies, and she even called our group the night before to confirm which ingredients were OK to be present at all, and then whether there were some ingredients.that we just needed to separate as we were cooking.
And most importantly, it was so much FUN! I think my mother-in-law said it best - it felt like we were part of Lara's family, sitting around in her kitchen for a big holiday - cooking, chatting, laughing, drinking wine - again, perfection!
3pm: Shopping in Chiado, Barrio Alto, and Principe Real
In the Chiado neighborhood, there is SO much shopping - both big shops (H+M) and little local shops - all jammed together in this hilly historical area. When we were here without kids a few years ago, we wandered for hours. But with the kids, we barely scratched the surface. Some of the highlights -
Bertrand (Chiado): To be honest, you have to go here to say you've been at the oldest bookshop... but we found it a little underwhelming. It's probably partly because there were several rooms, and there was only one shelf of kids books in English (which is obviously understandable!). We have another local bookstore on the itinerary for Day 2 though!
ALE HOP: Right across the street, you'll see ALE HOP. This shop seems to be everywhere, and it's chock-full of cheap and colorful gadgets. You can't help but walk in, but you won't regret stopping since the price point is right and it's fun to pick up a unique little toy that doesn't break the bank.
Teorias Promissoras: This place, on the other hand, is a tiny (tiny) local toyshop that has just a few items, but they are those toys that you know will last forever and are both aesthetic and playful. Alongside things like Maileg (you know we LOVE these mice for our dollhouse), they had local jewelry, ceramics, and prints. Definitely recommend.
The Fantastic World of Portuguese Sardines: This one is probably a bit north of the actual Chiado neighborhood but only by a few blocks (and it's right near the food tour stops above if you want to just add it there!). From the outside, it looks like an indoor carnival, so the kids were begging to go back after we passed it on the tour... yes... begging for sardines. But the cans are so beautiful, travel friendly, and such a true taste of Portugal, that we actually also bought several while enjoying the ambiance. They didn't even seem disappointed by the fact that you can't ride the carousel and the only thing sold was fish - they were just matching the energy and vibe of this place by asking to take a bunch of pictures with all the colorful props. Lol. If you miss it, I did also see one in the airport as well. :)
In the Barrio Alto neighborhood, there are lots of bars and restaurants, but at the top of the neighborhood (top being north but also literally the top because it's on a big hill) bordering Principe Real, there are also a bunch of small 'concept' shops. We walked into a few that were cute enough to stay:
Amazing Store: This shop calls itself "sustainable creative" which basically translates into a lot of beautiful made wooden toys with really interesting functionality... we got the sweetest rotating winter landscape musical toy for the family, and Andrew got a mini working pinball game with his allowance.
New BOBO Lisboa: Here is the thing about this store. It's full of the most aesthetic stuff (including toys for kids) with a local flare. But... they weren't that excited when four little kids came running in the door. I thought it was just us (you know, FOUR kids), but it's also referenced in the three most recent reviews of the shop on Google. Even though we were careful to make sure the kids were using a 'two-finger touch' and not touching any of the breakable items... it didn't really feel like a place for kids. So maybe split up and have someone take the kids to the park down the block while you peruse this shop... I think it's worth it. :)
Keep walking down R. Dom Pedro V, and now you're in the Principe Real neighborhood! Again - so many shops and we only stopped at a couple, so you could explore this neighborhood for hours if your kids have more stamina at this point in the itinerary or you're with just adults. :)
Embaixada: This beautiful building is full of small concept shops. If you're into super trendy (and expensive) clothes - this is for you. It's not our thing, but we still loved exploring the little shops to see it all. Also - don't miss a picture on the grand staircases!
Jardim do Principe Real Market: Every day we were in Lisbon, we saw vendors popping up here with handmade goods at this park. Our favorite was Papoa Azul - handmade jewelry and handbags (pictured below). I swear I wanted every single thing she was selling. It's unique and colorful while also being classic - you could pair her jewelry or handbags with a fun outfit or a professional one. I bought a pair of earrings but also confirmed that she can ship to the US! :)
6pm Playground in Principe Real
By this point in the itinerary, the kids have earned a playground!
This isn't the biggest playground, but it's nestled within a larger grassy area full of fun trees to climb.
There's also a small coffee shop here if you need a pick-me-up (or a bathroom lol). And next to the playground is a small (almost hidden) staircase that leads to the Museu da Agua. It's tiny, but it's interesting to see a part of Lisbon's history - as their aqueduct system is still partially-intact and world renowned. But this part of the museum is in an old pumping station, and is small (and free) - it mostly seems like a great place to pursue the small collection of art, listen to music (they do have regular shows down there!) and have a glass of wine. :)
7pm Dinner at Lost In
On this night, you can walk back the way you came and stop at Lost In. You walk down a little alleyway, and it opens up to a beautiful view of the other side of the city. Lost In has a rooftop garden with seating overlooking the city, an eclectic and colorful ambiance, and the food is interesting and delicious.
10pm Drinks at Pavilhao Chines
If you have someone to watch your kids, we heard at least three different locals recommend this cool speakeasy - Pavilhão Chinês. It's right near Lost In, and it an old grocery store with several different rooms - full of collectible toys organized like a museum. We couldn't make it, but we're putting in on the list so we can live vicariously through you when you go! ;)
Instead of the bar (or in addition to it), walk down a couple more blocks to Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara - a little square with a terrace overlooking the rooftops. There are little food vendors and occasional live music, but it's all about the views and people watching!
By now you're exhausted from relaxing all day :), so we hope you're staying close by - at The Lumiares! It's a boutique hotel right in the middle of the Barrio Alta district. It's the perfect jumping off location to explore Lisbon, and the rooms were modern with a Portuguese touch. Even though it's in the 'party district' (full of restaurants and bars), we found it to be quiet and calming inside. Our favorite part was actually the breakfast at their rooftop bar - but more about that on our "Day 2" post coming soon!
We know you'll enjoy this relaxing day of eating and shopping - so save the summary itinerary below!
Kommentare