Things I Wish I Knew Before Traveling to Portugal with a Baby & Toddler

Traveling to Portugal with kids is more magical than you might expect, we certainly think so! In this guide, we’re sharing everything we wish we’d known before our trip, from practical tips we picked up while traveling with our toddler & baby, to family-friendly activities across the country.

Trust me when I say Portugal is the PERFECT destination for traveling with kids. We’ve traveled to many countries with kids, and we’d rank Portugal near the top when it comes to family friendliness.

In our experience, we found the locals to be incredibly warm and welcoming. 

Restaurants – even the nicer ones – never made us feel out of place. In fact, our kids were often greeted with smiles, extra attention, and little treats. More than once, we were ushered to the front of a line simply because we had children in tow. 

At the airports, dedicated family lanes made navigating security a breeze, and throughout the country we noticed how thoughtfully Portugal accommodates parents. Every accommodation we stayed at had a crib (free of charge), and many had a high chair, child utensils, and even toys.

Beyond the logistics, there’s no shortage of family-friendly activities: castles to climb, beaches to explore, trams to ride, and walkable towns that make wandering an adventure in itself. 

If you’re looking for a destination that makes traveling with kids feel easier, warmer, and more fun, Portugal truly delivers.

Plan the perfect family trip to Portugal

• Is Portugal a good place to travel with kids?
• Tips for traveling in Portugal with kids
• Eating in Portugal with kids
• What to pack for Portugal with kids
• Family-friendly activities in Portugal 
• Lisbon with kids 
• Porto with kids
• Madeira with kids
• Perfect Portugal itinerary

Want the planning done for you? We put together a complete Portugal road trip itinerary based on our own 3-week family trip — including where we stayed with two kids, where we ate, and how we spent our time. See what’s inside →

My personal experience traveling in Portugal with kids

We visited Portugal as a family over 3 weeks, staying in 9 different places across Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, and everywhere in between. We traveled with a 3-year-old and a baby, and honestly? It was one of the best trips we’ve ever taken as a family.

See our experience come to life in the video below…

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A post shared by Katie & Ben | PNW Adventure Travel Family (@twowanderingsoles)

This guide is everything I wish I’d known before we left: the practical stuff, the surprises, and the things that made the trip so much easier than we expected.

Want more advice for traveling as a family? We have lots of resources on traveling with children, from newborns to toddlers. Check out our Family Travel Guide for all the answers to your most burning questions.

Is Portugal a Good Place to Travel with Kids?

Short answer: yes, absolutely.

Portugal is one of the most family-friendly countries we’ve visited, and it’s not just us saying that. 

The culture genuinely embraces children. People stopped to chat with our toddler constantly, restaurant staff went out of their way to make her feel welcome, and we were never given side-eye for showing up with babies in tow – even at nicer spots.

Here are a few things that stood out right away:

Portuguese airports have dedicated family security lanes. 

We flew to Madeira and out of Lisbon, and both times the family line saved us so much stress. It’s a small thing, but when you’re wrangling little ones and a mountain of carry-ons, it genuinely makes a difference.

Most transportation and entrance fees are free for young children. 

We generally found that kids under 5 got in free, which adds up fast over a 3-week trip.

Every single accommodation had a crib. 

We stayed in 9 places and not one was without a crib. Only 1 charged us extra for it. Several also had high chairs, kids’ plates and utensils, and even toys waiting for us when we arrived.

Tips for traveling in Portugal with kids

Here are some of the things that I found helpful (or which I had known) for traveling in Portugal with littles:

1. Stroller vs. Baby carrier

This is the question I get asked most, and honestly, I’m still a little torn. Here’s the truth: Lisbon and Porto are hilly. Like, really hilly. Cobblestone streets are everywhere, and navigating a stroller through them can be more work than it’s worth.

We used our baby carrier way more than the stroller. 

I’m a little torn on whether I’d tell you to completely leave your stroller at home though. Because on hot days (even in May it was warm), being able to put down my little “15-pound heater” for a while felt amazing. 

So my advice: bring it, but don’t count on using it much in the cities. A solid baby carrier (like this one) is non-negotiable.

Personal recommendation: we love this travel stroller (which we’ve used on many cobblestone streets!).

2. Get ready for cobblestones

The cobblestone streets are beautiful, but they are no joke for little walkers. Our toddler tripped constantly. Pack a good pair of shoes with real grip (our toddler lived in her Keens and they were perfect). I’d skip anything smooth-soled.

On that note: Bring fun Band-Aids from home. We love this brand and they were clutch for the many minor boo-boos that came with all that cobblestone-navigating. A cute bandage can turn a meltdown into a 30-second fix.

3. Be prepared for diaper changes

Dedicated diaper-changing tables weren’t super common, especially outside of major tourist areas. A portable changing mat in your bag is a must. We used ours constantly.

I also highly recommend packing a diaper bag fanny pack or just a small cross body bag that fits diapers, a small wipe pack, and a portable changing mat. You will not want to lug around your entire diaper bag.

4. Pack light

We brought 1 suitcase for our entire family for 3 weeks, and it made moving between accommodations so much easier. Portugal is easy to do as a road trip (more on that below), and having less stuff to lug around makes everything smoother.

This set is high-quality and really affordable!

5. Plan to do laundry

Since I recommend packing light for Portugal, I think it’s a great idea to plan to do laundry midway through your trip. If you’re visiting in the spring, summer, or early autumn, you’ll want to do this anyway as the midday sun in Portugal has a way of making you sweat (especially if you’re baby wearing!).

I like to choose accommodation with a washing machine at the halfway point of our trip to make this super easy. I also pack these laundry sheets because they are unscented and made without harsh chemicals (you never know what you’re going to get at your accommodation), and they take up no space in your luggage!

Bonus tip: Pack this magic plant-based stain remover in a small, travel-sized container to get rid of those pesky stains (that are bound to happen with kids!) between washes.

6. Adjust to a later bedtime

Portugal, like much of Europe, has later dinners than you might be used to. 

We personally adjusted time zones accordingly, so our daughters went to sleep at night later than what we’d typically do for bedtime at home. (We woke up a bit later too.) 

This meant we could still go out for dinner at night, see sunset, and enjoy the lively atmosphere of everyone gathering in town squares and miradors. I can’t imagine missing this, as it was some of our favorite memories of the trip.

→ Here are some tips on adjusting to a new time zone with little kids.

7. Don’t bring a Pack and Play

Seriously, leave it at home. Every single place we stayed had a crib, and only one charged us extra for it. 

You don’t need it, and it takes up so much space.

8. Driving is easy

We HIGHLY recommend turning your Portugal trip into a road trip. Driving there is genuinely easy, and you’ll get to see so much more of the country. Plus, you can go at your own pace, stopping for potty breaks or for getting snacks.

One nice bonus: there are often parking spaces specifically marked for families with babies. It’s a small thing, but it felt very intentional and welcoming.

Search & Compare Rental Car Prices

• Discover Cars: We personally use this aggregate site to compare rental car prices from all the big name companies and get the best price possible. 
• Booking.com: We’ve had good experiences finding rental cars with this site (formerly RentalCars.com) in the past. 

Discover Cars

Booking.com

9. Make it a game

Portugal is full of castles and historic buildings, which are perfect for little imaginations. We leaned into the fairytale angle hard and turned every castle into a scavenger hunt. It kept our 3-year-old engaged and excited in a way that a simple tour never would have.

Speaking of which… if your kid likes scavenger hunts, download these totally free travel scavenger hunts I made and bring them on your trip! I like putting them in a clear plastic folder (like this) and packing a few dry erase markers so we can reuse them!

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Tips for eating in Portugal with kids

Eating in Portugal with kids was surprisingly easy once we adjusted to the local rhythm. Here are some things to know about food in Portugal as well as a few handy tips if you’re traveling with littles.

10. Order family style

Kids’ menus aren’t really a thing (this is pretty standard across Europe), but we never found it to be a problem.

We ordered a few dishes at each restaurant and shared them family-style, which gave our toddler plenty of variety. She ate everything, but she also has the palate of a 40-year-old and was requesting sardines by day 3, so take that with a grain of salt!

11. Picky eaters will love these items

For pickier eaters, you can almost always find bread, cheese, grilled chicken, rice, pasta, or a simple sandwich.

Pastel de nata is universally loved by tiny humans.

And the brunch culture in Lisbon and Porto is fantastic — egg dishes, smoothies, fresh fruit, and familiar flavors make those spots a great option when you need a more predictable meal.

12. Plan around dinner

Like much of Europe, dinner in Portugal starts late (usually around 7 pm at the earliest). We made it work by showing up right when restaurants opened, eating, catching the sunset, and heading back for bedtime. It actually became one of our favorite parts of the rhythm. 

On nights when we wanted an earlier bedtime, we’d have a big lunch out, then do a casual dinner at our accommodation. Simple charcuterie-style dinners (bread, cheese, fruit, cured meats) worked really well.

13. Get juice at wine tastings

A few spots also surprised us by offering juice for our toddler at vineyard tastings without us even asking. We felt welcomed everywhere, which made dining out way less stressful than I anticipated.

14. Grocery stores are your best friend

Chains like Pingo Doce and Continente are well-stocked and reasonably priced. We grabbed snacks, fruit, staples, and easy dinner fixings from them constantly.

15. Jump the line!

One thing we were pleasantly surprised with is that at many restaurants, families with children are able to skip the line. This is a cultural norm in Portugal, and although it felt weird at first, it was so nice not always having to wait with two little ones in tow.

Now, I don’t recommend just jumping ahead of everyone, as there are some places where you won’t be able to. But don’t be surprised if someone comes and ushers you out of the line and into the restaurant.

This is also true at the airport (look for the family line) and some museums and other activities.

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What to pack for Portugal with kids

Here’s what actually got used vs. what we could have skipped:

Bring:

• Baby carrier (essential, especially in Lisbon and Porto)
• Portable changing mat
• Diaper bag fanny pack (or a crossbody bag that’ll fit just the essentials)
• Band-Aids (we like this brand)
• Shoes with real grip for cobblestones (Keens for toddlers are great)
• Stickers and activity books for eating out and travel days
• Yoto (we travel with ours everywhere and it’s a lifesaver on transportation days)
  • If you’re going to bring a Yoto, you’ll need headphones (like these or these) so that you don’t disturb anyone while listening in public places
• 1 suitcase for the whole family if at all possible (this set is high-quality and really affordable)
• Osprey Poco LT carrier if you are going to Madeira and are planning to go hiking
• Laundry detergent sheets
• This magic plant-based stain remover (pack it in a small, travel-sized container)

→ Shop our favorite screen-free travel toys for kids!

Maybe bring:

• Stroller: a carrier works better for most of Portugal, but we brought our stroller and used it a few times to get a little relief from the heat while baby carrying. We didn’t use it all that much, so this could be left at home if you want.

Leave at home:

• Pack and play: every accommodation we stayed at had a crib (only one charged us extra for this). We personally were so happy we didn’t have to lug ours around the entire trip. Be sure you’re booking accommodation with cribs if needed.

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Family-friendly activities in Portugal

There is so much to do with kids in Portugal, and honestly a lot of it doesn’t even feel like “kid stuff”, it’s fun for everyone.

Here are some of our favorite things we did: 

• visiting an alpaca farm (our 3-year-old was obsessed)
• tasting the non-alcoholic version of ginjinha in Óbidos 
• hiking around the ancient shale villages of Lousã
• swimming at hotels & in a swimming hole in northern Portugal
• exploring the castles in Sintra
• playgrounds are pretty easy to find in bigger cities, which was great for burning off energy mid-day
• sampling pastel de nata all around the country
  • This may be one of my favorite videos I’ve ever posted (and it’s at our favorite pastel de nata spot!)

Lisbon with kids

Here are some highlights of our time in Lisbon:

• riding the trolleys in Lisbon
• we liked this playground because it was right next to a cute breakfast cafe & a quiet mirador of the city
• we took this food tour, and while not geared towards kids, it was fun for all of us!
• we didn’t personally go to the aquarium in Lisbon, but I’ve heard good things!
• getting lost in Alfama
• the brunch scene in Lisbon is amazing and felt very family-friendly. Our favorite was LUDO’s.
• Time Out Market, while touristy, made an easy place to grab a low-stress dinner on our first night.

Porto with kids

Here are some highlights of our time in Porto:

• family photo shoot in Porto 
• riding the Gaia Cable Car
• if you have older kids (6+ years old), this tile painting workshop would be really fun (I took a class on my own and loved it!)
• sunset at this mirador
• We visited the Douro Valley with our little ones and opted to do it on our own instead of a tour so we could go at our own pace.
  • Here’s everything you need to know about visiting the Douro Valley on your own (plus the tours we’d recommend if you’d prefer doing it that way!)

Where we stayed in Porto with kids: This hotel was super well equipped for children (sofa bed, kitchenette, very spacious, pack-and-play), and it was perfectly located.

Psst! If you’re focusing your trip on the cities, our Lisbon & Porto itinerary has everything mapped out so you can skip the research and just show up ready to explore. Grab the itinerary →

Madeira with kids

Here are some highlights of our time in Madeira:

• playing on this black sand beach in Seixal was a core memory for all of us
• wandering around the Fanal Forest was magical for our 3-year-old
• we loved hiking around Madeira, but you definitely need a hiking carrier if your kid is too little to hike on their own (especially on narrow levada trails)
• our daughter loved eating espetada and bolo de caco, local specialties in Madeira

Important tip: If you plan to travel to Madeira with little ones and want to hike, you’ll definitely want to pack this travel-friendly hiking carrier. 

Want the perfect Portugal trip planned for you?

Looking for more family-friendly accommodations?

Want to see more of the country?

We planned the PERFECT (I don’t say that lightly!) Portugal road trip itinerary and it is totally done-for-you, including the places we actually stayed at with two kids, and all our tips for where to eat and how to spend your time.

We have 3 versions, though I cannot stop raving about the hidden gems road trip route.

These were all crafted from our own travels plus countless hours of research and insider tips from locals. And they will save you SO MUCH TIME.

All you need to do is worry about packing (and again, we’ve got all sorts of tips for you there!)

Whichever route you choose, you’ll get a complete, stress-free plan packed with expert advice and local recommendations so you can simply show up and enjoy the adventure.

Don’t miss your chance to grab our Portugal Packing Checklist!

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We want to hear from you!

Do you have more questions about planning a family trip to Portugal? Or just looking for some encouragement from someone who’s been there? Leave us a comment below and we’ll do our best to get back to you!