Family Tour For Kids

Family Tour: Essential Lisbon runs through Little Lisbon - Lisbon for Kids. Rated 4.9 across 58 reviews. Runs 3 hours. From €110.

Overview

A private walking tour built around one idea: children learn a city best when they are given something to do. Run by Little Lisbon, a company that specializes in family travel, the Essential Lisbon tour sends kids off with clipboards, checklists and spotting games while a local guide turns the streets into a series of challenges. Several reviewers described scavenger hunts, trivia and mystery objects, with a local pastry handed out as a reward along the way.

The route runs for three hours through the heart of the city. It starts at Rossio Square, moves through Chiado and Bairro Alto, rides the Bica funicular down the steepest hill, pauses at Time Out Market and finishes at Praça do Comércio. Only your family takes part, since this is a private activity, and a minimum of four people per booking applies.

It suits families with children roughly between toddler and early teen age. Reviewers have taken kids as young as one and a half and as old as eleven, and several said the parents learned as much as the children did. The walking is broken up with games, but the city sits on hills and the pavement is uneven, so comfortable shoes matter.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Rossio SquareThe guide meets the group at Praça Dom Pedro IV, in front of the National Theater near the water fountain on the northern side. The closest metro stations are Rossio and Restauradores.
2. Praça Dom Pedro IVThe tour spends 15 minutes at this square, with free admission, before heading into the old streets.
3. ChiadoA 30-minute walk through this central neighborhood, with free admission and child-friendly commentary along the way.
4. Bairro AltoAnother 30 minutes in this quarter, with free admission, continuing the child-friendly activities and commentary.
5. Bica FunicularA 20-minute ride on the funicular, admission included. If the tram is unavailable for technical reasons, or the line is long, the group walks down the hill instead.
6. Time Out Market LisboaA 15-minute stop at the market, free admission.
7. Praça do ComércioThe final 30 minutes at this square, which is also the end point. The nearest metro station is Terreiro do Paço.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help families arrive prepared for three hours of walking, games and hills.

• Comfortable shoes. The listing is blunt about Lisbon's hills and irregular pavement. Comfortable shoes for adults and children are essential, and the total distance walked is roughly 2,5 miles.
• Strollers and hills. Pushchairs are technically accessible, but the listing recommends a light, thin model because of the slopes and uneven surfaces. Baby carriers, back carriers and woven wraps are suggested as a better option for babies and toddlers. One reviewer did manage a small stroller with four young children.
• Sun and layers. The listing advises hats, sunglasses and sunscreen in summer, plus a coat or sweater even then, since it gets cold after sunset. In winter or rain, bring a raincoat. Weather can also cancel the tour, with a new date or full refund offered.
• Games keep kids moving. Several reviewers said their children resisted the idea of a walking tour and changed their minds once the scavenger hunts and checklists started. One parent reported a son who ended up saying he loved the tour.
• Private group only. Only your family participates. The listing states this is a private tour with just your group, and reviews mention children of widely different ages staying engaged.
• Snack as a reward. A local pastry is included, offered as a reward in one of the challenges. One reviewer described the reward as warm Portuguese custard cakes with cinnamon. Beyond that snack, food and drinks are not included.

Common issues. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off, so families make their own way to Rossio Square. The tour is not wheelchair accessible and requires a moderate level of physical fitness, given the hills and roughly 2,5 miles of walking. The Bica tram can have long waits, departs only every 10 to 15 minutes with a maximum of 22 passengers, and may close without notice, in which case the group walks down the hill. A minimum of four people per booking is required, or the equivalent payment for smaller families. One reviewer described a mix-up at a cruise terminal pickup arrangement, though the office resolved it quickly by phone. Cancellations less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.

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