Winter Escape To Lisbon
Family Friendly Lisbon
While most of our friends escaped to the mountains for a traditional two-week February ski holiday, we opted for beach, ocean, and sunshine in Lisbon. We spent three nights in Lisbon and six nights in Sagres. We flew nonstop from Zürich to Lisbon. To escape the snow and get seriously blue skies, this was an easy decision for our new family of five. If you want Portugal all to yourself, beat the crowds and take your family in February.
Getting To Lisbon
We wanted to fly to Faro and go directly to Martinhal Sagres, but the flights were so expensive and not direct, so we lucked out with such great deals on flights from Zürich to Lisbon. Plus, renting a car and driving to Martinhal Sagres was a great deal. The direct flight from Zürich to Lisbon was a quick 2 hours and 45 minutes. Once we got to Lisbon, we took the subway to Chiado. When we left for the airport at the end of our holiday, we took a taxi 15 minutes to the airport. Super quick and easy transportation in Lisbon.
Lisbon In February
We visited Lisbon in late February and were pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous blue skies and warm weather (low 60’s).
Where We stayed
We wanted a family friendly holiday as we were traveling with our three kids (8, 6, and 4 months old). Martinhal Lisbon Chiado exceeded all our expectations for a city center hotel. The hotel rooms are fully equipped and the roomiest we have ever found in Europe. Plus, there is a kid’s club that’s open until 10pm so everyone can enjoy their holiday.
“Martinhal Chiado Family Suites has just opened in Summer 2016 as “The World’s First City-Centre Elegant Family Hotel” right in the heart of Lisbon’s old town! With 37 individual apartments, family-friendly facilities, a kids club (featuring extended hours for a Pyjama Club) and a family café, Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Family Suites will offer the perfect hotel for families right in the heart of Lisbon allowing you to enjoy the city as a family but also as a couple – while we look after your children! Come discover the last capital city to be discovered in Western Europe with us as a family!”
Our Room
The apartments are fully equipped, above and beyond the baby accessories. The kitchen is fully stocked with a Nespresso machine, washing machine, and a welcome gift including milk, water, orange juice, cookies, and port. (There are plenty of grocery stores in the area to stock the full kitchen)
The rooms are enormous, more of a luxury apartment that a hotel room. These are easily the largest rooms we have stayed at in Europe, especially in a city center. One of our favorite features in the room was the coolest bunk beds in the rooms which adds a ton of extra space.
Where We Ate
Time Out Food Hall
This place has something for everyone, and it’s just a few blocks from Martinhal Chiado. Just like other food halls, it has a lot of famous restaurants in Lisbon all under one roof. We ate sushi, pasteis de nata, burgers, fish, and wine.
Palacio Chiado
This gorgeous old building houses a few restaurants. We ordered fish, steak, sushi and curry. There is something for everyone here also! These two places are perfect options and so close to the hotel.
Pasteis de Belem and Manteigaria
These two cafes are at the epicenter of Portugese pasteis de nata fame. Both are incredibly delicious and absolutely worth visiting. We went to both and they are insanely good. Make sure to get a box full as one is never enough. And at Pasteis de Belem, the interior is so gorgeous, so make sure to take a walk through, look at the kitchen, and all the blue tiling.
Pasteis de Belem is absolutely worth the hype. Stand in the long line and eat across the street in the large park and playground.
Eat at the Time Out Food Hall. There is something for everyone. Except 4 month old babies…
They have everything. We ate pasteis de nata, sushi, burgers, fish, and wine.
For The Kids
Martinhal has a wonderful kid’s club right in the heart of the city. The point of difference between this city location and all the other kinderhotels we have stayed at is we could go out on the town and have dinner out late while the kids are safe inside the kid’s club or with a babysitter in the hotel room. The other kinderhotels we have been to are in remote locations or ski resorts where everyone stays in the hotel.
Our kids didn’t want to leave the hotel or the climbing wall. They ate dinner both nights at the kid’s club. We tried to pick them up when we got back from dinner and ended up picking them up close to 10pm as they just didn’t want to leave. There is a secure locked area and an unsupervised area.
Upon arrival at the hotel, the kids got little backpacks with hats and flip-flops and got to run right into the kid’s club while we got a tour and went to see our room.
The unsupervised area of the kid’s club.
The unsupervised area of the kid’s club is huge!
The M Bar (where breakfast is served) has a kid’s play area.
More of the kid’s unsupervised play area.
This cute little car is in the M Bar (breakfast place in the hotel).
Where We Played
Jardim Vasco da Gama
A gorgeous park located across the street from the famous Pasteis de Belem. This area is the perfect place to let the kids run with a playground, plenty of green space, and a gorgeous view of the Ponte 25 bridge that looks just like the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.
Hop On Hop Off Bus
We love to explore a new city on foot. But we tried new things in Lisbon by taking a hop on hop off tour. We listened to an audio history of the city on the top deck in the front row of the bus. It was a fun way to see the city.
Tram 28
The famous Tram 28 is the perfect way to see the steep hills of Lisbon. It’s a cheap way to see the city. Get an early start as the tram gets very busy.
Santa Justa Lift
A cast iron elevator built in 1902 gets a gorgeous view of Lisbon. Get there early as the line gets quick long as well.
What I Wish
Full disclosure, 48 hours is not enough time to spend in Lisbon. When we do this trip again, we would stay at Martinhal Chiado Lisbon for closer to a week. We would like to explore Sintra, Cascais, the aquarium, and explore the harbor by boat. Next time.
Also, the hills and cobblestones of Lisbon would be a bit tricky for a stroller. So, if you have a little baby, a baby carrier like an Ergobaby or Baby Bjorn would work best. And for tired feet that aren’t used to exploring a city on foot, there are plenty of public transportation options like trams, subway, buses and taxis to get around when they get tired.
Are you planning a holiday in Lisbon? Or have you taken a family holiday to Lisbon?
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