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Original poster

Lisbon with baby & toddler - anyone been to Lisbon?

16 replies

SunflowerLV · 16/02/2015 22:09

Hi,

DH and I are planning a long weekend trip to Lisbon next month with our DS 5mth and DD 4 yr old. I've come across some sites that strongly recommend that you leave buggy at home due to the cobble streets.

We really need to take baby's buggy with us and a buggy board for DD as DS doesn't like being in a sling and DD cannot walk for more than 15minutes without complaining. Is it really that bad or should be consider going somewhere else instead?

Thanks!

OP posts:
Longdistance · 16/02/2015 22:12

The pavements aren't the greatest, well that was when I was there about 6 years ago. But, as the people themselves, I found restaurants pretty child friendly.

PandasRock · 16/02/2015 22:16

We were only there for a day last summer (stop off on a cruise) but yeah, the streets/pavements weren't great for buggies. We had ds (age 2) in one, and it was tough going.

The zoo is fabulous, though. If you do go, go to the zoo. We had the best day.

ToddleWaddle · 16/02/2015 22:20

Streets not great for buggy but aquarium was brilliant!

Original poster
SunflowerLV · 16/02/2015 23:03

We would love to go to the zoo and aquarium. Once we get there I presume it is fine to walk around the zoo and aquarium with a buggy?

OP posts:
Original poster
SunflowerLV · 16/02/2015 23:08

DH said that restaurants open at 7:30pm in the evening. DS likes to have a bath and be in bed for 8:30pm/9pm, unfortunately he is not one to just fall asleep in his buggy. He just cries and cries until we put him into a bed so not sure about what to do with regards to dinner.

Thinking of renting an apartment and getting a takeaway for dinner, what you do you think?

OP posts:
MaryMotherOfCheeses · 16/02/2015 23:27

The aquarium is indoors, so normal floors.

They do like their cobbles there though. And it's hilly! I think I'd be thinking of somewhere else if DD is really wedded to the buggy. Sorry.

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 16/02/2015 23:28

But yes, deffo an apartment. We booked one through Airbnb, there are some lovely ones and you get a kitchen!

PandasRock · 17/02/2015 00:03

The zoo is fine with a buggy. Lovely wide paths at the bottom, but it is a bit hilly, but easy enough to get around. The cable car is a must for an aerial view of it all.

Worriedaboutwee · 17/02/2015 00:47

Second the aquarium we had a great time when ds was a toddler and I don't seem to remember having any problems with the pushchair on the cobbles so it must have been ok!

Original poster
SunflowerLV · 17/02/2015 22:18

Thanks for your replies.

PandasRock - can you take a buggy on a cable car?

Maybe I rethink going to Lisbon or try DS in the sling again. Although Worriedaboutwee, you have me thinking perhaps the cobbles are not so bad....?

MaryMotherOfCheeses - I hadn't thought of using Airbnb. Thanks! Was it very straight forward to book? And were you worried about your children damaging the owner's things?

OP posts:
PandasRock · 17/02/2015 22:25

The cable car was only around the zoo, not a big separate thing.

No buggy, you parked up then queued for the ride. The 'cars' are little - only two people per car, so you'd split up. I went in one with dd1 (age 10, has severe ASD) and dh went in another with dd2 (a small 7) and ds (just 2) and it was a squeeze.

Original poster
SunflowerLV · 17/02/2015 23:27

Ah I see. Can I ask about the cruise you went on PandasRock. I had been wondering whether this would be a good travel option with kids and possibly more relaxing for the parents. I saw an advert for P&O Cruises and it looked good. How did you find it?

OP posts:
MaryMotherOfCheeses · 17/02/2015 23:30

Airbnb was really straightforward. Our DS is a bit older than yours so he's no concern with other people's things, but it's just like renting a holiday cottage, so yes, you keep an eye on your kids but then the owners would be daft to leave really precious stuff around.

PandasRock · 18/02/2015 00:48

We enjoyed it. We travelled with Royal Caribbean. We had interconnecting cabins, which worked really well as we just left the internal door open so it was like a double sized cabin. The dd's in one, ds and us in the other. The boat was good, with lots to do. We had a 10 day cruise, which was just a touch too long, imo, but that is because of our own travelling stresses (eg dd1 with ASD) rather than anything else. The dc enjoyed it a lot. Kids clubs were good - for the first time ever dd1 went to one - although we only used them for an hour at a time maximum. It was nice to have the constancy of the boat and its facilities, but then to be in a new country every couple I days. We visited Italy x 3 (Rome, Genoa and Florence), Nice, Gibraltar, Lisbon and Malaga. For us, all but Rome and Genoa were good stops - those two were not so good due to long transfer times (and logistics of swapping about with no car seats for the littlest two, and knock on of irregular mealtimes etc for dd1) so we stayed onboard instead. We would do another cruise, no question. Dd2 keeps asking when we are next going, and dd1 enjoyed it too. Ds still talks about the zoo in Lisbon, so that clearly made a huge impression Grin

PandasRock · 18/02/2015 00:50

Grr, meant to say Florence wasn't a good stop, not Genoa. Genoa was brilliant - fabulous aquarium.

Celticlass2 · 18/02/2015 10:27

Been to Lisbon and loved it. Wouldn't go with a small child though. It's very hilly and the pavements aren't great. Wouldn't fancy negotiating them with a buggy!.
Also, like Spain the Porugese tend not to eat till late. We usually went for dinner around 9.

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