Porto with a 2 year old doable?

[blossomhoney2]

Hi all i would love to take my 2 year old to Porto in Portugal but I've heard it's steep - anyone got any experience and know if it's doable? Also anyone got tips of where else to visit nearby? Thinking 3 nights in Porto and maybe 2-3 nights somewhere else? Thank you!

DH has worked in Porto. It is very hilly but flat by the river.

Thanks for your reply! So I guess we need to do some muscle training for pushing the stroller up the hills? 😅

I've been there many times. It's doable but yes you'll get fit pushing him around!

My general view is that everything is doable with a toddler but I would actually say no to Porto. It is lovely but there isn't a huge amount to do there and it is not only ridiculously steep (to the extent some of the streets turn into steps) but cobbled so I think could be quite uncomfortable in a stroller, too hard work for a back pack and challenging for little legs.
As a PP has said, it is flat (but very crowded) by the river, there is a beach, lovely gardens and he might enjoy a boat ride (depends on how good they are at sitting). There may well be more - it was just DH and I so we weren't looking for toddler friendly activities - but I would leave it a few years.
If you wanted another Portuguese city, what about Lisbon? Steep in parts and cobbled but no where near as hilly.

I wouldn't have described it as pram friendly, but I loved the city and it's a great place to visit even with a 2 year old. Our youngest was 7 so we didn't have a pram, I just recall lots of steps, but locals must manage! We stayed in Espinho on the beach and commuted into Porto. Espinho is nice, the waves are quite big though for a 2 year old and the Atlantic is chilly even in summer, our kids really enjoyed the beach though. As a second location Braga is really nice, about an hour from Porto by train. Guimaraes is also meant to be nice, haven't been, it is connected by bus to Braga and both cities are connected to Porto by train. People also rave about the Duoro valley, it looked nice from what I saw on TV on race across the world, but we haven't been.

There's a lot of walking if you're sightseeing, and there are a ton of hills / steps! There's a funicular on the north side of the river to the bottom of the hill which made it a bit easier.
You can easily get a train from Porto to other cities if you want to - I think Lisbon is about 3/3.5 hours a way. You can also do small day trips out of the city to the beach / coast etc

I love Porto but maybe not for a 2 year old. Calçadas pavements + hills are hard work even without a pushchair. Lisbon is probably better as more to do for children and very flat and landscaped all along the river though still very hilly in the centre!

Thank you for your replies and helpful comments - we've been to Lisbon before which is beautiful, I was keen to try somewhere else. I wonder how the locals manage with their kids. Hoping to have a very "relaxed" trip, I have low expectations in terms of being able to see everything but would be happy to hang on the beach and eat some good food. Will need to have a think... alternatively a little town on the beach could be good.

When DS was a toddler we never took a pushchair. Anywhere.

Child in backpack or child walking.

The hassle of a pushchair was ridiculous. We never got on with it. It's didn't fit in the boot of my tiny car - I had to put the back seat down. It worked out that DS was easier to carry as a result. He'd happily sleep in his backpack if he wanted. Or he was king of the world up high and able to see everything which he loved. We had a small backpack which was suitable for aeroplane carry on. And yes we went hand luggage only.

I am not big. Nor particularly fit. DH took him a lot of the time but I carried him a lot. So this isn't something physically beyond most.

Hills? Yeah did them. Did hills in snow and ice too. Steeps yep lots of steps.

It's really not about the place in terms of whether it's doable with a toddler. It's 100% about your attitude. I think far too many people limit themselves when they have a child as to what they can do on holiday. It changes if you have two kids, but just the one? Na just go and stop being so ridiculous about it.

You do not need to take the kitchen sink as well as the child.

We stayed in an amazing apartment very close to the river, so no hills. I'm back at work today (boo) but I will see if I can dig up the details, but basically anything close to the river is what you want.

We stayed in Porto this year. It's fabulous but with a toddler, I'm not so sure.
We then took the train north to Praia de Moledo which is a lovely beech resort. Very small but lots of restaurants and bars, apartments to rent and small hotels. We staying in a villa in Moledo (in the hills) but with a little one I would suggest staying at the beech. It's a wide sandy and very clean.

Research the area well OP, we did this when we visited Madeira, it really payed off it would have been disaster otherwise as I have mobility issues. Madeira is very hilly too, but we found an area where it was flat, with everything we needed around it.

Of course it’s fine! There are 2yr olds that live there!! Like a PP said it’s attitude rather than anything else. We’ve had some great times there with little ones and if you’re worried about the pushchair take a sling. We did a lot of city breaks at that age, I have such fond memories.

I'm not sure why certain posters are giving out so much. Porto is hilly, it is a consideration even if you don't bring DCs.

Fucking hell.

Don't go to a hilly place. It might be too much fucking effort.

In the vast majority of cases this is about attitude not accessibility.

I give up with the stupid mentality of lazy people who can't be arsed with a bit of exercise.

I agree. Some people are really sanctimonious about exercise (RedToothBrush)

We don't know enough about the toddler. The child might not be a good walker or might be too heavy for a backpack. The parents might have mobility issues.

@RedToothBrush why so sweary ?

I didn't say don't go to Porto did I ? It's just good to be aware that it's steeply banked. First time our hotel was lovely but it was a steep 20 minutes walk down and about 30 up for me, DH wasn't keen on taking the tram, so yes it was a consideration as I like to get changed for dinner.

We don't have mobility issues fortunately but we do have a child who refuses to go in one of those carriers for your back (trust me we've tried!😅). And he is quite heavy even for DH. He does like walking but gets tired quickly (although this may change a bit in a few months when I'm planning the trip). Moledo looks beautiful thanks for the reco!

That would be amazing thank you!

Olhao in that case. Pretty little town (though that's really all it is!) with a big market. Easy train to Faro for a day. Regular ferries to the little sand islands which are just perfect, gorgeous beaches. Bonus is it's the Atlantic but if you go to the sides that face in towards the town you'll have warm paddles with no waves.

I rest my case about a can do mentality versus a can't be arsed one.

Is Porto for you? Depends on whether you go on holiday to see things and for an experience or not.

Found it - we booked through YOUROPO and stayed in city centre 3. Fantastic location and a very short walk down to the river.

@blossomhoney2

Have a da out at gullivers world Matlock . Would be supper training for Porto!

Re Porto we’ve just come back and the food was delicious. Cakes and sandwiches very nice. Loads of stuff to see and do,

We never went to the beach as it was raining but a city break with a beach is a great balance with a little one.

Did you even bother to read the OP's last update?

Why choose to make it difficult to have an enjoyable holiday?

There is no need to be so superior or sanctimonious.

Everywhere is doable. It comes down to what adaptations you are willing to make and your dc's temperament too. I backed with mine all over!