Are you preparing for your family holiday in Portugal? You couldn’t have chosen a better place. From golden sand beaches, secluded coves, colourful streets, and fresh pastéis de nata to historical spots and stunning views, Portugal makes the perfect family destination.
And we are about to make your trip even easier with our tried and tested travel hacks.
Arriving in Portugal
If you are travelling with small children, are pregnant, or are with the elderly, you have priority almost everywhere! This includes the passport control queues and even car rental lines.
Are you landing late at night or early in the morning? Most stores close by 9 PM and open at 9 AM, so either pre-pack your essentials, including diapers, snacks & water or use our on-demand baby gear delivery.
Uber and Bolt are widely used in Portugal and are often cheaper than taxis, so download the app before flying to save yourself some money.
When renting a car in Portugal, compare prices at both airport and city rental locations. You’ll often find better rates outside the airport. Save time by using pre-check-in services to avoid long queues at rental counters.
Important safety note: U.S. car seats aren’t legally approved for use in Europe. Airline baggage handling can also damage seats, compromising their safety. For guaranteed protection, rent a certified European car seat from a trusted local provider like ours (hint: that’s us!). This ensures your child travels safely while avoiding potential fines for non-compliant equipment.
Lisbon Airport is connected to the city via metro (red line), and at peak time it is quicker to use the metro to get to the city centre. It takes around 25 minutes and arrives at São Sebastião. You can also change at major stations to reach Chiado, Rato, and Cais do Sodré.
When In Lisbon
Are you looking for the best playgrounds? Use our handy Google Maps list and find the perfect spot for your child to enjoy some free time while you sip a lemonade at the nearby quioque.
If you are set to try Lisbon’s iconic trams, queue early (before 9 AM) to avoid crowds. According to Carris’s official fare policy, kids under 4 ride free!
You can also opt for a different line that takes a different route but uses the same iconic trams. Trams #12, #15, or #24 are cheaper and less crowded.
Priority boarding: Families with small kids get first access on buses and metros. Most tourists don’t know it, so you might have to try to make your way to the front.
If you are using a stroller, use this handy Google Maps hack: When selecting a route, go into Options (three dots in the top right corner) and choose the “wheelchair accessible” option – it will choose routes that avoid stairs.
Don’t be misled by the weather forecasts. Although Portugal is a hot country, evenings can get chilly, especially in Porto. Make sure you have extra layers with you.
Historical cities in Portugal often feature hills, cobblestones, and stairs, so it’s advisable to wear comfortable shoes.
Portugal is generally safe; however, pickpocketing occasionally happens, especially in busy tourist areas. Ensure your belongings are safe by avoiding the use of backpacks and back pockets for storing valuables. Instead, invest in a secure cross-body bag or waist bag.
Apps to Download Before You Go
- Uber/Bolt – More affordable than taxis and available to book via phone app!
- Uber Eats/Bolt Food – Tired? Eat in!
- Too Good To Go – Discounted surplus groceries and meals (eco-friendly!)
- CP (Comboios de Portugal) – Book trains & check schedules if you are travelling to Porto or the Algarve
- DeepL – Best for Portuguese translations
- Offline Google Maps – No data? No problem!
Portugal is the perfect destination for family travel, so have fun and enjoy this beautiful destination and get ready for a stress-free, unforgettable adventure.
About Rent Anything
This article is published by Rent Anything. Here is what the service is, in case you arrived here from a search.
What is Rent Anything?
Rent Anything is a short-term and mid-term equipment rental service operating in Lisbon and Paris.
Equipment rental refers to paying a daily rate for an item you use and then hand back, rather than buying it or carrying it with you. A mid-term rental means that the booking runs for weeks or months rather than days. Five ranges are stocked: baby and children's gear, mobility equipment, remote-work tech, home and living, and travel and outdoors. In short, you travel light and it is waiting when you arrive.
How does renting work?
Four steps: browse the catalogue, book your dates, take delivery or collect, then return the item at the end.
Rates are quoted per day and fall the longer you rent, because every product carries a rate ladder, also known as pricing tiers, rather than one flat price. For example, a week costs less per day than a weekend does. A minimum rental period refers to the shortest booking an item accepts, and it is stated on that item's own page beside its live availability. According to our own how-it-works guide, there is no deposit at any point. Therefore the figure shown for your dates is what those dates cost, not a starting price. Source: How it works.
Where do you deliver?
Across Lisbon and Paris, including both cities' airports and the Lisbon Cruise Terminal.
Delivery refers to us bringing the item to where you are staying - hotels, Airbnbs, serviced apartments and private residences - rather than you finding a depot. Specifically, it is priced from the distance between our warehouse in that city and the address you give, so the fee appears at checkout. In addition, free cancellation means that a booking can be cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before it starts. Simply put, you book the address you are staying at and we handle both ends. Source: Frequently asked questions.
In summary
Key takeaways
- Equipment rental in Lisbon and Paris, delivered to where you are staying.
- Per-day rates that fall with length. No minimum period, no deposit.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start date.
- Everything is cleaned and sanitised between rentals.
Live prices and availability for any single item are on its own page. Source: the full catalogue.
