Hi all,

My husband, I & our 2 kids (10 & 5) are headed to Portugal and Italy this summer. We are flying into Lisbon on Sunday and leaving Thursday for Rome.

Should we stay in Lisbon as a base or stay 2 nights in Lisbon & 2 nights somewhere else? We want to travel to Sintra but other than this we are open. We will have a rental car.

Also, any recommendation for hotels, must do w/kids and restaurants. Our kids are adventurous re: sights & food!

thank you all for your help.

marie

I would stay 2 nites in Cascais for Lisbon and Sintra, and then 2 nites in Obidos and see Nazare and Batahla.

With only 4 nights, you might want to consider staying in the area of Cascais, as bobthenavigatior mentioned. There are a number of excellent places and, with a car, will give you the freedom of exploring the immediate area.

portugal-info.net/lisboncoast/cascais.htm
www.portugal.com/

As far as where to stay, a budget would be helpful in pointing you in the right direction.

I would spend all four nights in Lisbon, where you neither need nor want a car. You can visit Sintra, Cascais and Estoril using public transport. Are you flying in from the US? Because if so, you are likely to be jetlagged the first day.

Alternatively, I'd consider driving to Evora.

As Thursdaysd said, I would stay in Lisbon. Three dyas it is a short time, even not enough to visit all what Lisbon offers. However, if you want to go to Sintra, Cascais or Estoril (I would go only to Sintra) , it is very easy and cheap by train.

Agree on the staying in Lisbon and training it on some day trips.

thank you all! which part of lisbon would you recommend staying? any hotel recommendations?

our budget is probably 4 star places - nothing like the 4 seasons but still flexible.

yes, we are flying in from the US.

We just returned from a stay in Lisbon / Cascais. We stayed at the Grand Real Hotel Italia and it was absolutely wonderful and great value for how beautiful it was - we payed about 185E a night but not a sea view room. We booked directly with the hotel for a 5% discount. Lisbon is an easy 30 minute train ride, Sintra about a 30 minute bus ride. It was HOT during our May stay and we really enjoyed having some pool time as well as sightseeing time. I really debated whether to stay in Lisbon or Cascais but in the end I was very happy we stayed in Cascais. Lisbon is interesting but gritty, Cascais was just lovely. Enjoy your trip!

I would also agree to stay in Lisbon.
For four days you will have plenty to do and transportation to the Cascais area is so easy.

LIsbon has the largest oceanarium in Europe. It is spectacular. And this is something that your children would enjoy, I think,

You can get a lot of bang for your buck in Lisbon even at four star places. But it isn't necesary to spend a lot of money to get a nice room.

If you want for four nights you could get a two bedroom two bath apartment in a very nice area for about E140 a night. It would be a trade off for hotel rooms but your children would have their own room and you would have lots of space.

Make sure that you get a/c for Lisbon. It can be quite warm.

I agree, stay IN Lisbon. I like the area neat the Rossio station, which is handy for transport to everywhere else, and to restaurants, but the Edward VII Park area is also popular.

Hello,
I think you should stay in Lisbon the 4 nights. Cascais and Sintra they are quite close from Lisbon and from each other, and can be visited in a day.

It is also possible to take a bus from Sintra to Cascais. On a whim, I did this last year and it turned out to be quite a scenic trip down to the coast. Easy to take the train back to Lisbon. Turned out to be a great day out of Lisbon.

Highly recommend the Sofitel Liberdade. Liked everything about this hotel.

thank you all - this is sooo helpful! i would like to stay in lisbon but having trouble finding a central hotel w/a pool. i think this is necessary for our children! lol.

sher, i will check out your hotel - thank you!

also, if we do stay in lisbon or cascais, is a car necessary? we were going to get one just for extra ease. we have travelled thru europe but first time w/our young ones in tow!

thanks again.

sorry, i meant suec1 not sher!!!

Pousadas.pt website have some great deals for this summer..3 or 5 night specials, kids stay and eat free and great buffet breakfasts. We have never been dissapointed..They ofter have car included deals, which we certainly enjoyed. check it out. Portugal is a lovely experience.

I would be hesitant to rent a car esp. if you are mainly staying around Lisbon - the Portugese drivers are crazy! and the public transportation is CHEAP and frequent. With 4 nights I would just stay in Cascais (or Lisbon) and have a relaxing time of sightseeing and pool time for you and the kids. We stayed 5 nights in Cascais - two days it was super hot so we mostly stayed by the pool with a little time in Cascais (those were jet-lag recovery days) then one day in Lisbon and one day in Sintra. You could easily spend another day in Belem or more time for Lisbon. You could probably rent a car for a day to explore further afield (like Evora or Osbios) but really with 4 nights I think you can easily fill the time without a car.

Booking.com has a filter for swimming pool...that might be the easiest way to find a hotel that suits your needs.

I don't know why you are having difficulty finding a hotel with a pool in Lisbon.
The VIP Eden in central Lisbon close to transportation has a pool, I believe.

Sher is right, the VIP Eden has a pool, but is not that great, I think the Tivoli Lisboa would suit you better.

thank you all! what area/s are considered "central" Lisbon? Also, how far is Cascais from Lisbon? I may stay in Cascais (loved the hotel Suec1 recommended) and make day trips.

Thanks again - all this helpful info is clarifying the trip for me!