Our upcoming trip to the Iberian Peninsula keeps evolving! Many thanks to all of those who have helped me so far! We've decided to add a couple of days at the end of our Spain visit to visit Lisbon. It's a city that has long been on our list. I'd love some general feedback on the idea of spending a couple of days in Lisbon with a family--myself, my husband, our two children then 1 and 4. Is there any reason I should hesitate visiting Lisbon with the kids in tow? We are generally quite adventurous, but old threads here on Lisbon have given us to pause and wonder if taking the kids to Lisbon is the best idea--ie safety.

Then what hotel would you recommend? Something very nice, safe area, family friendly, central, easy access to public transit--anything under 250 euros a night.

And lastly is there a day-trip out of Lisbon that would be a good addition to our trip? We're open to any suggestions there. Thank you!

I can't think of a reason to avoid Lisbon.

Sintra is probably the easiest day trip.

I've got some serious doubts about Lisbon after reading this on Frommers.com "Safety--Lisbon used to be one of the safest capitals of Europe, but that hasn't been true for a long time. It's now quite dangerous to walk around at night. Many travelers report being held up at knifepoint. Some bandits operate in pairs or in trios. Not only do they take your money, they demand your ATM code. One of the robbers holds a victim captive while another withdraws money. (If the number proves to be fake, the robber may return and harm the victim.) During the day, pickpockets galore prey on tourists, aiming for wallets, purses, and cameras. Congested areas are particularly hazardous. Avoid walking at night, especially if you're alone." I'm not worried about the petty pickpocketing--that's everywhere in Europe. But this violent theft business is a whole other story. Can someone ease my fears? Is Lisbon an okay place to travel with a young family? And what hotels are best? Help!

We traveled from Seville/Madarid to Lisbon last May! Lisbon is a very interesting city. We stayed at the Hotel Tejo and found the accomodations very nice for the cost. The location was good and central to what we wanted to see and close to the trams. I felt very safe in that area. I had read something on this site about some violence on the trams but we did not see any. I must admit that we arrived late in the evening and walked the streets after dark and felt a little unsafe around the McDonald's area due to a lot of rough looking young people hanging out but we were not bothered. Lisbon is beautiful and the Bay Tejo is beautiful. I have never seen such a blue and sunny sky. Don't miss the Geronimo's Monastery. The shops in the downtown area are nice.
All in all I am glad we went to Lisbon and would advise others to do so. Just keep an eye on your kids as I am sure you already do.

We stayed at the Hotel Metropole, right on the main Rossio square. Nice hotel, large rooms, very nice public sitting room with bar. Probably less than $150 per night for a double. Balconies with views down onto the square and across to the lit up St. Georges Castle. Did not experience safety problems but certainly felt safer in some areas than others. Everything I've read suggests that the Alfama at night is to be avoided.