Why

Cascais and Sintra and indeed Portugal in general are all very family friendly and laid back and a great option for a family friendly holiday. It has a charming streets, fabulous food, elegant shopping boutiques and lovely beaches. Families will find it a good way to combine a beach holiday in the beautiful local beaches with lots to see and do with the kids in Lisbon which we have covered separately in this guide.

When and how

The weather is mild and clement from spring right through summer to the autumn months, with warm days often continuing right through to November. Even if you travel to Cascais or Sintra in winter you will find it mild, rather than cold, but there is often rain in winter. Lisbon which is close by is well served with flights from Ireland and the UK ranging from scheduled and budget flights through to charter flights. You can check special offers or deals here.

If you would like to explore the surrounding area try to hire a car and you can check here for deals and special offers on car hire.

Family friendly accommodation

Cascais and Sintra have lots of family friendly accommodation options including apartments and hotels. You can check for special offers and deals here with booking.com.

Hotel Cascais Miragem features 192 luxurious rooms that include 11 suites and 3 junior suites, most of them with views over the ocean, Cascais Bay and its marina. The hotel has 2 restaurants, 2 bars (Aqua Bar open only during the summer) and an infinity edge pool that creates the feeling of being submerged in the endless ocean. Children have special services for them such as children's pool, on-call babysitting services, a children's menu and toys in the room (on request). Recently opened for younger children is the Kid's Place to enable little ones to play and enjoy themselves while parents rest. Including a castle, plasma TV with the latest cartoons, Play station 2 (on request), games and colouring books (amongst other things), children can be entertained for hours. Book this here with booking.com for special offers and online deals.

The Penna Longa Hotel & Golf Resort in Sintra is a luxurious hotel where families are well catered for in a number of connecting rooms. There is a kids club open in the school holidays which provides an array of activities both on and off site for kids between five and twelve. There are two golf courses and you can visit the state-of-the-art spa, 1500m² in size, or make use of the limousine service.Sport enthusiasts can go for a swim, visit the fully equipped fitness centre, play a game of squash or use the jogging tracks. Next to outdoor tennis courts is a special children’s area. Book great online delas and special offers here with booking.com.

Hotel Apartamento VivaMarinha is 5-star Hotel Apartment is located in Quinta da Marinha, right next to Cascais. The hotel offers luxury location surrounded by nature, very close to two nice golf courses, tennis facilities and a horse-back riding centre. There are studios, one bed and two bed accommodation. Book this here with booking.com.

What to see and do with the kids

The beaches are a huge draw but if you can drag the kid’s way from the beaches you can try a few of these suggestions. If you want to book some sightseeing and fun things to do with the kids before you go have a look at the excursions offered by isango which will save you time and hassle when you are on holiday and help you to plan what to see and do with the kids.

The Sea Museum contains everything maritime from model boats to fishermen's boots and the 16th-century Fort of Cascais offers a beautiful view and an open-air artillery museum.

Go and see the strange rock formation known as the Mouth of Hell. It is worth a look en route to the lovely beach of Guincho, which is a favourite with surfers.

You can easily take trips to Lisbon and here are some ideas for what to do in Lisbon and wander the streets of the Barrio Alto which are exciting and full of twists and turns.

Visit the hilltop castle of Castelo de Sao Jorge in Lisbon. Children can enjoy the watchtowers and the views across the city.

Visit Lisbon Zoo. The family can take an aerial ride in a mini-cable car over the lion en closure included in the admission price.

Visit the Principe Real Gardens. This a great place to just hang out with the kids.

Take a mini cruise with the kids on the picturesque Tagus River which flows through the capital city of Lisbon. Enjoy the panoramic sights of Lisbon which overlooks the river and the ocean.

Visit the Mosterio do Jeronimos in Lisbon which is a beautiful museum which houses exhibits on ship building, navigation and archaeology and go see the Torre de Belem which is a 16th century tower with battlements, a dungeon and watchtowers.

Take a hop on hop off tour to get a broad range of attractions in one go. From Vasco da Gama’s navigational triumph to the majestic tower at Belem and the collection of coaches in Museu Nacional dos Coches - the diversity and richness of Portuguese history will be of interest to all of the family.

The Parque das Nacoes in Lisbon is sure to be popular with children and adults alike. It features gardens, shops, restaurants and a cable car. The Pavilion of Knowledge is a knowledge museum which is a real hands on experience. You can all try moon walking, barfly jumping and bubble-blowing. Kids can build houses with foam bricks, trucks and cranes in the Unfinished House. It also features the Oceanarium which is one of the world's largest aquariums and one of the best designed. There are lots of fantastic aquariums and the exhibits include mantra rays, sea dragons and penguins. It is home to over 8,000 animals and plants representing 500 species.

You will find lots of family friendly travel tips and advice in our research and advice section to help you book the right family holiday. Check out also the experiences of other parents and travellers in our parents forum and add your own experiences as we are a great believer in real parent's experiences as the best measure of whether somewhere will suit you for your family holiday. 

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