Porto with Kids
Places that work with children
These places either have a children's offer on their own page or are plainly built for them, like an aquarium, a tram museum or a park. Check each place's own page for age rules, queue advice and opening hours.
32 places
All year When
The places
Museum · Sé and Vitória Museu das Marionetas do Porto A small museum on the work of João Paulo Seara Cardoso and the Teatro de Marionetas do Porto, opened in 2013. It shows puppets, props and objects from the company's shows.
Park · Massarelos Jardins do Palácio de Cristal Landscaped gardens above the Douro with several small viewpoints. The views take in the river, the Serra do Pilar, the Gaia riverside and the Arrábida Bridge.
Museum · Massarelos Museu do Carro Eléctrico The tram museum, opened in 1992 in the old Massarelos power station by the Douro. It holds trams and service vehicles from Porto's lines and part of the original generating equipment.
Landmark · Massarelos Biblioteca Municipal Almeida Garrett The municipal library inside the Palácio de Cristal gardens, opened in 2001 in a building by architect José Manuel Soares. It has children's, general reading and multimedia sections over two floors.
Park · Cedofeita Jardim da Cordoaria A garden laid out in 1865 and 1866 by landscaper Emile David, named for the rope makers who worked here for about 200 years. It holds statues of Ramalho Ortigão and António Nobre and sculptures by Juan Muñoz from 2001.
Park · Cedofeita Jardim de São Lázaro The first public garden in Porto, inaugurated in 1834. It's the only city garden still enclosed by railings, with four gates, a lake and a marble fountain from the former Convento de São Domingos.
Viewpoint · Baixa and Aliados Clérigos Tower A Baroque bell tower that has stood over the city since 1763, with a 360-degree view from the top. The day ticket also covers the Clérigos Museum.
Shopping · Bolhão and Santa Catarina Via Catarina A shopping centre on Rua de Santa Catarina with 93 shops, restaurants and 600 parking spaces.
Museum · Bonfim Estádio do Dragão and FC Porto Museum FC Porto's stadium, opened in 2003 and designed by Manuel Salgado, with a museum of about 7,000 square metres in 27 themed areas. It shows more than 200 trophies and 280 interactive videos, plus Joana Vasconcelos' artwork Valquíria Dragão.
Park · Bonfim Parque Oriental A park of about 10 hectares in the east of the city, opened in June 2010.
Museum · Bonfim Porto Military Museum A museum of weapons and equipment from the 16th to the 20th century, with a focus on events in Porto such as the French Invasions, the Liberal Wars and the 1891 republican uprising. It also holds a collection of toy soldier miniatures.
Park · Bonfim São Roque Park A 5.2-hectare park bought by the city from the Calém family in 1979, with a boxwood labyrinth, sculptures and a chapel moved from Largo Actor Dias.
Park · Bonfim São Lázaro Garden The city's oldest public garden, opened in 1834 and still enclosed by railings with four gates. It has a central lake ringed by twelve classified magnolias, a small bandstand and fountains.
Landmark · Vila Nova de Gaia Gaia Cable Car Cable car running along the Gaia riverfront between the Cais de Gaia and the upper station near Jardim do Morro, with views over the Douro and the Ribeira.
Museum · Vila Nova de Gaia WOW World of Wine Entertainment district in restored Port wine warehouses in Gaia, opened in July 2020. It has five permanent museums, the Atkinson Museum for temporary exhibitions, and restaurants, cafes and shops.
Park · Vila Nova de Gaia Parque Biológico de Gaia Municipal nature park in Avintes, run as an environmental education centre, with a nature discovery trail of about 3 kilometres.
Park · Boavista Serralves Park Landscaped park around the Serralves villa, with gardens, woodland and the Treetop Walk.
Park · Foz do Douro Parque da Cidade do Porto The largest urban park in Portugal at 83 hectares, running down to the Atlantic. Sidónio Pardal designed it and the first phase opened in 1993.
Museum · Foz do Douro Sea Life Porto Aquarium beside the Castelo do Queijo, with an underwater tunnel and daily feeding sessions.
Beach · Matosinhos Piscina das Marés Seawater swimming pools on Leça da Palmeira beach, designed by Álvaro Siza Vieira and opened in 1966. A National Monument since 2011.
Museum · Boavista Paper Money Museum Museum run by a private foundation across from the Parque da Cidade, with a collection of Portuguese banknotes and more than 5,000 miniature cars, plus boats, trains and planes.
Museum · Boavista Porto Planetarium Science centre with a digital planetarium that reopened in June 2015 and shows immersive films and virtual journeys through the cosmos.
Day trip · Braga Bom Jesus do Monte A hillside pilgrimage sanctuary above Braga, with a long baroque stairway up to a basilica, gardens and a lake. A water-counterweight funicular runs beside the stairs.
Day trip · Guimarães Guimarães Castle A medieval hilltop castle tied to the early Portuguese kingdom. It is managed by Museus e Monumentos de Portugal.
Day trip · Guimarães Guimarães Cable Car to Penha A cable car from the Hortas station in town up Penha mountain, where there are woods, walking paths and the Penha sanctuary.
Day trip · Douro Valley Casa de Mateus A baroque manor house with formal gardens and a chapel, 4 km from the centre of Vila Real. The foundation that runs it offers park, museum and wine visits.
Day trip · Guimarães Citânia de Briteiros A large pre-Roman hilltop settlement with stone walls, house foundations and a reconstructed round house. It is a national monument run by the Sociedade Martins Sarmento.
Day trip · Coimbra Coimbra Botanical Garden The University of Coimbra's botanical garden, below the old university buildings.
Day trip · Santa Maria da Feira Santa Maria da Feira Castle A medieval castle with towers, a keep and a chapel, run by the municipality, about 30 km south of Porto.
Day trip · Viana do Castelo Santa Luzia Funicular A 650 m funicular from Viana do Castelo up Santa Luzia hill, run by the municipality.
Day trip · Ponte de Lima Portuguese Toy Museum A municipal museum of toys in the Casa do Arnado in Arcozelo, across the river from Ponte de Lima's old centre.
Day trip · Aveiro Costa Nova A seaside village on the sandbar west of Aveiro, known for its houses with striped painted facades and for its beach.
