Planning a trip to Porto with your family and kids? Wanna know how to make the best of your time here without getting the children bored and without losing your mind while trying to get them well entertained? Well, we are experts in exactly that, and so we collected the BEST tips for your family trip to Porto for sunny or rainy days. From special swimming pools and peacocks by your picnic basket, though interactive museums, cable cars and 5D cinemas, and to the most unique and best family-friendly tours in Porto tailored by experts for your special kids- these are our Top 10 experiences for your family in Porto. What are you waiting for? Common, you gotta CHECK IT OUT:
1. Kids on Top Tour
The best way to begin to explore a city is by getting to know where you are. But if you’re with your kids, you better get the tour that is made especially for them to soak some history, appreciate their surroundings and make some souvenirs of their own in a fun way!
During this tour, the kids will enjoy Porto’s tales and flavors, colors and shapes, art and architecture, and so much more. It’s a tour with the secret gems of Porto; the kings and queens, the nuns and monks, the eggs that brought the famous pastry to life, and of course, the secret stories behind Harry Potter. Aside from walking, laughing and eating, your kids will also get to make their own colored tiles to take back home!
How to book the tour?
- Price: €50 per person (including some tastings and activities for hand-made souvenirs)
2. Cable Car, Ferris Wheel, Kids Wine Tasting: A Day in Vila Nova de Gaia
The attractions of the other side of the river can make for a full day with the family. Start by crossing the Luís I Bridge and take the cable car to the waterfront with breathtaking views over the city. Continue with a round on the Ferris Wheel, get a snack of Pastel de Nata with different flavors, search for the ‘Rabbit’ street art piece around the corner, and finish with a Kid’s wine tasting. Oh, wine for kids? So yes, you cannot really miss the wine cellars and the enormous barrels they have in Porto, and some of them found a solution for the young crowd. Some cellars have ‘wine for kids’ to give them the feeling of being an adult (i.e. Grahams), and other like Calem have a small interactive museum.
3. Take a Swim in a Crazy Swimming Pool
Although Porto has beautiful beaches, it's important
to note that the ocean’s water are freezing cold! But good news, there is an outstanding swimming pool right on the beach made with ocean water and carved in the sand! Designed by the legendary architect Álvaro Siza, the Piscina das Marés, is a beautiful place on the top of the rocks and is perfect for the whole family!
How to get here?
- Av. Liberdade, 4450-716 Leça da Palmeira, Portugal
- Closed for renovation until July 2020
4. Harry Porto Tour: Following Harry Porto Inspiration Spots
Harry Potter addicts? Did you know that J.K. Rowling lived in Porto and drew much of her inspiration to everyone’s favorite book series from this city? Don’t miss this magical tour tailored to fit adults, children and wizards! You will pass through the platform 9¾ and then get to see where the moving stairs came from, the school’s cloisters and even the shop where the Nimbus 2000 broomstick is made. You will also understand where the black cape came from, meet it’s makers, and sit by the lions of Gryffindor House. And if that’s not enough, than we will reveal you that in this fantastic tour, you will also receive a special ‘Harry Porto Goodie bag’ and witchcraft sweets with all you’ll need in your journey to become a professional wizard. So go ahead, wear glasses, grab a wand, load your stomach with chocolates, and don't forget to bring a cat, an owl, a toad and a feather - the Hogwarts School is waiting for you with the official acceptance letter!
How to book the tour?
- Price: €50 per person (including tasting and a wicked Harry Porto goodie bag).
5. Crystal Palace Gardens & a Picnic
Porto is full of stunning green parks and gardens that suit a wonderful family picnic. One of those is the central Crystal Palace with a view to the Douro river which is particularly beautiful at sunset with the peacocks, ducks and roosters running around freely between the green avenues. Just be careful they won’t bite your food!
How to get here?
- Praça do Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro 225, Porto, Portugal
- Opening Hours: 7:00-20:30 Daily
6. Sea Life Centre Porto
Although there are some better sea life experiences around the globe, as well as on the Portuguese soil (AKA Lisbon Aquarium), this aquarium is a nice getaway from bad weather or for more than just a couple of days in Porto. The atmosphere is more cosy and warm in the Porto fantastic underworld and you can discover over 3000 strange creatures, as well as very cute penguins!
How to get here?
- Rua Particular Nº 1 Castelo do Queijo 1ª, 4100-379 Porto, Portugal
- Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00-18:00 Weekends 10:00-19:00
- Tickets: Adults (12+): €13,95, Children (3-12): €9.50, Children (0-3): FREE, reduced prices for online reservations
7. Escape Porto: Age of Discoverers in a Treasure Hunt Game
A one-of-a-kind tour for your family. Here you get to play your way around Porto in a thrilling and interactive team game of treasure hunt. If you are not into regular sightseeing and long red buses in which the kids can loose their patience, you must check this out. This tour combines the fun of a game with the sightseeing of the city.
All teams will receive ‘Discoverer’s Kit’ and the fun riddles that will be sent to your phone by the Grand Chief of Discovery. The challenges will send you from one place to the next and the laugh will just burst! This is the perfect activity for all travellers; from youth to adults, families with children and groups of friends. Get your teams up and get ready to go - this is going to be unforgettable!
How to book the tour?
- Price: €50 per person
8. Visit FC Porto Football Stadium in a Game!
Travelling with some football lovers? Try to book tickets for a game in the football nation! If you’re not into a game, just go to visit the stadium with its wide collection of trophies and exclusive objects. Check out the size of this stadium, the colored seats and look for the desirable Intercontinental Cup, the UEFA Cup and the European Super Cup. after all, it is the third largest stadium in Portugal!
How to get here?
- Estádio do Dragão: at Via Futebol Clube do Porto, 4350-415 Porto, Portugal
9. Look at Porto: 3D Cinema
Look at Porto is a 5D Cinema experience that will show you Porto in a surprising way that will shake your body (literally!). We highly recommend this activity for the end of your trip, after you learned a bit about Porto. The small cinema room has dynamic motion seats and sensations like water spray, wind and aromas, you will see all the monuments of the city in an exciting, fun and unforgettable 10 minutes film. Just close by to that, you can find our next tip- The World of Discoveries.
How to get here?
- Rua da Atafona 6, 4050-431 Porto, Portugal
- Opening Hours: (March-October) 10:00-20:00 (November-February) 10:00-19:00
- Tickets: Adult (12-65): 8€, Children (5-11): 6€, Senior (more than 65): 6€
10. World of Discoveries Experience
This interactive museum is an incredible way to kick some knowledge in your kids in a super fun way. It tells the stories of the Age of Discoveries in Portugal, the explorers and the places they found. The experience includes many buttons to touch, screens to swipe and even a small boat ride to the countries discovered by Vasco da Gama and the ‘gang’ with the animals and cultures they met on their way. The thrilling setting is made to get your mind soaked into this unique history and is also ideal for a rainy day!
How to get here?
- Rua de Miragaia 106, 4050-387 Porto, Portugal
- Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00-18:00 Weekends 10:00-19:00
- Tickets: Adults: 14€, Children (4-12): 8€, Seniors (65+): 11€, Children (0-3): FREE, reduced prices for online reservations
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