Lisbon Sailing With Kids: Ages, Boats and Bedtimes

Is a sail worth it with children?

For most families it is. The river inside the estuary is sheltered, the boats carry life jackets, and there is plenty to point at: a bridge you pass underneath, a giant statue on the hill across the water, a tower that used to stand in the river. Two hours is about the limit for a small child's attention, so keep to the shorter trips if yours is under five.

The minimum ages, boat by boat

The fares for children apply on the booking page, not on the cards. Boats without an age listed take children with an adult; check with the operator if your child is very small.

The stable boat: a catamaran

A catamaran sits on two hulls and barely rolls, which suits small children and anyone prone to seasickness. The 90-minute sunset catamaran from Santo Amaro has two toilets, life jackets, covered seating and nets at the front where children like to lie and watch the water. At $31 a person it is also one of the cheapest ways onto the river. The other cruise boats are compared on Lisbon sunset cruises.

A sailboat heels in the wind, which some children love and some do not. On a sailboat, keep little ones in the cockpit with you and away from the bow.

Bedtime and the sunset

This is the concern parents miss. In June and July the sun sets at about 21:00, so a two-hour sunset sail gets back to the dock after dark, and you still have the ride home. In November the sun sets at about 17:30, so a sunset sail fits before dinner.

• Summer: book a morning or afternoon sail instead. Lisbon By Boat's day sail and the day-or-sunset sail from Alcântara both sell daytime slots.
• Spring and autumn: the sunset slot ends around eight or nine in the evening.
• Winter: the sunset slot is an afternoon trip, but a cold one.

The full table is in Lisbon sunset times by month.

Toilets, snacks and the practical things

• Toilets: on the catamaran, the wine sail from Santo Amaro, the day-or-sunset sail and several other sailboats. Ask before you book if yours does not list one.
• Food: most boats pour a drink and a light snack; bring something for a hungry child where the operator allows it.
• Strollers: several boats list them as fine; fold them before you board.
• Shoes: flat, grippy soles; decks get wet.
• Timing: arrive 15 minutes early, so no one boards in a rush.

Getting to each dock with a pushchair, and what to bring, is in the visitors guide. The gates are on the Lisbon sailing map.

What children will spot from the deck

A sail is a moving picture book, and the landmarks make good stories. The tower at Belém was built between 1514 and 1519 on a rock in the river; ask them to look for the ropes, knots and animals carved into its stone. Cristo Rei, on the hill across the water, stands 110 metres tall; tell them the figure alone is 28 metres, taller than most houses stacked up. Then comes the red bridge, with trains running on a deck under the cars.

• The bridge: listen for a train overhead as you pass beneath.
• The monument to the navigators: count the figures climbing its sides.
• The ferries: the commuter boats crossing to the far bank.

Booking for a family, without the stress

Book early for the date you want, because every boat we list refunds in full up to 24 hours before the start. That window is your safety net for a child who wakes up unwell: cancel the day before and nothing is lost. On the sunset catamaran, though, arriving late or not at all forfeits the fare, so leave the hotel with time to spare. On the Lisbon By Boat sunset sail the minimum booking is two, which suits a parent and child. If seasickness worries you, choose the catamaran, sit near the middle of the boat and keep your eyes on the horizon. Life jackets are carried on the catamaran, the one-hour sail and the wine sail from Santo Amaro, so ask the crew for a child's size before you cast off rather than once you are out on the water.

What to combine it with

Belém makes the easiest family afternoon before a sail from the Belém docks. The gardens are open ground for running about, and the monastery and the tower are close together. The Padrão dos Descobrimentos has a viewpoint at the top, and children like finding the 32 figures on its sides. Plans for each dock are in things to do before and after a sail.

Boats that suit a family

Lisbon Sunset Boat Tour on a Catamaran with 1 Welcome Drink

Ninety minutes on a catamaran from Santo Amaro, timed to the sunset, with one welcome drink, a bar for the rest, music and two toilets. A social evening rather than a guided one.

From $31 per person

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Lisbon Sailing Tour on a Luxury Sailing Yacht with 2 Drinks

Two hours in the morning or the afternoon on a sailing yacht from Doca de Belém, with two drinks, a cheese appetiser, a skipper-guide and a host. Up to 14 aboard.

From $52 per person

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Lisbon: Day and Sunset Tour on the Tagus River

Two hours on a ten-guest sailboat from Alcântara in the morning, the afternoon or at sunset. The crew hoist the sails at the start when the wind allows; blankets and a toilet on board.

From $34 per person

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