Porto | Portugal + Travel w Kids

We traveled to Porto, Lisbon and Lagos, Portugal from September 8th - 18th. We also visited Nazaré and Coimbra on our journey. We have travelled with our kids before but to Europe with two felt like a family milestone! We flew into Porto via Madrid on Iberia as those flights were the most cost effective. Quick International layovers build character and stamina! Ryder is under two but he absolutely gets his own seat for a 7 hour flight. We rented a car and spent two nights in Porto before continuing south to the nations capitol followed by the Algarve Coast.

Portugal is without contest one of my favorite places on this earth now. And my kids, my favorite people to travel with. (Bob too of course!) Kids are still kids and toddlers are still toddlers no matter where you go. (Mine are 4.5 and 1.5). Keep your expectations even and they will probably surpass them. I was infinitely proud and we had so much fun. They will be the best version of themselves when you are the best version of yourself. So to that I say: take them everywhere. 

We travel with the boys car seats. Camden's toddler seat goes in a large travel bag that also has backpack straps and is checked luggage for free. Ryder's infant car seat comes with us on the stroller through security. His car seat is then gate checked along with our stroller which folds into a bag on wheels. (We always make sure to get two gate check tags: 1) stroller 2) infant car seat. We do not bring the extremely heavy car seat base. We strap the car seat in using the seatbelt method which is safe and secure. 

What initially feels daunting and logistically challenging about travelling with kids becomes habit and is easy. This method of travelling with our own car seats works best for us! 

In all 3 locations we stayed at an Airbnb. My top amenities for travelling at this stage in life are are: Crib. Elevator. Laundry.

I made sure to search for a crib in the amenities and communicated this to our hosts. All 3 had the pack in play set up and with fresh sheets upon our arrival! (It was not this simple when we traveled to Italy with baby Camden.) Either times have changed or the Portuguese are incredibly accommodating to babies. I think it is a little of both. 

An elevator is not a deal breaker. But it is good to know what to expect in your apartment building. Most Airbnb descriptions will list if they have one or not. In Porto we were in a penthouse up 5 flights. In Lisbon we were on the 3rd floor. Accommodations with elevators when you have luggage, little kids and a stroller - win. 

The final must have amenity in the second and third spots was a washer. This enabled us to pack light - one checked suitcase for the entire family. We had carry on bags with a change of clothes, kid stuff, and admittedly a larger back pack for Bob but ONE checked suitcase with the ability to do laundry worked out well. I had one packing cube for each kid in our checked luggage. I was proud of this!

Besides packing light in our one checked bag, I stuffed the boys carry-on full of goodies: a couple new things and favorite snacks. A fresh set of markers in a travel carrying case and mini coloring books were a big hit. Ryder loved this busy board and ink magic book. Ever since our last flight Camden insisted on travelling with his very own rolly suitcase. It made for an enthusiastic, happy, self reliant traveler and seeing him take on this responsibility by his own accord was cute to witness.  He unpacked and packed his belongings at each new destination with a sense of pride. This is what I love about travelling with your kids - you learn so much about them. You see them becoming cool little people and you see what matters to them. 

I did not pack toys because I knew we would buy them a few things. When a little tourist shop and a new toy equal a "relaxing" dinner for mom and dad, you get the new toy. (There's my secret BUY YOUR KIDS STUFF.) No but think about it - when you travel do you like to shop? Sometimes! My kids can have a new toy and off go their imaginations so I'm happy to oblige. Also a big hit - WikkiStix. I bought them for the flight but we never took them out until dinner one night in Lisbon. 

Final kids tip before we get into it: SNACKS. Snacks make kids happy and new snacks in new places are pretty exciting. If your kids are snacking at home, you can expect they will want to do the same on the go in a new city.

Now that you've landed - passports stamped - bags claimed - shuttled over and settled up with the rental car agency - have the car seats securely installed - navigated to your destination - found street parking - checked into your Airbnb: hopefully your kids are fighting off the jet lag with an afternoon stroller nap! Your first order of business in Porto (and this is an order) is a draft Super Bock and a Francesinha at a local Tasca. An espresso can bookend this in either order. 

Porto is i n c r e d i b l e - all the Port tastings and more surprises soon!!

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Sevilla | España

Our time in Seville was fabulous, however, getting there was not. We boarded the ferry from Tangier, Morocco for the short journey to Tarifa, Spain. After our ferry docked in Tarifa and we cleared customs our driver was no where to be found. We booked with what seemed a reputable transfer company and the bizarre part is we had been texting with the driver prior to arriving. He ghosted us! A mildly stressful situation - there was a lot of back and fourth, then dinner in Tarifa, finding an ATM and eventually a taxi to get us 2 hours to Seville. I had our amenable taxi driver stop for cervesas and we made the best of our much-later-than-planned road-trip! 

We were so ready to enjoy a night out (remember, we couldn't really drink in Chefchaouen) and it was midnight by the time we checked into our hotel. Fortunately, it was a stones throw from some swanky cocktail bars. 

At The Second Room the girls sipped fruity sangria and I a classic manhattan. Delicious drinks and winding down from all the transfer stress just in time for some extremely drunk old men to hit on us. Off to Torero - a beautiful Brandy cocktail bar. Perfect nightcap! I was enamored with the the presentation of my aged brandy. I was also ready for a comfy bed. 

Palacio Pinello delivered a comfy bed and then some. This 4 star boutique hotel in the Santa Cruz district is housed in a late 15th century palace. The rooms are situated around the stunning central courtyard where we had our breakfast each morning. Our triple room was very spacious, the bathroom and waterfall shower were too! It had soaring ceilings and really pretty furnishings .

In the heart of the historic center we arrived briskly to Real Alcazar where we spent the better part of the morning. I was glad we booked advance tickets to skip the lines. We lunched in Plaza de San Francisco, shopped for the kids, and went for rooftop cava spritzes at La Terraza del EME.  

La Terraraza boasts up close views of the Catedral and La Giralda which we would head to next! The Cathedral de Sevilla is majestic, we breezed through with audio guides. The climb to the top of the bell tower was worth it! Finally, we went for a late afternoon wine tasting at Lama La Uva which allowed a meandering walk to take in more of the sprawling city. 

Sevilla - rallying not dallying. purposefully meandering.