Lisbon at Christmas: a Thanksgiving-week itinerary for families

Trading turkey for twinkle lights is one of the best ideas in family travel. If you've got a family of five and Thanksgiving break on the calendar, here's the trip I'd book: Lisbon, in the first days of its Christmas season.

Why Lisbon. Everything is already open, and it's an overnight nonstop from New York or Boston. The Rossio Christmas market runs 13 Nov – 21 Dec (NiT). Wonderland Lisboa, with a Ferris wheel, ice rink and Santa's house, runs 27 Nov – 3 Jan (free entry, rides extra, Visit Lisboa Blog). Delta flies nonstop from JFK (DL272) and Boston (DL124), per schedule trackers.

Five days, four nights

• Wednesday: Land in the morning. Walk the Rossio market, early dinner, early night. Try roasted chestnuts and a pastel de nata from any bakery.
• Thursday: A slow morning at Rossio, then a long family dinner.
• Friday: Wonderland Lisboa at Parque Eduardo VII. Little ones will love the carousel and Santa's house; everyone can ride the wheel at dusk.
• Saturday, pick one: Óbidos Vila Natal, a Christmas village inside a medieval walled town, open 10:00–20:00 from 27 Nov (Município de Óbidos); Sintra Mágica, lights and shows in Sintra's parks through 6 Jan (Parques de Sintra); or Nazaré (below).
• Sunday: One last market stroll, then home.

Nazaré, an idea for big-wave season. From October to March the Atlantic can throw up some of the biggest surfable waves on Earth at Nazaré. Waves vary, so follow the forecast and the webcams (MEO webcam, Surfline) and go on a day the swell is up. The WSL's one-day TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge has a 1 Nov – 31 Mar window and is called when a swell lines up (WSL). From Lisbon it's about 100 km; Rede Expressos buses take roughly 1h40–1h50 (Omio). The lighthouse fort has the best view, open daily 10:00–18:00 through 31 Dec (Nazaré council), and a funicular climbs to the clifftop daily until midnight (operator). Teens will love the view of the waves; watch from the terraces and clifftop, behind the barriers, with little ones held close, never from the beach.

Where to stay

Corinthia Lisbon, a five-star hotel with a Premium Family Room: two adjoining rooms booked as one, up to five guests. Its Family Escape offer includes breakfast, a kids' meal per child up to 12 each day, and 15% off Lisbon Zoo (Corinthia). It's an Amex Hotel Collection hotel, so a prepaid Platinum booking can use your hotel credit.

More Christmas markets open Thanksgiving week

• Munich: 20 Nov – 24 Dec, closed 22 Nov (muenchen.de).
• Vienna: 13 Nov – 26 Dec (Wiener Christkindlmarkt).
• Salzburg: 19 Nov – 1 Jan (official).
• Strasbourg: opens 27 Nov (Strasbourg.eu).

Tips

• Weather and packing: layers, rain jackets and comfortable shoes for cobblestones. Clifftops are windier than town.
• Reservations: book the family room and your holiday dinner early.
• Kid pacing: one big outing a day.
• Jet lag: Lisbon is five hours ahead of New York. Stay up until about 9pm on arrival and get daylight.

Dates checked 15 Oct 2026.

Happy planning.
— SylMae Travel