Lisbon Zoo: Tickets, Animals and Tips for Families

Lisbon Zoo (Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa) is one of the easiest big days out with children in the city. It sits next to a metro station, and one ticket covers a dolphin presentation, a bird show and a cable car ride. Here are the 2026 prices, hours and show times.

Quick answer: 2026 tickets are €31 for adults and €19 for children aged 3 to 12, under-3s go free, and the zoo’s own website takes 5% off. The ticket includes all shows and the cable car; only the zoo train costs extra. It’s open every day from 10am, until 6pm in autumn and winter and 8pm in spring and summer. Take the blue metro line to Jardim Zoológico and allow half a day.

What Lisbon Zoo is

The zoo opened in 1884 in the São Sebastião da Pedreira park, moved in 1894 to Palhavã, where the Gulbenkian Foundation now stands, and settled at the old Quinta das Laranjeiras estate in Sete Rios in 1905. Today it covers about 22 hectares, with around 2,000 animals of roughly 300 species, from lions, giraffes and elephants to Sumatran tigers and Iberian lynx. It belongs to EAZA, the European zoo association, and takes part in breeding programmes for endangered species.

Tickets and prices (2026)

Ticket	Price at the gate
Adult (13 to 64)	€31
Child (3 to 12)	€19
Senior (65+)	€22
Under 3	free

Buying on the official website takes 5% off (about €29.45 for an adult), and online tickets can be used on any day within 120 days. Tickets can’t be refunded, and staff may ask for ID.

• What’s included: every presentation and attraction, including the dolphin and bird shows, the cable car, the reptile house and the children’s farm. Only the zoo train is extra.
• Lisboa Card: not a free entry, but Turismo de Lisboa lists 15% off for card holders, which beats the online discount. Show the card at the zoo ticket office. See is the Lisboa Card worth it?
• Other discounts: 15% off with a physical Parques de Sintra ticket bought in the last three months, and 30% off for visitors with a certified disability of 60% or more. Discounts only apply at the zoo’s ticket offices and can’t be combined.

Book ahead: the zoo’s own website is usually the cheapest place for a plain ticket, thanks to its 5% online discount. Resellers tend to charge the same or more, but suit you if you keep all your bookings in one app. Compare Lisbon Zoo tickets.

Opening hours

• 21 March to 20 September: 10am to 8pm; the ticket office closes at 6:45pm.
• 21 September to 20 March: 10am to 6pm; the ticket office closes at 5:15pm.

The zoo opens every day of the year, and same-day re-entry is allowed. Shows can be cancelled or moved at short notice, so check the day’s times when you arrive.

Shows and highlights

Baía dos Golfinhos (Dolphin Bay)

The dolphinarium hosts 20-minute presentations with dolphins and sea lions. From 21 March to 20 September they’re at 11am, 2:30pm and 4:30pm; the rest of the year at 11am (not on Tuesdays) and 2:30pm. A show doesn’t go ahead with fewer than 30 people watching.

Enchanted Forest bird show

In the Bosque Encantado, a 20-minute free-flight presentation shows off mostly tropical birds. It runs at 12:30pm and 4pm all year, but not in rain or strong wind. The pelicans are fed at 11:45am, a quick 10-minute stop.

The cable car

The teleférico is a 20-minute ride above the park, with views down into the enclosures. The last trip is at 7:30pm in summer and 5:30pm in winter. Under-12s must ride with an adult aged 18 or over, pushchairs aren’t allowed in the cabins, and it doesn’t run in rain or strong wind. It’s also closed on 26 October, 30 November and 28 December 2026.

Reptile house, farm and more

• Reptile house: a Komodo dragon, a reticulated python, an American alligator and rhinoceros iguanas, all under cover.
• Children’s farm: donkeys, rabbits and a vegetable garden with underground windows for watching carrots grow.
• Big animals: the Tigers Valley, the Primate Temple, the Iberian lynx enclosure and the African savanna.
• Zoo train (extra): Wednesday to Sunday, €1 for adults and €0.50 for children, paid on site.

Getting there

• Metro: Jardim Zoológico station on the blue line is about 20 metres from the entrance, a direct ride of about 15 minutes from Restauradores or Baixa-Chiado. From the airport, take the red line to São Sebastião and change to the blue line for two stops.
• Bus: many Carris routes stop at Sete Rios, right by the gate, including the 701, 726, 746 and 758.
• Train and coach: Sete Rios train station (Sintra line) and the Sete Rios coach station used by Rede Expressos are both about 100 metres away.
• Car: paid parking opposite the entrance.

For fares and passes, see the Lisbon public transport guide.

How long to allow

Most families spend about 3 to 4 hours, but with every show, the cable car and the farm it can fill a day. A simple plan: arrive at 10am and see the big animals while it’s cooler, then catch the 11am dolphins, the 11:45am pelican feed and the 12:30pm bird show. Have a picnic, then finish with the cable car, the reptile house and the farm.

Food, pushchairs and tips

• Food: there’s a picnic area with tables in the Enchanted Forest, two kiosks inside, and several places to eat, including a McDonald’s, in the free-access area by the entrance.
• Pushchairs: bring your own, or rent one for a child aged 3 to 10 (€7 single, €9 double, plus a €20 cash deposit).
• Not allowed: scooters, bikes, skateboards and pets.
• Heat: in summer, arrive at opening, carry water, hats and sun cream, and save the covered reptile house for the hottest hours.
• Accessibility: wheelchairs can be borrowed at the entrance when available. Guide dogs aren’t allowed.

The zoo presents itself as a conservation centre, while views on keeping animals such as dolphins in captivity differ, so decide what suits your family, as you might for Zoomarine in the Algarve.

What’s nearby

• Gulbenkian Museum: two metro stops east at São Sebastião. It reopened in July 2026, is closed on Tuesdays and is free on Sundays from 2pm, and its gardens are a calm end to a family day. See our Gulbenkian guide.
• Benfica: the Estádio da Luz is three stops west at Colégio Militar/Luz, with stadium tours (not on match days) and a club museum.

FAQ

How much is Lisbon Zoo?

In 2026, €31 for adults, €19 for children aged 3 to 12 and €22 for over-65s; under-3s go free. The zoo’s website takes 5% off, and Lisboa Card holders get 15% off at the ticket office.

Is Lisbon Zoo worth it?

For families with younger children, usually yes: the shows and cable car are included, and it’s right on the metro. It’s mostly outdoors, so on a very hot or wet day the indoor Oceanário may suit you better.

How long do you need at Lisbon Zoo?

About 3 to 4 hours, or most of a day for every show plus the cable car and the farm.

How do you get to Lisbon Zoo?

Take the blue metro line to Jardim Zoológico; the entrance is a few steps away. Buses and Sintra-line trains stop at Sete Rios next door.

More: Lisbon with kids and things to do in Lisbon.

See also: Portugal with kids, Parque das Nações, a Portugal family itinerary and the Fronteira Palace.

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