Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa (Lisbon Zoo)

For most cruise passengers the zoo is a weak use of a day in Lisbon. It costs €31 per adult, needs three hours or more to be worthwhile, and shows little of the city. It does make sense for families with young children who have had enough of monuments and hills, for repeat visitors, or on a long call when the children's day matters more than sightseeing. Getting there is easy. Walk about 10 minutes from the terminal to Santa Apolónia and take the metro Blue Line direct to Jardim Zoológico, roughly 20 minutes with no change; the zoo entrance is beside the station. A taxi takes about 20 minutes. Inside, the timed presentations shape the visit. From 21 September to 20 March the dolphin presentation runs at 11:00 (not on Tuesdays) and 14:30 and lasts 20 minutes; the bird presentation at the Bosque Encantado runs at 12:30 and 16:00 all year. Arriving at 10:00 and heading for the 11:00 dolphins, then the bird show at 12:30, covers the highlights by early afternoon. The zoo's own cable car, included in the ticket, gives a 20-minute ride over the park, but it does not run in rain or strong wind and cannot take wheelchairs or pushchairs. The small Zoo train is extra (€1 adults, €0.50 children) and runs Wednesday to Sunday only. The ticket offices close at 17:15 in winter and 18:45 in summer. Weekends and school holidays are the busiest times; weekday mornings are quieter. Buying online saves 5 per cent. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult over 18, and guide dogs are not admitted. If your group is mixed, the Oceanário is the more compact family alternative and is entirely indoors.