Fragata D. Fernando II e Glória

The Fragata D. Fernando II e Glória is the last Portuguese Navy ship that sailed by wind alone, and the last of the ships that sailed the Carreira da Índia, the long route that linked Portugal with its territories in India for more than three centuries. Today she sits in a dry dock at Cacilhas, on the south bank of the Tagus opposite Lisbon, as a Navy museum ship. Children climb aboard, walk the top deck under the masts and rigging, and go below to see where the crew lived and worked.

For a child who plays pirates, this is the closest thing in the Lisbon area to a real tall ship. She never fought a battle, which may disappoint some, but she carried guns, crew and passengers across oceans for years.

The ship was built in India, at the royal shipyard of Damão (Daman), which was chosen because labour was cheaper and because a nearby forest at Nagar Aveli grew teak, one of the best woods in the world for ships since it resists damp, rot and wood-eating creatures. Work began in 1832, but money ran short during Portugal’s civil wars and she wasn’t launched until 22 October 1843, eleven years later. She was then towed to Goa to be fitted with her masts and guns. Her name honours King Fernando II and his wife, Queen Maria II, whose full name was Maria da Glória.

She was designed to carry 50 guns, then 60, which proved too heavy on her first voyage and was reduced after she reached Lisbon. From 1865 to 1938 she stayed anchored in the Tagus as the Navy’s gunnery school. In 1947 she became a training home for teenage boys, many of them orphans, who learned seamanship there.

Then came disaster. In 1963 a huge fire destroyed much of the ship, and she lay half-sunk in the Tagus for almost 30 years. In 1992 a rescue project began: her hull was rebuilt at a shipyard in Aveiro, she came back to Lisbon in 1997 for the rest of the restoration, and in April 1998 she was handed to the Navy and opened to the public for Expo 98. Children usually like knowing the ship they are standing on was once a sunken wreck.

The ticket covers the frigate and the submarine Barracuda. She was built in Nantes, France, the second of four Albacora-class submarines, and joined the Portuguese Navy in 1968. In 42 years of service she spent 3,090 days at sea and more than 35,000 hours underwater. She was a diesel-electric submarine: batteries powered her, and diesel generators recharged them. The Navy’s history notes a mock attack on the American aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower in 1983 and a 31-day exercise at sea in 1997, which makes a good story for older children who are curious about life in a very small space.

Some dates have a theatre-style guided tour with the Marinheiro Sardinha (“Sailor Sardine”), a character from Coolture Tours who shows visitors round the ship, explains its history and odd details, and teaches sailing words along the way. The most recent one announced was on 6 September 2026 at 10:30, with tickets by email (fernandoegloria@marinha.pt) or at the ticket desk. Check the frigate’s news page for the next date. The announcement was in Portuguese, so ask about other languages when you book.

When we checked in September 2026, a ticket for the frigate and the submarine cost €7 for adults, €3.50 for children aged 4 to 12 and over-64s, and €18 for a family of two adults and two children, with €3 for each extra child. Under-4s go free. Entry is free on 28 April (the frigate’s day, unless it falls on a Monday), 20 May (Navy Day) and, for ages 4 to 12, on 1 June.

The CulturaMAR pass (€21 adults, €11 ages 4 to 12, €54 family) includes one visit to the frigate, the Museu de Marinha in Belém, the Planetário de Marinha and the Aquário Vasco da Gama, and is valid for four months.

The ship opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:00. It closes on Mondays, 1 January and 25 December. The Navy closes it now and then for works on board (most recently 7 to 14 September 2026), so glance at the notices on the official site before you set off.

From Lisbon, take the ferry from Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas. When we checked, a single ticket was €2, or €1.60 with Zapping credit on a transport card, and children up to five travelled free on this route. The crossing gives a view of the Lisbon waterfront and the 25 de Abril bridge, and the frigate’s dry dock is about 150 metres from the Cacilhas terminal. By car, leave the motorway at the Almada exit after the bridge (or from the A2) and follow signs for Cova da Piedade and Cacilhas.

This is a 19th-century wooden ship, so plan for stairs between decks and tight spaces below. The Navy’s site gives no information on buggy or wheelchair access, so a baby carrier is the safer choice, and it’s worth phoning ahead if anyone in your group has limited mobility. The top deck is open to the weather, so bring a hat or a raincoat as needed.

The visit itself takes about an hour. It suits children from about four, who enjoy the decks and the idea of living at sea, up to teenagers, who get more from the history of the India route and the submarine.

Walk along the river from Cacilhas to the Jardim do Rio and ride the Boca do Vento panoramic lift, a glass cabin that has climbed 50 metres up the cliff to old Almada since 2000, with views over the Tagus to Lisbon. It runs every day from 09:30 to 23:30 (last trip 23:15). Also in Almada, the giant Cristo Rei statue has a lift to a viewing terrace, and for lunch by the water, Ponto Final on the Ginjal quay has a terrace facing Lisbon.

How do you get to the Fragata D. Fernando II e Glória from Lisbon?

Take the ferry from Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas. The ship is in a dry dock about 150 metres from the Cacilhas ferry terminal.

Is the frigate open on Mondays?

No. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:00.

Can you visit the submarine too?

Yes. The standard ticket covers the frigate and the submarine Barracuda.

Can you take a buggy on the frigate?

The Navy doesn’t publish access details. Plan for stairs between decks and bring a baby carrier, or phone ahead to ask.

Is it good for young children?

Children from about four enjoy walking the decks. Toddlers need close holding near the stairs, and under-4s go free.