Parque Urbano do Seixal

The Parque Urbano do Seixal (Seixal Urban Park) covers 5.3 hectares of hillside in Alto Dona Ana, above the centre of Seixal. Its highest point is a natural mound 28 metres above sea level, and from the top you look out across the Baía do Seixal and over the Tagus to Lisbon. On a clear day, children can try to pick out the bridges and the tallest buildings on the far bank.

The council’s redesign kept and restored the orchard, the olive grove and a small wood of cork oaks and oaks, and added paths across the whole site, tables, viewpoints, places to sit and a natural amphitheatre dug into the slope. You enter through a square on the old terreiro (an open yard) by the Mundet, the former cork factory on the waterfront.

What makes this park different from a standard playground is that the play equipment isn’t all in one fenced corner. The council says there are ten pieces of play equipment spread across the park, and it names:

• swings
• a climbing rock
• a zip line (called a slide in Portuguese)
• a net hammock (cama de rede)
• a trampoline

That turns a visit into a bit of a treasure hunt. Children walk from one piece to the next along the paths, through the olive trees and up the hill, and parents get a walk out of it too.

There is also a parque aventura, an adventure course of platforms linked by different balance games. Children move from platform to platform across wobbly or narrow sections, which is good practice for balance and coordination and a big hit with children who like a challenge. Smaller children will need a hand on the trickier sections.

The council says the equipment suits children and young people of different ages, and that some of it can be used by children with reduced mobility. It doesn’t say which pieces, so if your child uses a wheelchair, it’s worth looking at the equipment on arrival. The hillside setting means some paths are sloped.

• Toddlers can use the swings and the gentler equipment, and enjoy a walk in the olive grove.
• Children of about 4 to 7 will love the trampoline, the net hammock and the zip line, and can try the easier parts of the adventure course with help.
• Children of 8 to 12 get the most from the climbing rock, the zip line and the full balance course, and they will enjoy running between the pieces.

The park has set hours, which is useful to know if you’re planning an early or late visit:

• November to May: 07:00 to 23:00
• June to October: 06:30 to 23:30

It is free. There are tables and viewpoints, so bring a picnic. The council’s pages don’t list toilets, a café or parking, so plan for those in Seixal’s old town, nearby. Because the play equipment is spread out and the park is on a slope, a sturdy buggy is easier than a light stroller.

The park is a good place to talk about how land gets reused. Cork oaks like the ones around you produce the bark that factories such as the Mundet, by the entrance, once processed. The orchard and olive grove are left from the park’s farming past. From the top, the view of the bay is a live geography lesson: the bay, the river and the city on the other side.

The play equipment is spread thinly by design, so if you have a toddler and an older child, you can’t watch both from one bench. The hill means some walking uphill. The council’s information doesn’t mention shade over the play equipment, although the park has areas of woodland.

Seixal’s new Casal do Marco pump track in Aldeia de Paio Pires is a short drive away for children on bikes and scooters. For a swim, try the Piscina Municipal de Corroios or the Piscina Municipal de Amora. Children who want to ride something with an engine can take a first motorbike lesson at BA Motopark.

Is the Parque Urbano do Seixal free?

Yes. It is a council park with no entry charge.

What time does the Parque Urbano do Seixal open?

From November to May it opens from 07:00 to 23:00, and from June to October from 06:30 to 23:30.

Is there a zip line?

Yes. The council lists a zip line (slide) among the ten pieces of play equipment.

Is there accessible play equipment?

The council says some of the equipment can be used by children with reduced mobility, without naming which pieces.

Is it good for toddlers?

There is enough for toddlers, especially the swings and the walks, but the zip line, climbing rock and adventure course suit children from about four upwards.