Skatepark de Odivelas

The Skatepark de Odivelas sits next to the municipal swimming pool in Odivelas, just north of Lisbon. The council calls it one of the oldest skateparks in Portugal, and Time Out still lists it among the best places to skate around Lisbon in 2025. Some skaters know it as the Skatepark da Torre.

It’s a council facility, free to use, and open to skateboarders, inline skaters and BMX riders. It suits children who can already stand, push and stop on a board or skates. Complete beginners can use it too, but they’ll get more from a lesson or a quiet session with a parent close by.

The council lists the obstacles by their skate names: a hubba (a sloping ledge beside stairs), a curb, a roll-in (a ramp you drop in from), a corner, a bank (a flat sloping ramp), a quarter pipe and a ledge. There are also handrails, half-pipes, bowls and mini ramps.

For a young beginner, the banks, the flat ground between obstacles and the lower edges of the mini ramp are the places to start. The bowls, rails and hubba are for experienced riders.

In 2020, the year Odivelas was a European City of Sport, the council spent €89,800 plus VAT rebuilding the park. The whole surface was re-concreted, the angles of the obstacles were improved, and new walls, handrails and curves went in. The council said the aim was to attract novices while giving experienced skaters more of a challenge, which makes it a friendlier park for children than many older concrete parks.

The council sets a few rules for everyone who uses the park:

• A helmet and protective gear are compulsory.
• Respect the order of riders and the other people using the park.
• Each user is responsible for their own personal accident insurance.

For children, that means a helmet and knee and elbow pads at the very least, and wrist guards are a good idea for beginners. Teach them to wait at the edge until the way is clear, and not to sit or stand in the middle of a run. The park is shared with teenagers and adults, and it can feel busy at popular times.

The council doesn’t publish opening hours or lighting details, and we couldn’t find information on toilets at the park itself. There’s no shade information either, so on a hot day go early or late in the day and bring water.

Manolas Skate School lists the Odivelas skatepark among the places where it teaches, with lessons for children from age 4. It’s a good way to start if your child hasn’t skated in a park before.

The skatepark is beside the municipal pool. For an indoor swim with children in Odivelas, see our guide to the Piscina Municipal de Odivelas and check which pool is which before you go. For a bouncier afternoon, Sould Park Jump in neighbouring Amadora is a trampoline park.

Is the Odivelas skatepark free?

Yes. It’s a council facility with no entry charge.

Do children have to wear a helmet at the Odivelas skatepark?

Yes. The council says users must wear a helmet and protective gear.

Can my child ride a BMX or inline skates there?

Yes. The council lists skateboarding, inline skating and BMX. It doesn’t mention scooters, so check the signs on site.

Is it suitable for beginners?

The 2020 rebuild was designed partly to attract novices, and there are banks and mini ramps to learn on. The bowls and rails are for experienced riders, so keep young beginners away from the busy lines.

Where is the skatepark in Odivelas?

Next to the municipal pool, on Alameda do Porto Pinheiro, 2675-668 Odivelas.