Ascension Day falls on Thursday, 14 May 2026 - a public holiday in several Central and Northern European countries. With the holiday falling right between the conference days, you can turn UXLx into more than a learning experience. This is an opportunity to combine professional growth with time to explore Lisbon, or even turn the trip into a mini city break or family-friendly getaway.
Leadership & Strategy Day + 2 Days W+F COMBO
Here’s how your plan can unfold:
- 12 May (TUE): Join the Leadership & Strategy Day (if it applies to you)
- 13 May (WED): Attend Workshops Day at UXLx
- 14 May (THU): Keep it free to explore Lisbon
- 15 May (FRI): Come back to UXLx for Talks Day
- Bonus: Turn it into a long weekend (without using extra leave)
You get an optimised conference trip, with a built-in buffer day. So no “wasted” holiday.
A holiday means fewer distractions
During a holiday or a long weekend, inboxes tend to be quieter, meetings aren’t scheduled, and there’s less internal pressure to “just quickly check something”.
Instead of feeling like you’re stepping away from a busy workday, you’re already aligned with a natural pause in your organisation’s rhythm. That creates real space to focus and more mental bandwidth to live the UXLx experience to its fullest.
Make it a family-friendly getaway
Interactive museums, cable car rides by the river, a grand aquarium, open parks and playgrounds — Lisbon makes it easy to turn a work trip into something the whole family can enjoy.
While you attend sessions on Wednesday and Friday, there’s plenty to keep everyone else happily exploring. Then Thursday, with no conference schedule, you have a shared day to wander and experience the city together. The same goes for the weekend.
If you’re staying in Parque das Nações (where the venue is located), there’s no need to venture far. The area itself offers more than enough attractions to keep the whole family happily entertained for an entire day. Plus, everything is within walking distance. Check these:
- Oceanário de Lisboa - The largest indoor aquarium in Europe, holding 5 million litres of seawater. You’ll get up close to cheerful sea otters, threatening sharks, giant sunfish stingrays, and clumsy penguins. It houses over 400 living species.
- Pavilhão do Conhecimento - It translates to “Knowledge Pavilion” and it’s a modern science museum that holds a permanent collection of fun and interactive science experiments.
- Cable Car Ride - To get wonderful panoramic views over the area go for a cable car ride. It extends the length of the neighbourhood, from the Oceanarium in the south to the Torre Vasco da Gama in the north, covering a total distance of 1.2km. There’s even a combined ticket that includes an entry ticket to the Oceanário and a ride on the Cable Car.
- Along Parque da Nações you’ll also find different areas to play and relax. There’s the exploding water volcanoes, Jardim da Música (Music Gardens) - an interactive play area, or Jardins da Água (Water Gardens) where you can pass beneath the wonderful waterfall.
If the family doesn’t mind moving between areas and hop on public transport, there’re other options to keep the kids entertained:
- Easy beach trip - Cascais is one of the most charming seaside towns along the Lisbon coastline and an ideal choice for a sandy beach day. It’s easily reached by a direct train from Cais do Sodré station, with the journey ending right in the heart of town.
- Lisbon Zoo - Zoos are always a great idea to make happy memories. With over 140 years of history and located in the heart of Lisbon, Lisbon Zoo is home to around 2.000 animals from approximately 300 different species.
- Hippotrip - A unique sightseeing experience aboard an amphibious vehicle. First you’ll explore the city by land and then, without leaving your seat, plunge into the Tagus river.
. . .
So if you’re considering attending UXLx 2026 make this a smartly designed week. For learning, connection, and a little travel time. 😉