Lisbon in a Day, with Context

Your essential primer to Lisbon

$717

Private

N/A

Semi-private

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Tour Details

About the Tour

Private Tour: $ 717
Category: Orientation
Duration: 7 hours
Location: Lisbon

Photos & Highlights

Get the full picture of Lisbon with your interests in mind from art, culture, history, and architecture including insider tips along the way
Led by a expert local guide or scholar
Praça do Comércio, Rossio Square, Church of São Roque, São Jorge Castle, Bairro Alto Neighborhood, Alfama Neighborhood, Lisbon Cathedral (Sé de Lisboa), Baixa Neighborhood, and Miradouro das Portas do Sol

Tour Description

It’s hard not to be captivated by Lisbon. From medieval ramparts to monumental architecture, there’s plenty to see. Our Lisbon in a Day itinerary weaves together some of the capital’s finest sites, leaving you with a cultural taste for this charming Portuguese city. In the company of a local expert, we'll spend our time unpicking some of the best neighborhoods while learning about the city’s history and cultural identity. This tour is a fantastic introduction for travelers wishing to soak up Lisbon in the company of a local expert.

Lisbon in a Day

Includes a short briefing in a cafe and visits sites such as Praça do Comércio, São Roque Church, Alfama, São Jorge Castle, Lisbon Cathedral and Miradouro das Portas do Sol. Local lunch (at own expense).

Bairro Alto, Chiado and Baixa

Our walk begins in a small cafe in the Príncipe Real district (just north of Bairro Alto) with a coffee and a famous Pastel de Nata (Portuguese custard tart). We’ll start with a short briefing on Lisbon and the surrounding area (with relevant maps and tips) before embarking on our ‘Lisbon in a Day’ tour. We’ll talk about this former aristocratic district as we soak up the views from the São Pedro de Alcântara lookout point. With the hills of Lisbon sprawling out before us, our expert guide will explain how decisive moments across its history have shaped the way the city has evolved as well as how Lisbon locals live today. We’ll continue our city tour to take in sites such as the São Roque Church and the Carmo Convent. We’ll use the convent to talk about the devastating 1755 earthquake and show an example of a rare building that is (partially) still standing. Our route moves next from Bairro Alto down into Chiado, a haven for artists and creatives. We’ll observe Portuguese café culture and the buzz of this vibrant neighborhood. We’ll continue our stroll through Baixa and the iconic Praça do Comércio to take in the impressive panorama of the Río Tejo. We will stop for lunch at a local restaurant or cafe and use this time to re-energize and discuss anything from Fado culture to taxation or housing prices in Lisbon.

Heading into the Hills - Alfama

We’ll continue our exploration of Lisbon after lunch through an exploration of Lisbon’s old town: Alfama. We’ll head up in an elevator to the impressive São Jorge Castle, one of Lisbon's most popular sites. Our expert guide will discuss the Moorish occupation in the 10th and 11th centuries and the architectural influence this still has on Lisbon today. From the iconic lookout point, Miradouro das Portas do Sol, we will soak up some of Lisbon’s dramatic skyline. We may well look at contemporary and historic maps to make sense of its maze of narrow streets from this vantage point. Next, we’ll head to the Lisbon Cathedral, or Sé, as we discuss the Christian experience during the Moorish occupation, and the aftermath of the 1147 reconquest. Our tour ends here.

Takeaways

At the end of our immersive full-day itinerary, we will emerge with a deeper understanding of Lisbon. We’ll have ventured across the city to sites relevant to Lisbon's history, culture and identity. Hopefully, our ‘Lisbon in a Day, with Context’ will leave us with a better knowledge of anything from pastéis de nata to Henry the Navigator to sultry Fado music.

FAQ

What happens if it's raining?

Our tours happen rain or shine. Our guides are great at adapting their route during changes of weather. Please bring an umbrella.

I would like to start later. Is this possible?

Yes, just let us know in your client notes. If we start much later than 12pm, the expert guide may need to modify the route to accommodate this request.

Is this walk suitable for families?

Absolutely! It’s a long day but we have some expert guides specifically trained to work with younger learners who can adapt the material on this tour for families.

Will there be any additional costs during the tour?

The cost of lunch is not included on the tour. Depending on your expert guide's route, you may enter certain sites that ask for a nominal entry fee or donation. It is a good idea to have small coins on hand for this.

Can you arrange a car service for the day?

We can arrange transfers to and from the meeting point from your accommodation. Lisbon’s streets are very narrow and driving is not the suggested method of touring the city. Adding a vehicle would significantly alter the walk route. Please contact portugal@contexttravel.com for pricing or any specific questions regarding a car service.

Where do we meet?

You’ll meet your expert guide in the Príncipe Real. Your confirmation email will have the exact meeting point details along with a map, and 24/7 phone number to call in case of emergencies.

Where will the tour end?

This tour ends in the Alfama district. Exact route and end point will vary depending on expertise of the guide and preferences of the group.

I want to see sites that you don't include in the ‘Lisbon in a Day’ tour. What should I do?

Please book our Lisbon Custom Tour if you are interested in alternative sites.

Where You'll Start

Tour Experts

Bert

Bert is an architect and writer, and holds an MA in architectural engineering and cultural sciences. Born in Belgium, in the past decade he has lived and worked in architectural consultancy, writing and academia in Amsterdam, Beijing, and Shanghai and that before relocating to Lisbon in 2018. He is the co-director of "MovingCities", an independent research organization investigating the role that architecture and urbanism play in shaping the contemporary city. Bert has been living in China from 2006 to 2018, and has a great understanding of Lisbon's historic, cultural, Jewish and architectural past and present, an interest he has been developing since his first visit to the city in 2003.

Patricia

Patrícia Brum is a Portuguese archaeologist who also holds a Master's degree in Museum Studies. She focused her thesis on the museum planning of the Roman collection of Tróia (Portugal), the archaeological site she has been working on for the past decade. She has also worked at Núcleo Arqueológico da Rua dos Correeiros (an archaeological site in downtown Lisbon) and at the Science Museum. Currently living in Lisbon, her favorite part of the city is its magical light.

Estela

Estela Mendes is an art historian. Born and raised in Lisbon, she has been teaching about the beauty of the world for the past 11 years. After working in national palaces in Portugal, Estela moved to London where she spent 5 years working at museums like Buckingham Palace, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the British Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. Her background in art history gives a special view of the history of the city, using art to illustrate historical facts. She likes to walk through quiet streets and show small secrets to those who have never been to Lisbon.

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7 Reviews - (5.0)

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.

Tiago was terrific, and such an interesting guide. We have a much better understanding of the history of Lisbon, and how to “read” the history in architecture and small details. It was a great day.

Roberta

Jul. 15, 2019

Francisco was great. Very knowledgeable and very personable.

Ron

Jul. 10, 2019

Estela was knowledgeable and gracious. She combined different kinds of sites and activities - architecture, art, food, views, parks and history very well. Seven hours was too long for me.

Lisa

Jun. 23, 2019

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Tour Experts

All Context Experts are scholars or specialists in their field.

Bert

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Patricia

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Estela

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