The Hidden Steps of Lisbon Traditions Full-Day Tour

Tour Description

This full day tour was made to provide you the experience of feeling like a local in Lisbon. The guide will take you to several places that you wouldn’t find on your own.

Lisbon is a very old city, colonized by many civilizations through the centuries: Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and it became Christian in 1147 after a four month siege to the Castle.

Start the day being picked up at your hotel and heading to the area of Belém. This section is linked with the heroic deeds of the Portuguese maritime exploration, in the 15th and 16th centuries. This was the Age of Discoveries and the Golden Era of Portugal, transforming Lisbon into the opulent center of a vast empire. Part of the wealth from these expeditions was used to build magnificent monuments in a unique Portuguese style: the extravagant Manueline decorative style. Stop at the Tower of Belém and the Monument to the Discoveries, two symbols of Lisbon’s glory, as well as Jerónimos Monastery. A stop at the famous pastry shop “Pastéis de Belém” (working since 1837) will be a great opportunity to taste the local pastries under the same name, together with some tea or coffee.

The tour proceeds to Lisbon’s Downtown, the so-called “Baixa”, from where you’ll take a 19th century tram ride to discover the ancient neighborhoods of the historic center. Afterwards, it’ll be lunch time, and the guide will take you to a local restaurant where you’ll have the chance to sample some of the Portuguese cuisine.

Restaurant “Terreiro do Paço”, located in the heart of Lisbon, on a square facing the river is "a landmark restaurant for Portuguese cuisine in one of the most amazing squares in the world". It occupies part of the area where the former Royal Palace was before being destroyed by the 1755 earthquake.

Restaurant “Nicola”, is the ideal place for a more quick and light meal. Located in the very heart of Lisbon, the Rossio, it was once the meeting point for writers and poets (one of them, Bocage, became the image of the coffee brand under the restaurant’s name). It is still today a reference amongst the locals and a touristic attraction too.

After enjoying your meal, it’s time to walk to one of the most fashionable sections of the city. The cosmopolitan Chiado is a commercial and cultural center. A great variety of shops and cafeterias attract people during the day, while theatres, bars and restaurants are busy in the evening. The guide will take you to Solar do Vinho do Porto for a Port wine tasting. Inaugurated in 1946, the Solar do Vinho do Porto has a privileged location, in one of the most noble districts and neighborhoods of Lisbon. At its bar, welcoming and distinct, visitors can taste the Port Wine. This is a way of enjoying one of Portugal's richest national heritages.

Still in Chiado, find a very unique shop called "A Vida Portugesa" where products manufactured by the ancient Portuguese are on display for sale: the most beautiful items for the kitchen, bathroom and office, namely olive oil, tea and coffee boxes and bottles, soaps, pencils, ceramics and other unique utensils. Outside this shop you’ll hardly find any of these items!

Then visit St. George Castle, including its surrounding quarter. This section of Lisbon has kept its tradition of a small village within a big city, as everybody knows each other. You’ll have the same feeling in Alfama, Lisbon's oldest quarter, where the visit will end. The name itself comes from the Arabic “Al-hamma” meaning fountains or baths. Indeed, you can still find several fountains. After you have seen and tried the best experiences in Lisbon, the guide will drive you back to your hotel.

Schedule:

9:30am - 5:30pm (times are suggested, but flexible)

Click here to request a reservation or to get more information.

You may call us at US Toll Free: 1-800-652-9151
in N. America: call 1-209-667-2405
in Europe: (+351) 91 063 99 01