Explore Lisbon City on a private half-day tour in a van
Description
Join us for an unforgettable 5-hour tour of Lisbon. Experience stunning views from the city known as the "City of Seven Hills." We will drive through the narrow streets of historic neighborhoods, including Baixa, Bairro Alto, and Alfama, making stops at the best viewpoints along the way. Travel back to the 16th century in Belem, where you'll learn about the adventurous journeys of the brave Portuguese navigators who explored the world. Don't miss the opportunity to taste the famous Pastéis de Belém—the original custard tart recipe known only to six people, created in a historic bakery dating back to 1837. And you will cross the 25th of April Bridge, often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge, and take in breathtaking views of Lisbon from the Christ the King Statue, a replica of the one in Rio de Janeiro.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Largo do Carmo is one of the most beautiful squares in Lisbon. Here, you can learn about the 1755 earthquake, as the Carmo Church has remained a ruin since that time. You can also explore the aqueduct system, as well as the many fountains and galleries throughout the city. Additionally, this square is significant for the 1974 democratic revolution, where the last Portuguese dictator was arrested. Don’t miss the chance to visit the neo-gothic Elevador de Santa Justa, built in 1902, and enjoy the stunning views it offers.
The neo-Gothic Santa Justa Elevator is the most popular viewpoint in downtown Lisbon. It is the only vertical street lift in the city, built in 1902. Designed by Raul Mésnier, an apprentice of Gustave Eiffel, it showcases stunning architecture.
The Chiado district is the most popular and expensive area in old town Lisbon. Here, you can find not only nice viewpoints, but also old cafés, bookstores, boutiques, grand theaters, and much more.
The Baixa district was completely destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. It was then rebuilt in a grid layout featuring beautiful squares by the Marquis of Pombal, who was the prime minister at the time. Today, Baixa serves as the commercial center of the city and is the only flat district in Lisbon's old town.
Alfama is the soul of Lisbon, the oldest neighborhood, a magical place filled with narrow streets, hidden courtyards, pitched rooftops, and labyrinthine alleyways.
This lookout point is the perfect place to relax and take in one of the best panoramic views of Lisbon. From here, you can see Sao Jorge Castle, the Tagus River, and charming neighborhoods such as Mouraria, Baixa, and Chiado, among others.
You will cross the April 25th Bridge, which resembles the Golden Gate Bridge. This large and scenic suspension bridge connects the northern and southern sides of Lisbon. It was renamed in honor of the day of the revolution—April 25th—which brought an end to the Salazar dictatorship in 1974.
The site of the Christ the King Statue (Cristo Rei) offers the best viewpoint of Lisbon. From here, you can enjoy stunning views of the city and the Tagus River. Inspired by the statue in Brazil, this monument was erected in 1959 to express gratitude to God for sparing Portugal from the horrors of World War II. There is an entrance fee to go up to the statue, but the view from the bottom is quite similar.
It’s not possible to visit Lisbon without tasting one of the best-kept secrets of Portuguese pastries: the Pasteis de Belem. This delightful treat originated in a small bakery in 1837, and you'll have the opportunity to try one, as it’s included in the price of your visit. We will also share with you the local ritual for enjoying these delicious pastries.
The Mosteiro dos Jeronimos is the most famous monument in Portugal. It serves as a tribute from King Manuel to the great explorers of the 15th century, including Vasco da Gama, who discovered a sea route to India in 1498. During your visit, you will learn about the Portuguese maritime discoveries and have the opportunity to see the church where Vasco da Gama is buried. Please note that while you'll be visiting the church, you won't be going inside the monastery.
The Torre de Belém (Belem Tower) is a 500-year-old fortification located on a small island in the Tagus River. It was built as part of a defense system at the river's mouth and served as a ceremonial gateway into Lisbon. The tower is classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Please note that you will not be allowed to enter the monument.
The Padrao dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoverers) was constructed to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Henry the Navigator's death. It features representations of all the significant figures who contributed to Portugal's major achievements during the Age of Exploration, including Vasco da Gama, Bartolomeu Dias, Pedro Alvares Cabral, Ferdinand Magellan, and others.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Bring at least a light jacket, as the weather can be highly variable
Reviews(205)
We really enjoyed this tour and our guide, Tania, really was enjoyable. We went all over the town and got to see some nice sites, and learn about the city and its history. Even though we were with Tania for a long time her charm made it seem short. And she had a comfy van. I highly recommend this tour
We sincerely appreciate your kind words and the time you took to write this review. You are more than welcome again. Warm regards, Nuno
We had a family of seven, ranging from ages 25 to 88. The entire family enjoyed this tour, we got to see the most important highlights of Lisbon in a few hours, stopping at the most important places. Lily our tour guide was extremely Knowledgeable and she was amazing!
We had an amazing tour. Miguel was very friendly and very knowledgable about history, architecture, etc. We had a really good time. Door-to -door pickup was a hit with our kids LOL
We had a fabulous private tour of Lisbon with our incredibly knowledgeable guide Tania. She was an excellent story teller and truly showed off Lisboa and the surrounding area with love. She showed us all the highlights and even took great photos of us as we explored the beautiful city. One of the highlights was the Pastrais de Belem tour and pastries with the secret recipe handed down through the centuries from the nearby monastery. Delicious and a taste of Lisboa!
We sincerely appreciate your kind words and the time you took to write this review. You are more than welcome again. Warm regards, Nuno
Interaction with Lisbon Riders Since we were going to have a very short stay in Lisbon, we were looking for a reliable and knowledgeable local tour operator who can help us cover the most of Lisbon and Sintra. After reading positive reviews from Google and Rick Steve’s blog, we decided to go with Lisbon Riders and booked a private tour for both Lisbon and Sintra. Initial communication with them was via email and Manuel was very quick with response. Their Lisbon private tour usually starts in the morning but because of our flight timings, Manual accommodated us for an afternoon tour. At any point during our email communications, there was never any pressure from them regarding payment and they were flexible enough with our needs. Interaction with Ricardo (our tour guide) Our tour guide Ricardo arrived promptly at our hotel for pickup. After initial introductions and greeting each other in Portuguese (with help from our guide), we started our Lisbon tour. Within an hour we could see that he was very informative, knowledgeable based on the historical facts that he was providing and all the unique photo spots along the way making sure all-important landmarks are covered as described in the tour itinerary. We never felt rushed. Safety was always his top priority based the way he was navigating the roads (including narrow alleys). In fact, all the members in our group liked him so much that we requested Lisbon Riders to have Ricardo as our tour guide for Sintra as well. Weather was not a little cooperative and boy he was prepared with umbrellas for all of us during the entire trip. He also recommended us local shops in Lisbon and Sintra well known for their pastries. He pointed out a common and popular Lisbon souvenir made from bark of the cork oak tree which is a prominent local resource in Portugal and helped us with a price estimate when buying from local vendors making sure we are getting our money's worth. We were all vegetarians and his food/restaurant recommendations (Timeout square marketplace, Honest Greens and few in Chiado area etc.) really help us a lot. Thank You Lisbon Riders and Ricardo for making our Portugal tip a memorable one. Patel family - Jitendra, Hetal, Ved Shah family - Jigar, Dimple, Jash, Jiya
We sincerely appreciate your kind words and the time you took to write this review. You are more than welcome again. Warm regards, Nuno
Wonderful tour. Kat showed us the many highlights of Lisboa. Also saves a lot of climbing the hills to see the major sites!
We sincerely appreciate your kind words and the time you took to write this review. You are more than welcome again. Warm regards, Nuno
Thank you for an amazing tour of your beautiful city. Your knowledge of history and ability to answer all our questions made the day a pure joy. Thank you for your flexibility. It made it possible for us to see and do everything we had hoped to do. It also helped us to stay dry 😁.
Thank you for your kind words and the time spent on this review. We look forward to welcoming you again. Kind regards, Nuno
Ricardo, our guide, was knowledgeable with a great sense of humour. He was determined to show us everything that is great about Lisbon and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with him. We would not hesitate to book with Lisbon Riders on our next visit and ask for Ricardo as our guide! Thank you so much
Thank you for your kind words and the time spent on this review. We look forward to welcoming you again. Kind regards, Nuno
We had an amazing day with Tania & Miguel. They were so friendly and a lot of fun. It was great to learn about the history behind the beautiful sights we got to see.
The perfect way to see Lisbon thanks to our very knowledgable driver Fernando. Well organised for stops and photos and minimal crowds. The rich history of Lisbon told by Fernando enabled us to experience a real appreciation of Lisbon.
Thank you for your kind words and the time spent on this review. We look forward to welcoming you again. Kind regards, Nuno
