Welcome to Lisbon: Chiado, Baixa & Alfama Private Walking Tour
Description
Dating back to 1200 BC, Lisbon has always been one of Europe’s key seaports, a powerhouse to rival London, Paris and Rome. Home to winding cobbled streets, wide piazzas, UNESCO treasures and vibrant yellow trams, this half-day tour will give you a flavour of Lisbon’s past, visiting some of its most iconic historical and cultural sights. Your private tour begins at Largo do Chiado, where you will journey back to the Middle Ages to uncover the city’s Jewish and Moorish heritage. In Baixa, Lisbon’s downtown, commercial centre, see how the ruined district was revived by the Marquis of Pombal, who designed a revolutionary new grid pattern for Lisbon. The tour ends with a walk around the Alfama district, once a poor area set outside the city walls but now a popular arty district with labyrinthine streets. If you’re looking for a quick, informative introduction to Portugal’s multicultural capital, then this express tour is the perfect option!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Start in Chiado, known for its elegant buildings, great shopping, restaurants and cafes, and see the famed Convento do Carmo. Learn how the magnificent medieval Carmo Convent - today roofless - survived Lisbon’s devastating 1755 earthquake, followed by a tsunami and fires.
Enjoy panoramic views from Lisbon’s 45-meter-high ornate iron lift, the Elevador de Santa Justa - inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris it has been one of the city's most famous sites since its inauguration in 1902.
Descend into the "downtown" of Lisbon, Baixa neighbourhood and see the city's most famous square, Praça do Comércio. Learn why this neighbourhood has a unique grid pattern layout, and how Lisbon was rebuilt with distinctive Pombaline architecture after its infamous earthquake.
Climb up to Alfama, past the Sé de Lisboa, the city’s grand cathedral which dates back to 1147. Stroll through the steep streets of trendy Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest district, famous for its narrow cobblestone streets, boutiques, and home to Portuguese Fado Music.
Admire the view from Miradouro de Santa Luzia, Lisbon's most famous viewpoint decorated with Azulejo tiles. End your tour in Alfama, where your guide can give you suggestions on where to eat, drink and enjoy some traditional Fado music.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(3)
This walking tour with Travel Curious was the perfect introduction to Lisbon. Our guide Tania was fantastic — her knowledge of the city's history was incredible, from the 1755 earthquake's impact on Carmo Convent to the Pombaline grid design of Baixa, but what really made the tour special was her sense of humor. She kept things light and fun while still packing in tons of great information, and she had local tips for restaurants, viewpoints, and Fado bars that ended up shaping the rest of our trip in Lisbon. Walking from Chiado through Baixa and up into Alfama gave us a real feel for the city's layers of history, and the views from Miradouro de Santa Luzia were stunning. Tania's pacing was great for photos too. We booked this tour through Mike McHugh at Dream Makers Vacation Services, who put together our whole Lisbon and Porto itinerary — everything was seamless and well organized from start to finish. Highly recommend both Travel Curious for the tour and Mike for trip planning. Five stars all around!
Alex was awesome. Great communicator and her knowledge of the history of Lisbon and Portugal was amazing. She went above and beyond to make sure we got to the subway, ,riding with us, and walked us to our dinner spot! Highly recommend!
We enjoyed our private tour with Rui from Travel Curious, and came away with a much richer understanding of how layered (literally!) the history of Lisbon is. He walked us through several of the historical neighborhoods of the city and shared how the commercial, religious, royal and cultural communities intersected across various eras. He did a fantastic job weaving stories that explained how the architecture and layout of the city still echo through what we see today. I appreciated the curation to our interests -- it was much more engaging than a typical group tour experience, and highly recommend checking them out.
Dear Cara, thank you so much for your incredible review! We’re thrilled to hear that you had an enriching experience with Rui as your guide. He truly has a talent for weaving together history and the present. We're glad he could be flexible and incorporate your interests into the tour. We’ll be sure to pass on your compliments to Rui; he will be delighted to know you enjoyed your experience. Thank you again for your five-star rating and your high recommendation. Your kind words mean a lot to us! We hope to welcome you back on another Travel Curious Adventure. Happy exploring!
