World City Guide

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Lisbon is a city that demands a stroll around its unique neighbourhoods – notably Chiado, Bairro Alto, Mouraria and Alfama. Many of Turismo de Lisboa’s publications include self-guided walking tours, although there are currently no guided walking tours available.

Bus Tours
Standard bus tours are offered by Cityrama (tel: (21) 386 4322; e-mail: circuitos@cityrama,pt; website: www.cityrama.pt ), for ¬28 (half-day) and ¬65 (full day), including Sintra, Cascais and Estoril. Tours depart from Marquês de Pombal Square, although pick-up can be organised from a number of hotels. Similar half-day tours are offered by Portugal Tours (tel: (21) 352 2902 or 9175 47650, e-mail: infor@portugaltours.pt; website: www.portugaltours.pt ), also costing ¬28 and departing from Marquês de Pombal Square.

Cityline (tel: (21) 319 1090 or 386 4322; website: www.cityline-sightline.pt ) offers an open-top bus service, costing ¬13. Being a hop-on-hop-off bus service, the length of the tour can be self-determined and the ticket is valid for the whole day. The tour departs from Praça Marqués de Pombal. A similar service is offered by Carristur (tel: (21) 361 3000 or 9662 98558; website: www.carris.pt ), whose terminal is Praça do Comércio.

Passeante Promenader (tel: (21) 388 2513) offers city tours of up to two hours, in a people carrier. Tours cost ¬30 and pick-up from various city centre hotels is arranged. Cityrama and Passeante Promenader also offer night tours, which include a visit to a Fado house for ¬68 and ¬72 respectively.

Tram Tours
Carristur (tel: (21) 361 3000 or 9662 98558; website: www.carris.pt ) operates a city tour in a restored tramcar for ¬16 (concessions are available). The tram takes an hour and a half to travel through the historical sights of Lisbon, departing from the Praça do Comércio and passing the cathedral and castle. A much cheaper and often more enjoyable option is for tourists to just take one of the city’s old rumbling public trams.

Boat Tours
Transtejo (tel: (21) 322 4000; website: www.transtejo.pt ) offers a variety of boat tours, including two-hour tours of the River Tagus, from the docks east of Praça do Comércio and travelling as far west as the Belém Tower. Tours cost ¬15 (concessions are available) and depart daily at 1100 and 1500 from the Terreiro do Paço river station, April to October. Cityrama (tel: (21) 386 4322; e-mail: circuitos@cityrama.pt; website: www.cityrama.pt ) offers visitors a three-hour cruise on the Tagus for ¬25. Tours leave from Praça Marqués de Pombal at 1430 (April to October).