On this private tour of Lisbon you’ll get a full introduction to the Portuguese capital’s historic. It´s monuments, palaces, churches, and typical historical neighbourhoods. Visit sites that are of interest to you, on a full day of discovery. Also you can customize it to your requirements.
Your guide will give you a taste of local life, and also make stops for some delicious local pastries if you so wish it.
Under the Arch of Rua Augusta
We will be waiting for you under the Rua Augusta Arch with a sign having your name on it (or another description that you would like) and our logo (TakingUThere).
The downtown of Lisbon, called “Baixa Pombalina” area is the heart of Lisbon and was completely rebuilt after the devastating 1755 earthquake. Covering an area of about 255 hectares, it contains magnificent squares, which are interconnected by straight avenues filled with grand 18th century architecture.
Explore the Roman Theatre that was built in the first century, in the time of the Roman emperor Augustus. It was rebuilt in Emperor Nero´s time, and during the reign of Constantine it was partially dismantled.
Abandoned in the fourth century, it was only discovered 1798, after the 1755 earthquake, while Lisbon was being rebuild.
View the S. Jorge Castle, located in the old medieval citadel, that was inhabited by the Moors who fortified it for their defence. When D. Afonso Henriques (Portugal´s founding King), took the castle in 1147, after besieging it for 3 months, expelled the Muslims and opened the castle doors to Christianity.
Take in the amazing Saint Luzia Viewpoint. It has one of the most beautiful views over Alfama and the Tagus River, having on its south wall two tile panels, one from the Commerce Square before the earthquake and one with Christians conquering the São Jorge Castle.
Walk up (and down) Alfama, the oldest and one of the most typical neighborhoods of Lisbon. Its name derives from the Moorish Al-Hamma, meaning baths or fountains.
The oldest church of Lisbon began its construction in the second half of the twelfth century, after the conquest of the city from the Moors by D. Afonso Henriques. Then construction of the cathedral was apparently done in the place of the old mosque of Lisbon.
"Climb" to this part of the city to get an idea of what you are able to do in Lisbon for the rest of your stay.
From the top of this neo-Gothic structure (built 1902) you can have another view over Lisbon and the Rossio Square.
The engineer Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard was responsible for the design, contrary to the popular belief that there is a connection to Gustave Eiffel.
It is well known that Ponsard applied to this lift some of the techniques and materials already used in France.
Discover the "darker" part of this square in Lisbon´s history...
From here, you have one of the nicest views over Lisbon and specially to the S. Jorge Castle.
Here is also the point where the tour ends.
Under the Arch of Rua Augusta
Private guide for your group, who will accompany you inside the monuments and locations;
Adjust the tour to your interest;
Don’t miss the opportunity to taste some of Lisbon’s traditional pastries;
Fast-pass to the Saint Jorge Castle.
Entrance fees to monuments or parks; (The adult admission fee to the Castelo de São Jorge is €10.00, children under 10 are free and students are €5.)
Lunch and any other items not mentioned in the description.
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Be sure to bring comfortable shoes, sunscreen, and a camera;
Entrance fees vary according to the tourism season;
This tour does not include entrance fees. For the reason that participants can decide if they would like to visit some of the sites or not;
National monuments close on public holidays or on special occasions, without notice;
The sequence of the mentioned places can be changed according to customer’s will or due to weather conditions.
Diane H.
From the very beginning to the end of our tour we were blown away with how well everything went. We were 8 adults with a 1 year old on this tour. Our guide Maia and driver Pedro were so accommodating and flexible. We had a full day of touring and saw everything we had planned to see and more. Our whole group would not hesitate to book another event with this company.
Lynn T.
I work with Joao to develop a 2 day tour for my group - 6 senior women age 71 - 81. Joao and I talked about the physical abilities of our "band of sisters" - his suggestions were thoughtful and we ended with a trip that synched well with our varied interests and strengths. Maia was our guide for both days and she was wonderful - full of history, stories, and much love for her country. My personal favorite place was Cascais, a perfect beach town situated between Lisbon and Sintra - I could easily spend a week exploring, using Cascais as my base. Thank you Joao and Maia for giving us so many memories - safe to say we will all be back!
Thank you so very much for your review, dear Lynn. It was a joy building and making the tour for you. Our guide Maia also loved her “Golden Girls” group… :-) Glad you enjoyed your stay in Lisbon! Hope to have you back soon to our Portugal Warmest Regards, Joao Dickmann
Jessica S.
Joao was so helpful and accommodating in helping me create a custom private Sintra sightseeing tour for me and my husband. He gave us great recommendations on the best time to go to each place we wanted to visit. Rodrigo, our guide for the day, was also wonderful. He was incredibly friendly and extremely knowledgable on the history of Portugal. We had a wonderful tour and were so appreciative of his time. We would highly recommend Joao and his team for your sightseeing tour.
Thank you very much for taking some time to write a review, dear Jessica. It is always important for us to know how we are doing. Glad that our guide Rodrigo gave you a good time in our beautiful Lisbon and Sintra. Hope to have you back soon to explore other locations and experiences. Warmest Regards, Joao Dickmann
Csaba T.
... then explore Sintra with Joao. We could not have immersed in the beauties and the history of the places we visited if we tried to do it ourselves. With our fantastic private guide, Joao, we learned a lot about the places. Absolute flexible guide, excellent speaker, you won't miss a word. Definitely recommended.
First of all, thank you very much dear Csaba for taking some time to write a review! I´m glad that you enjoyed your visit to our lovely Sintra. It was a pleasure making the tour for you, and hope to have you back in the near future. Warmest Regards and stay safe, Joao Dickmann