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Natural and Historic Arrábida, Private Tour
Marvel at the charming combination of history and natural beauty on this private guided tour o the Natural Reserve of Arrábida. You will see the natural beauty of Arrábida Mountain Park and explore top cultural attractions like Arrábida Convent, the medieval tide mill and Forte de São Filipe. Plus, enjoy a more personalized experience with a private guide.
Meeting Point
Any hotel/airbnb in central Lisbon
Pick-up and drive to the Setubal Region
You start by being picked-up for your private tour, at a hotel or AirBnB in Lisbon. On this tour you’ll visit the natural reserve of Arrábida, where you’ll take in stunning mountain views, and learn about the area’s history, experience some of its top products, and visit its beaches (during the summer).
Azeitao village
The first place we will pass is Azeitão, a picturesque region noted for its wines and cheeses. Maybe stop there and have your breakfast, tasting some traditional local goods.
Arrábida Mountain Range and one of the most beautiful bays in the world.
Reaching the Arrábida National Park national park, you will see the breath-taking views of the Sado estuary, which is listed as one of the most beautiful bays of the world. Being in a natural park, you have a few beautiful spots, where you can park and take amazing pictures of the mountain and the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, you will stop to see from the outside the Arrábida Convent and Lapa de Santa Margarida, before reaching the historical centre of Setúbal.
Convento da Arrabida
Along the way to Setubal, you will stop to see the Arrábida Convent, founded in 1542 by Friar Martinho de Santa Maria, a Castilian Franciscan who was granted the land by D. João de Lencastre (1501-1571), the first Duke of Aveiro.
Castelo de Sao Filipe
Here we will explore one of the first "star fortifications" build in Portugal, and take in the amazing views over the surrounding locations. Work on the fortress began in 1590 and was completed in 1600. The São Filipe Fortress, resulted of the orders of the king, for the fortification of the coastline that protected Setúbal and the entrance of the Sado river. The interior space, which originally included the Governors House and military. There is a small baroque chapel, still preserved, dedicated to Our Lady dated 1736.
Livramento Market
Reaching Setúbal, you will explore the Livramento Market.
In June/2015, USA Today Travel (Food & Wine), considered this market as one of the 10 best fish markets of the world. The market’s distinctive tiled walls, called “Azulejos”, comprised of 5,700 decorative tile pieces, the wall panels measure about 1,259 square feet and depict scenes of everyday local activities such as fishing and farming. See an assortment of local seafood laid out on counters and get to know how the different fish actually look like…
Sardines are a favourite at the market. According to the Portuguese National Tourist Office, Portugal consumes 13 sardines per second, during the month of June.
Moinho de Mare da Mourisca
Next you’ll head to a very rare, restored tide mill that was built in 1601. This piece of industrial archaeology stands as a testimony to medieval engineering expertise. The mill still uses the tides as a source of renewable, non-polluting energy. Also you will be able to discover one of the biggest wetlands of Portugal, the Sado estuary.
Ending Point
Any hotel/airbnb in central Lisbon
Want to personalize this tour?
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Inclusions & Exclusions
Pick up and drop off at a hotel/Airbnb in Lisbon or from cruise port;
Transportation by private air-conditioned car/van;
Private tour with Professional guide. Participants will be you and your guide;
Guide will accompany you inside the locations/monuments to explain its history;
Guaranteed to skip the long lines;
Entrance Fees.
Lunch and any other items not mentioned in the description.
Tour Important Information
Hotel or AirBnB clients must provide the following information at time of booking: hotel name and address
Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
Refunds will not be issued if tour/activity is missed due to late or non-arrival of cruise ship
National monuments might close without notice, on public holidays and other special occasions!
Not wheelchair accessible
Not suitable for pets
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for people with heart conditions
Your meeting point is flexible, and to be agreed with your Guide. The meeting point will be at your hotel or accommodation. Or your Guide will meet you at a convenient location close to your hotel or accommodation.
Not available Mondays!
Important message from the supplier
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Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Lisbon Tour Reviews
“Sintra plus”
Our guide for the day, Paulo, could not have been more friendly or interesting. He covered all manner of topics, historic and current, and added immensely to our sense of being special guests in his beloved country. We happily encourage others to work with this guide and organization. Ann & Bryan, California USA
Joao D.
(8 reviews)Thank you so very much for your review, dear Ann & Bryan. It was a pleasure to organize and make the day with you. I´m glad you enjoyed your Sintra day, and surroundings with Paulo. I hope to have you back in Portugal in the near future. Warmest Regards, and all the best for you both! Joao
“4 star review”
We had an amazing tour with Maya in Lisbon. She was so pleasant and friendly and brought us to some really interesting places! We especially loved the Jorge castle and stopping for pastel de nata where she made sure we got them fresh from the oven! Maya knows the city well and it felt like we were touring Lisbon with a new friend. The only thing that wasn't perfect was not being informed that Joao was not our guide as we were expecting him. Also the information we received about the meeting point and time was different than we requested but because the email came a day before the tour with instructions we believed it to be correct.
“Sintra and Cascais tour with Rodrigo”
Rodrigo was substituted for Joao as my guide on the Sintra and Cascais tour. His English communication skills were excellent. We visited the Queluz Palace and his knowledge of the history of the palace really enhanced the visit. We also stopped at Cabo de Roca , did some shopping in Sintra and stopped for lunch in Cascais. Drove along the coast in the seaside town of Estoril on our return to Lisbon. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would highly recommend Rodrigo’s tour guide services.
