Private Lisbon Guided Walking Tour: Visit Baixa, Rossio, Bairro Alto & More

All real travelers and walking fans are invited to an excursion “Golden Lisbon”! To experience the city, its color and the atmosphere, we go to a small tour around the capital of Portugal: pleasant walks along the Lisbon small streets with small stops on observation decks, parks, churches, theaters, houses of the famous Portuguese, bohemian cafes, bookstores, shops with the Portuguese goods of times of the monarchy … To see the numerous sights of a historical part of Lisbon, we will use the funicular, tram and the lift!

The pedestrian excursion begins on the main square of Rossio where once the inquisition fires flared, the parades, fairs and festivities were organized, and the locals shared news and gossips. Today the area, as well as many centuries ago, looks rather briskly — there are the overflowed cafes, shops, drama theater and the building of the railway station of Rossio. It is curious that the station resembles the smart Palace in the Portuguese neomanuelino style and is decorated with the elements of the Gothic and marine style. The next stop will be at the Restauradores Square with the imposing buildings of the 18-19 centuries behind which the shady Avenida da Liberdade begins. Further, we will climb the high hill by the ancient funicular Gloria and appear in the charming region of Bairro Alto, former aristocratic area where the local Bohemia lived. Today the area is compared to the Parisian district and is called Lisbon Montmartre. We will stop at the observation deck “São Pedro de Alcantra” or “Terrace of Lisbon” with the best view of the lower part of the city – Baixa, and the ancient area of Alfama, St. George’s Castle and Cathedral fortress. After the observation deck we will pass to one of the most beautiful churches of Lisbon. It is Saint Roh’s church which interior remained intact after the earthquake of 1755. Then we will go to the Trindad theater, the Luis Camões Square, the one more well-known funicular of Bica and will have a coffee break on the observation deck “Santa Catarina”. A postcard view on the Lisbon port, a smooth surface of the Tagus river and the 25th of Bridge is the suitable place to take a rest!

Further we will go the area of Chiado and the Garret Street where the Lisbon’s first fashionable department store based on a sample of Parisian one was open. From local sights, it is possible to allocate the bohemian cafe “A Brasileira” designed in the art deco style where the poet Fernanda Pessoa liked to drop in. Both Portuguese and foreigners take pictures with his bronze figure which sits at a little table. It is the Carmo Square, with the charm and melancholy that the locals adore! The picture is pleasant to everyone who gets here: silence and peace, trees of jacaranda, half-ruined church of Carmelites, and more one observation deck. We will get to the top part of the Santa Justa lift made from iron lace. The lift was designed in the style of the Eiffel Tower by Gustav Eiffel’s project. Thanks to the Santa Justa lift we will easily and quickly go down to Baixa, to Augusta Street. A peculiar Lisbon pedestrian street, Augusta became a favourite place of tourists. Cafes and restaurants, hotels, shops and museums…and then we will walk to Baixa’s lift and we will climb to the area of Alfama, the oldest district of Lisbon. It is the high hill with constructions of the 14th century with the last executioner of Lisbon, with the first royal residence, it is the area with the twisting streets where passes the famous tram No. 28. We will pass to the observation decks of Santa Lucia and Portas-do-Sol. Soul of Lisbon is situated here, in Alfama! In numerous taverns and cafes Fado songs are sung, and the Cathedral and St. Antonio’s church, the most esteemed Saint of Lisbon, are very close.

The last stop of our tour will be the Commerce Square with its proud look at the Tagus river. The Triumph Arch and the equestrian statue of the King José I, the buildings of the former ministries, the ancient restaurants and the museum of Beer decorate the square. You will get profound explanations and advice of our skilled guides about what is the better way to spend your free time in Lisbon, as well as how to move, what national dishes and wines should be tried and tasted, where the best fish and meat restaurants are.