LISBON - Portugal - page 27

get started in moments. With either company, you'll likely feel like you've made a friend
in your guide (a great way to get to know a local). Especially with the substantial discount
given to readers of this topic, these tours are time and money very well spent.
Lisbon Walker: Standard tours include: “Revelation” (best 3-hour overview with
good coverage of the Baixa and the main squares, a quick look at the Bairro Alto, and a
trolley ride across town to the Graça viewpoint); “Old Town” (2-hour walk through Al-
fama that examines the origins of Lisbon—Romans, Moors, and its castle); and “Down-
town” (2-3 hours, covers the 1755 earthquake and the rebirth of Lisbon). Other more-
focused tours are: “Legends & Mysteries,” “City of Spies,” “Castle Hill” (including the
tangled, multi-ethnic Mouraria neighborhood), and “Uptown Lisbon” (€15/person; €10
for youth, seniors, and those with this topic; daily year-round at 10:00 and often at 14:30,
meet at northwest corner of Praça do Comércio near Rua do Arsenal, in front of the
TI—see map on here , tel. [phone], www.lisbonwalker.com ).
Inside Lisbon: Tours include: “Original Lisbon Walk” (a good highlights tour of the
main squares, the Chiado, and the Alfama; €15, daily year-round at 10:00); “Old Lisbon
Walk” (takes you through the oldest parts of the city, including Graça and the Alfama;
€15, April-Oct Tue and Sat at 10:00, Nov-March Sat at 10:00); the “Gourmet Walk” (with
stops at traditional eateries and bars in the Baixa, Chiado, and Bairro Alto for lots of fun
things to eat and drink; €25, April-Oct Tue, Thu, and Sat at 16:30); and the “Lisbon Ex-
perience Walk” (a walking-and-eating tour from Praça dos Restauradores to Mouraria,
ending with a ferry to Cacilhas for seafood; €26, year-round Mon, Wed, Fri, and Sat at
10:30). Most tours meet at the statue of Dom Pedro IV in the center of Rossio, except
for the Lisbon Experience Walk, which starts on Praça dos Restauradores. All last about
three hours and offer €4 discounts for those with this topic. Except for the Gourmet Walk,
no reservations are required in summer. Reservations are required in the off-season and
always for the Gourmet Walk (reserve before noon on the day of the tour via website or
phone, tel. [phone], www.insidelisbon.com ) . They also offer private tours and day
trips by minivan to Sintra/Cascais and Obidos/Fátima. You can also organize a private
city tour with them, or use their helpful website as a resource for seeing Lisbon on your
own.
LocalGuides —Hiring a private local guide in Lisbon can be a wonderful luxury. They'll
meet you at your hotel and tailor your tour to your interests. Especially with a small
group, this can be a fine value. And, as audioguides are rare in Lisbon and the history
can be tough to figure out on your own, having your own guide can really help. Guides
charge the about the same rates (Mon-Fri €115/half-day, €180/day; Sat-Sun €140/half-
day, €230/day). Cristina Duarte leads tours for my company and knows Lisbon well
(mobile [phone], [e-mail] ) . ClaudiadaCosta , who you may have
seen with me on my Lisbon TV show, is also excellent (mobile [phone], claudiada-