Thu, Aug 13 · 4:00 PM WEST
Whether you are a tourist, an ex-pat, or even a local, this historical, city center walking tour is made for those who want to get a better understanding of Lisbon's rich history in a detailed, yet informal approach.
We will leave from Rossio square, the heart of the city, and head up to explore the classic neighborhoods of Chiado and Princípe Real and the bohemian neighborhood of Bairro Alto, while bypassing beautiful churches such as São Domingos (XIII century), the Carmo Convent (XIV century) and São. Roque (XVI century), as well as seeing some Neo-Manueline architecture, intriguing azulejos ´tiles´, and trendy cafés and restaurants.
We will cover in this tour:
The earthquake of 1755 and the reconstruction of the city by Prime Minister Marquês de Pombal.
The Inquisition and persecution of Jews and Muslims.
The restoration wars and their consequences to the decline of the Portuguese Empire.
Ulysses and the mythological foundation of Lisbon.
Santa Justa Elevador, Carmo Square, São Pedro de Alcântara Miradouro and much more.
This tour is target for those who are interested in History and wish to learn about Portugal's legacy and contribution to World History. It is not about modern issues such as the rising rental prices or how Portugal is dealing with mass immigration. This tour is about going back to the lives of kings and queens of the past, both the good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful. I try to cover as much as I can; nevertheless, the main focus is from the XV to the XIX centuries. I do cover other time periods, albeit briefly.
Another difference between this proposal and other walking tours is that I want people to connect with each other and, towards the end of the tour, I do stop for the guests to get some take-away drinks and we finish in a beautiful viewpoint with a beer in our hands. This is, simultaneously, a very historical tour with bits of informality.
I never cancel the tour unless there are extreme weather conditions (30 degrees Celsius or a light rain are NOT enough to cancel, but 40 degrees or a thunderstorm are) - that being said, if you happen to be the only reservation, I will message you one hour before to verify if you wish to reschedule or continue. The duration of the tour is of approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes, depending on the group size (rarely over 10 people) and the walking pace of the group.
Join in, book the tour, learn and have fun! :D
French Tour upon demand (pour la visite en français, il faut me contacter, s´il vous plaît).
Important notice: I never wear sunglasses or use a microphone during the tour. I like to convey expression and that is my understanding of professionalism, thus I need my voice to always be powerful (although I do smoke a quick cigarrette while the guests are taking pictures at the viewpoints I am not made of iron), implying that around 2% of the tours, I might contact my colleague Kate, a Master in Anthropology, to do it in my place. I arrive at the meeting point some 10 to 5 minutes before the beginning of the tour. I see no need to be there half an hour before. I have a tolerance waiting time of 5 minutes; more than that, it is unfair for the guests who were ponctual. If you leave a valid WhatsApp number, I will send my location. Otherwise you will not be able to find me, as once I begin the tour, I must shut down my umbrella. As you will see, I use my hands a lot to express myself.
Disclaimer: I occasionally get reservations from people who are perhaps not understanding the concept of the tour. I am a Ph.D. title candidate, so I am obviously extremely historical. Although I do stop to get drinks and I have a sarcastic sense of humor, this is quintenssencialy a very historical tour. If you are not into history and are looking for a more ´fun facts´ kind of tour, please feel free to book with somebody else. This is specially valid for reservations over three people. If you are into history, but your friends are not, be aware that your friends looking bored at me disturbs my performance and deranges the general quality of the tour. I am a professional and I can ignore your friends, but if they are just simply convincing you to leave at the middle without paying and write a bad review for a tour you did not complete, I prefer you to book a lighter tour. The tour is absolutely NOT recommended for children. Teenagers with a high school level of education may or may not capture my historical references, but children will surely not. Spare your child of the suffering and book a more family oriented tour. I will refuse to accept the group if you show up with baby trolleys and multiple children as I already know they will be convincing the parents to leave at the middle. It does not matter if you tell me your children love History. This is not Cartoon Network level of History, it is beyond that. Likewise, although I am not a native English speaker and I have a slight Portuguese accent, I know my vocabulary well. If you are not 100% fluent in English, this tour is not for you. The tour is crafted to be the most detailed historical tour of Lisbon.
