LKL - Little Known Lisbon
This tour offers the opportunity to spend some time at 3 of the most spectacular viewpoints (miradouros) overlooking the city of Lisbon. Viewpoints are an integral part in the life of the “Lisboetas” and many a young romance has flowered while the families spend Sunday afternoons relaxing at their favourite “miradouro”.
The tour begins at the Portas do Sol Miradouro from where there are magnificent views over the roof tops of Alfama towards the Church and Monastery of S. Vicente de Fora and the National Pantheon, where many Portuguese monarchs and famous people from all walks of life are buried.
We then make our way across the road to the Museum of Portuguese Decorative Arts. This is a most interesting, but little-visited museum which houses the private collection of banker and art-lover, Ricardo do Espirito Santo Silva (1900-1955). A brief guided visit pointing out the most famous items of the collection will be followed by the walking tour around a part of Lisbon that most Portuguese know little about. How many Lisboetas know where the oldest traffic sign dating back to 1686 can be seen?
From Alfama we make our way towards Graça where 3 different housing complexes tell the tale of working life in Lisbon during the 1900s. Graça, with its 6.000 inhabitants, is now under the administration of the Bairro de São Vicente and is still home to the real Lisboetas. Life is lived in the tiny grocer shops, cafés and gardens which abound in this traditional quarter.
After appreciating the views from what is considered to be the best view of Lisbon at the Senhora do Monte Miradouro, we return through the narrow streets to the Graça Miradouro where the official tour ends.
You may either return to downtown Lisbon by tram or taxi (or by the latest form of Lisbon transport, the tuk tuk!) or you can opt for a guided walk down through the Alfama district towards the river and the city centre.
DURATION: 3-4 hours, depending on coffee stops, photograph stops and the pace of the slowest walker.
COST: €110 per private tour. (Entrance fees not included)
BOOKINGS: Eva Sanches. Email: eva@turinta.pt. Mobile: (+ 351) 917 300 345.
Eva is a qualified Tour Guide who was born in Scotland and has lived in Cascais for over 40 years.