Lisbon Trip Overview
This tour allows you to discover Lisbon, capital of Portugal, colonized by many civilizations along the centuries: Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors and finally the Portuguese after 1147. In the main hill of Lisbon, you will find the St. George Castle with its surrounding quarter and Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest quarter. This city is linked with the heroic deeds of the Portuguese maritime exploration, in the 15th and 16th centuries. This was the Age of Discoveries and the Golden Era of Portugal, transforming Lisbon into the opulent center of a vast empire. Part of the wealth from these expeditions was used to build magnificent monuments in a unique Portuguese style: the extravagant Manueline architectural style, best typified in the monuments located in the area of Belém.
Additional Info
* Duration: 4 hours
* Starts: Lisbon, Portugal
* Trip Category: Private & Custom Tours >> Private Sightseeing Tours
Explore Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Lisbon, Central Portugal, Portugal
This tour allows you to discover Lisbon, capital of Portugal, colonized by many civilizations along the centuries: Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors and finally the Portuguese after 1147. In the main hill of Lisbon, you will find the St. George Castle with its surrounding quarter and Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest quarter. This city is linked with the heroic deeds of the Portuguese maritime exploration, in the 15th and 16th centuries. This was the Age of Discoveries and the Golden Era of Portugal, transforming Lisbon into the opulent center of a vast empire. Part of the wealth from these expeditions was used to build magnificent monuments in a unique Portuguese style: the extravagant Manueline architectural style, best typified in the monuments located in the area of Belém.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Castelo de S. Jorge, Rua de Santa Cruz do Castelo, Lisbon 1100-129 Portugal
The Castle of St. George is located in the parish of Santa Maria Maior (Castelo). The Castle of St. George, dating from the X-XI centuries, was conquered to the Moors by D. Afonso Henriques in 1147. The present name derives from the devotion of the castle to Saint George, patron saint of the knights and of the crusades, and was given by order of D. John I in the 14th century.
Over time the castle, as well as the various military structures of Lisbon, was remodeled, and by the first half of the 20th century it was already in an advanced state of decay. In the 1940s monumental works of reconstruction were undertaken, rising a great part of the walls and raising many of the towers. For this reason, contrary to what one might think at first glance, the “medieval character” of this military complex is due to this reconstruction campaign, not to the preservation of the castle from the Middle Ages to the present day.
It stands in a dominant position on the highest hill of the historic center, giving visitors one of the most beautiful views of the city and of the Tagus estuary.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, Praca do Imperio Belém, Lisbon 1400-206 Portugal
In 1501 the new King of Portugal Manuel I ordered the construction of a new pantheon on the waterfront honoring the arrival of Vasco da Gama to India in 1498, using a style of architecture that cannot be found elsewhere in the world: the Manueline, best typified in Jerónimos Monastery. The combination of religious motives, nautical symbols, and tombs of historical characters such as Vasco da Gama or Fernando Pessoa transformed the Monastery into one of the most astonishing pieces of architecture in Europe.
You will be able to visit the church and the cloisters, considered by many the most beautiful in the world, you will travel back in time to when the Hieronymite monks lived here and the silence was the motto.
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Alfama, Lisbon Portugal
The name itself comes from the Arabic “Al-hamma”, which means fountains or baths.
“Originally, Alfama was situated outside of the city walls and was associated with poverty and squalor, where only the poor and disadvantaged resided. As Lisbon grew into an important port, the district retained its lowly status as the tough and deprived district where sailors and dock workers lived.
Today, Alfama has shrugged off its grim reputation, being transformed into a fashionable artisan district, while still retaining its character and dilapidated charm.”
