Private tours in Lisbon & surroundings
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Program
Lisbon, the millenarian city of the seven hills, with the classic views they command, like at the top of Eduardo VII park. From
here we see the wide estuary of Tagus river and Sao Jorge castle.
Cross the central Marques de Pombal square and go down by the XVIII century boulevard called Liberdade avenue to the
popular Restauradores and Rossio squares; it's the heart of Lisbon since Roman times, and the Pombaline downtown which has
been the shopping area for more than 2000 years.
The majestic waterfront Comercio square, facing the extraordinary estuary of the river, once the welcome gate to seafarer and
caravels.
The tour continues along the riverside by the harbour with sights of one of world's leading cruise destinations.
On the way to Belem, the most monumental and historical quarter, we pass by Belem palace, official residence of the President
of Portugal. Stop at Belem Tower – icon of the Age of Discovery (stop for photos, drinks and toilettes).
Close by is Jeronimos Monastery, magnificent example of the Manueline style, the most impressive symbol of Portugal's
power and wealth during the Age of Discovery (stop to see the church).
We leave Lisbon passing by the scenic harbour and the estuary of the river and its seashore. The Estoril coast, incorporating
holiday hotspots offers great beaches and a choice of historic sights.
Cosmopolitan seaside town of Carcavelos is popular for its long stretch of sandy beach and its XVII century fortress - the
biggest in Tagus river.
Other beaches on Estoril's include Parede. Waters here are rich in iodine and have therapeutic qualities. Around Sao Pedro, Sao
Joao and Santo Antonio do Estoril the beach scene gets more cliff like, but there are small beach bays with aristocratic
palaces, manor houses and deluxe villas, a safe haven of exiled kings and politicians.
The cosmopolitan casino town of Estoril boats pretty Tamariz beach which is good for bathing and the biggest casino in
Europe, its gardens, cafes and esplanade.
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Cascais fishing port swiftly expanded to an elegant, cosmopolitan, coastal resort. Once stop of navigators like Columbus and Vasco da Gama. From the
harbor there’s a nice view of Estoril bay and one can watch the typical fishing boats unloading the catch, a flash marina and a castle.
Drive across the luxuriant Sintra Mountain and its gardens - "The Glorious Eden" - by twisted roads bordered by several plants, its mystical hills dotted
with fairytale palaces and extravagant villas that have bewitched visitors for centuries.
Sintra’s historical town centre is a listed UNESCO world heritage site. It is made up of a charming maze of steep, narrow streets lined with fine examples
of old palatial homes hiding behind lichen-covered walls, while local pastry shops provide the famous Sintra ‘queijadas’ (cheese pastries), ‘travesseiros’
(egg and almond pastries) and local wine. The town is also full of shops that carry many of the local crafts like pottery, ceramics and lace.
Travel northwards through the countryside by a landscape of vineyards, cork trees, pine and eucalyptus forests. Beautiful Portuguese typical homes with
laid out gardens and an outlook of windmills toping the hills, make us feel we left the big city.
We step back in time when we arrive at the stunning and very ancient walled town called Obidos. A medieval city surrounded by the walls of the castle
with picturesque narrow streets, whitewashed houses, iron balconies, flower pots in every window.
Inhabited by Romans and Arabs, this was the dwelling place of the Portuguese court for more than 500 years. We’ll walk through the feudal streets up to
the main square close to the highest castle-tower, from where you can enjoy a nice view over the
countryside and Obidos. Walking the ramparts, visitors can enjoy views of windmills, vineyards and surrounding farmlands.
Time to visit the many handicraft shops and wine taverns with the local liqueur “Ginginha”. Just walk around and let the streets lead you into the steep
alleyways and colourfully framed houses.
Continue to XIV century Batalha Monastery, the supreme achievement of gothic architecture in Portugal. Manueline additions in the 15th and 16th
centuries, gave the monastery it's finer detail. Here you can admire the highest church in Portugal.
You should not miss the Royal Pantheon with the tombs of the Portuguese “Conquerors of the Sea” – the so-called “Magnificent generation”, the
remarkable Manueline cloister, the chapter house with guards keeping watch by the tombs of two unknown soldiers and the Unfinished Chapels with an
incomparable Manueline portal.
Finally Fatima - the center of Christian faith and a local of world's pilgrimage. See the chapel on the place where Our Lady appeared to the shepherds, the
Basilica and the vast square where people crawl on their knees towards the heart of the shrine, in a impressive sign of faith and devotion, lightning a candle,
praying and making a vow to Our Lady or fulfilling a promise. Religious services can be attended.
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...Lisbon’s history dates back to 300,000 years ago and ranks as one of the world's longest founded cities. As the legend
tells, it is a city founded and named by Ulysses, which has its origins in the Phoenician words "Allis Ubbo", meaning
"enchanting port". Lisbon was a battlefield for Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians, however it was Romans who
started their two-century reign in Lisbon in 205 BC. In 714, the Moors arrived and stayed till the 12th century. In the 13th
century, Lisbon became the capital of Portugal. The 15th century was the point of departure for the Portuguese
Discoveries, an era during which Portugal enjoyed abundant wealth and prosperity through its newly discovered off shore
colonies in Africa, the Americas and Asia. Today, Lisbon still maintaining the marks of its early history, is one of the most
beautiful capitals of Europe...
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...One of the most beautiful parts of the Estoril Coast is a succession of hills dotted with pine trees and houses, sweeping down to
the sea and the local villages with their typical houses and the old palatial villas along the sea front. Villas from the Roman
period have been excavated and inscriptions found of family names, names of the Gods they worshipped and names chosen for
their sons. Cascais became a lookout for Lisbon in the great maritime era of discovering new worlds. It was the first place the
navigators saw when they returned from long and adventurous voyages seeking their homeland. It was in Cascais during the
latter part of the XIX century, that the Royal Family first began to bathe. It was a custom which was becoming popular in Europe
and Cascais was an ideal place owing to its mild climate. Over the years, many important families have made Cascais into
acosmopolitan town...
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... Described by Lord Byron as “Glorious Eden,” Sintra’s charms have long been celebrated. Once the summer residence
of the kings and Moorish lords, today Sintra is a romantic getaway for people from all around the world. Inhabited since
the pre-history period and by Celts and the Romans who called this area “The Mountain of the Moon”. In the 8th to 9th
century, Muslims built a castle here. During Medieval times, the Portuguese royal family, overflowing with the pomp and
riches from their colonial triumphs abroad, first came here to escape the heat (and stench) of the summer in Lisbon.
Beginning in the 14th century, the Portuguese aristocrats followed the royals to Sintra, a dwelling place for hunting and
relaxing. Stormy and mysterious, the mountain is covered by more than 1000 different species of plants. Several artists
from different countries came here to work, inspired in the beauty of this place, extolling its beauty: “The Garden of
Paradise”, “Garden of Europe”, “Glorious Eden”…
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...Perched on a hill rising out of an agricultural plain, Óbidos is one of Portugal’s picturesque gems. From its lofty centre one
gazes upon expanses of vineyards speckled with whirling windmills and terracotta-roofed homesteads. Nearer, narrow cobbled
streets, lined typically with whitewashed, bougainvillaea-draped houses, wind up to the walled interior. The region was the
westernmost limit of the Roman Empire. Under Portuguese rule, Obidos flourished into a major trading port. Every Portuguese
queen was given Obidos as a wedding present. Obidos continues to be a popular destination during the summer, when tourists
jam the streets to explore the city’s medieval charm....
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...In the XIV century, king Ferdinand died without a male heir to the throne; this originated the most significant civil war in
Portugal, involving England and Spain. The winner, king John I, ordered the construction of this Monastery in homage to
his victory and to be his Royal Pantheon. In fact, he started also what would become known as the “Magnificent
Generation”, those Monarchs who gave the impulse and consolidated the gigantic Portuguese Empire. The Monastery
was to be the Portuguese monarchy's main building project for the next two centuries. Here a highly original, national
Gothic style evolved, profoundly influenced by Manueline art...
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...The Catholic Church regards the three parts of the Fatima Secret and the total Fatima message to be important and of great
value to the spiritual lives of its people. It consists only of prophecies about the new condition of the Church in the world....
Fatima and its Secret do present us with something deeply serious, for they bring us face to face with the mysteries of eternal life.
Fatima is undoubtedly the most prophetic of modern apparitions. Faith and prayer are forces which can influence history and
that in the end prayer is more powerful than bullets and faith more powerful than armies...
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