Private tours in Lisbon & surroundings
|
|
|
Lisbon, Estoril, Cascais, Sintra, Obidos, Batalha, Fatima - full day
Personalized booking
Program
Lisbon, the millenarian city of the seven hills, with unique views from the top of them, like in Edward VII park. Cross the famous Marquis of Pombal
square and go down the hill by the XVIII century boulevard of Liberty avenue to Restauradores square and Rossio, the heart of Lisbon, which has been
the shopping district for more than 2000 years. The majestic Commerce square, in front of the extraordinary estuary of Tagus river and close by the
nucleus of ancient Lisbon. Then, we go along the riverside by the busy harbor, with its discos and restaurants, cruise ship docks. On the way to Belem
quarter, drive by the official residence of the President and stop at Jeronimos Monastery – the most imposing monument of Lisbon, telling about the
apogee of Lisbon’s history, the age of adventurers and navigators of the XVI century.
Proceed to Estoril coast - the "sunny coast" where the sun shines 300 days per year. Cosmopolitan Estoril with the biggest casino in Europe and its
gardens (pass by). Cascais bay and ancient fishing port, stop of many navigators in the past. Free time for photos. Drive across the luxuriant Sintra
Mountain - "The Glorious Eden", "The Garden of Paradise". Stop in the medieval Sintra town - free time.
Travel northwards and arrive at the beautiful and very ancient walled town called Obidos - medieval city surrounded by 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.
Proceed to Batalha Monastery, a XIV century masterpiece in Gothic style. Here you can admire the highest church in Portugal, the Royal Pantheon of the
Portuguese “Conquerors of the Sea” – the so-called “Magnificent generation”, the beautiful manueline cloister, the chapter house with the tomb of the
Unknown Soldier and the Unfinished Chapels.
Finally Fatima - the Center of Christian faith and a local of world's pilgrimage. See the chapel 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. Visit also Aljustrel with the humble houses where the shepherds
lived.
|
|
| |
|
|
...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...
|
|
...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...
|
|
|
|
|
... 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”…
|
|
...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....
|
|
|
|
|
...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...
|
|
...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...
|
|
|
|
|
