This guide is for you if you have a day or less in Lisbon and want to see the shape of the city without spending it climbing. It covers the choices that change the day: morning or afternoon, which day of the week, what happens in June, and whether the monastery at Belém is worth an hour of your five.
Morning or afternoon start
The tour starts at 07:00 or 13:00, and the choice matters more than it looks. The day ends in Belém, about three and a quarter hours after pick-up. On the morning start that is around 10:15. On the afternoon start it is around 16:15.
That timing meets the Jerónimos Monastery's hours. The monastery opens at 09:30 and closes at 17:30, with last entry at 17:00. Going inside takes roughly an hour with the queue. On the morning start that fits easily. On the afternoon start you arrive with less than an hour before last entry, so the visit is possible but tight. If the cloister is the reason you are coming, take the 07:00 start. Hours can change, so check the official site before you go.
The afternoon start suits other plans. It works if you land in the morning, if you want a slow first morning, or if your ship arrives late.
Which day of the week, and which days to avoid
The monastery is closed on Mondays. It also closes on 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 13 June and 25 December. On those days you still see Belém from the outside, and the rest of the tour runs as normal. But if going in matters, pick another day.
Visits to the monastery are booked for a date and a time, and you get a digital ticket to show at the door. Entrance is not part of the tour. Your guide will tell you on the day whether the queue is worth it, but if you already know you want to go in, book your slot ahead and tell us the time when you book.
June in Lisbon
The night of 12 to 13 June is Santo António, the feast of Lisbon's patron saint, and it changes the city. Each traditional neighbourhood parades in costume down the Avenida da Liberdade towards Rossio. Street parties fill the old quarters, with grilled sardines and music, and they run until early the next morning. Alfama is the centre of it, with Graça, Bica, Mouraria and Madragoa close behind. On 13 June a procession leaves the saint's church in Alfama, next to the cathedral.
Alfama and Graça are both on this tour. If you are in Lisbon on those dates, it is a good time to see the city at its liveliest, but expect crowded lanes, slower driving, and a monastery that is shut on the 13th. Tell us your date when you book, and tell your guide on the day which parts you would rather avoid.
How the five hours fit together
The plan runs from the top of the city down to the river. You start at the viewpoints of Senhora do Monte and Graça, about half an hour after pick-up, where you see the hills and the river at once. Then comes Alfama, on foot, through the lanes the car cannot enter. From there you go to the Baixa and Praça do Comércio, the grid rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake. Last comes Belém: the monastery, the tower and a pastel de nata. You finish wherever you want to be dropped.
The car does the climbing between those stops, so your walking goes on the parts worth seeing on foot. Because the tour is private, you can trade time. Skip the monastery interior and stay longer in Alfama. Spend less time at the viewpoints and more by the river. Tell your guide at the start what matters to you.
If five hours is not enough, there is an eight-hour version that adds Sintra or Setúbal. Message us for a price. For a full day out of the city, see our Sintra and Cascais tour, and for a comparison of the two, our guide to private tours from Lisbon.
On foot and by tram, or with a driver
Every stop on this tour can be reached on your own, with public transport and your own legs, and plenty of people see the city that way over two or three days.
What you pay for doing it alone is the hills. The viewpoints sit near the tops of them, and the walk from Alfama to the river and back up again takes more out of you than the map suggests. Belém is away from the old centre, and getting there is a separate journey.
A private tour puts all of it into one morning or one afternoon, with a car waiting at each stop and pick-up and drop-off anywhere in Lisbon. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
What to bring
- Shoes with grip. Alfama is steep, and its lanes are too narrow for the car, so you walk it.
- Your monastery booking, if you made one, and its time.
- Money or a card for entrances, which are not included.
- Your ship and terminal, if you are on a cruise, so we can meet you at the right gate.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits a first day in Lisbon, cruise passengers with a few hours ashore, and anyone who wants the city without spending the day on its hills.
- Cruise passengers. We collect you from the ship. Tell us the ship and the terminal when you book, and the time you need to be back on board.
- Limited mobility. The car takes the strain out of the hills, but Alfama is still walked. Tell us when you book and your guide can shorten the walking parts.
- Arriving at the airport that day. Book the 13:00 start, and let us collect you with an airport transfer in the morning.
- Museum lovers. Five hours with stops across the city leaves little time indoors. If you want long visits inside, choose fewer places and tell your guide.
Questions people ask
Is Belém worth it if the monastery is closed?
Yes. You still see the monastery and the tower from outside, and the pastry shop at Belém has been making its custard tarts to the same recipe since 1837.
Can we start somewhere other than our hotel?
Yes. Pick-up can be any address in Lisbon, and the tour can end at a restaurant or wherever you are going next.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Pick your start time with the monastery in mind, avoid Mondays if you want to go in, and check whether your dates fall on the June festivities. The stops, start times and what is included are on the Lisbon private city tour page, where you choose the size of your group and book.
