Welcome to Lisbon: Chiado, Baixa & Alfama Private Walking Tour

Lisbon’s ancient cathedral is almost 900 years old, having been built by Portugal’s first king in 1147 for the city’s first bishop, the English crusader Gilbert of Hastings. Together the crusaders mounted the ‘Reconquista’, taking back the Iberian peninsula from the Moors; the cathedral was symbolically built on the site of an old mosque, a common practice in Iberia at the time. Stern Stuff The cathedral’s exterior is imposing, somewhere between a fortress and a church. Its sturdiness has often been called on: Lisbon is susceptible to earthquakes, and a number of them shook the city in the 14th and 16th century, but the most severe was the 1755 Lisbon earthquake which destroyed the cathedral’s Gothic main chapel, as well as the royal pantheon, and caused the roof to collapse on hundreds of worshippers gathered to celebrate the feast of All Saints. As a result of repairs, the cathedral mixes elements of many architectural styles, from Romanesque to Gothic to Baroque. A thorough renovation in the 20th century gave the church its appearance today, and the resplendent rose window was painstakingly reconstructed from the fragments of the original, shattered in 1755. Danse Macabre The cathedral houses some weird and wonderful treasures. Among them, in the sacristy, you can find the casket that contains the remains of St. Vincent, the official patron saint of Lisbon. Other highlights include the font where St. Anthony of Padua was baptised in 1195, a 14th century Gothic chapel of Bartholomeu Joanes and a 14th century sarcophagus of Lopo Fernandes Pacheco.

Alfama is Lisbon’s oldest district, one of the only parts of the city not destroyed by the great 1755 earthquake. Spread over one of the seven hills on which the city is built, this is the city’s Arab quarter, and you can tell: with its labyrinth of narrow streets, crooked alleys and steep steps it has the feel of a kasbah. Old as it is, Alfama contains some of Lisbon’s main attractions, including the formidable Castelo de São Jorge and the Romanesque Sé Cathedral. Between the Old and the NewAlfama has historically been a poor district of Lisbon, populated by fishermen, but it’s becoming trendier ever year. Yet it still retains its ancient charm and distinct village atmosphere. Washing lines hang between pretty, dilapidated buildings, and melancholic Fado music drifts alongside the smells of sardines being barbecued on the streets and pastelerias serving sweet tarts and strong espresso. To catch its more traditional aspect, visit in the early morning, when women are selling fresh fish from their doorways. 28, A Leap Through TimeTake the number 28 tram for a rattling, clunky and completely enchanting ride through history. This route connects the district of Graça with Baixa, passing through the streets of Alfama. The narrow roads and all the ups and downs mean modern trams simply can’t hack it. So instead you’ll be riding in the tiny, historic Remodelado trams which date from the 1930s. Hop off the number 28 tram at the Santa Luzia viewpoint for Alfama’s best view, stretching over its tiled roofs and the gleaming Tagus estuary.

Lined with cafés and shops, Rossio Square is always buzzing. Shoe shiners, office workers and hawkers all contribute to the churn and excitement of Lisbon’s liveliest public area, which has seen witch burnings, bullfights, rallies, and everything in between over the years. Let yourself be carried along by the crowd and the famous black and white wavelike cobbles — which you may recognise from Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana. Emperor and LiberatorThe connection between Portugal and Brazil is celebrated with a statue of Dom Pedro IV, Brazil’s first Emperor, atop a towering marble pedestal in the middle of the square. Though born in Lisbon, when Portugal was invaded by the French in 1807 Pedro and his family fled to their largest and wealthiest colony, Brazil. Relations between Brazil and Portugal were fraught at the time, and in 1822 Pedro chose his side and declared Brazil’s independence — hence his nickname, “the liberator”. Though he died young, he helped both countries make the first steps from absolutist to more representative forms of government. A Small IronyRossio Square seems energetic now, but it’s nothing compared to how it once was. When the Inquisition was installed in Lisbon in the 15th century, Rossio Square was a favourite spot for an auto-da-fé - the ritual of public penance of condemned heretics before they were gruesomely killed, often by being burnt at the stake. After a fire of its own in 1836, the old Inquisition Palace was destroyed. The government chose to replace it with a majestic neoclassical theatre, the the Teatro Nacional Dona Mario II. A statue of the Renaissance Portuguese playwright Gil Vicente stands over the pediment of the theatre; a number of his plays had been censured by the Inquisition in the 16th century.

The Santa Justa Lift connects the lower streets of Baixa to the higher Largo do Carmo. Lisbon, like a number of ancient cities, is built across seven hills. Ups and downs are therefore a fact of life, and there are a number of other elevators in Lisbon. However, they are furnicular railways, whereas the Santa Justa Lift is the only remaining vertical lift. You only need to experience Lisbon during summertime to understand why the lift was necessary. Energy SourceBeforehand, animals were used to pull carriages up the inclines. The Santa Justa Lift was built to harness the marvel of the industrial age: steam power. Although now powered by electricity, it still does the same job, whisking the two polished wood carriages forty five metres upwards. Apart from the Largo do Carmo, at the top there is also a café with a glorious view of Lisbon, over Rossio Square, the castle and the river. The French ConnectionThe lift was designed by the French architect Raoul de Mesnier du Ponsard, who was an apprentice to Gustave Eiffel. This goes some way to explaining the structural similarities to Paris’s Eiffel Tower which, along with the elegance of its metalwork and its status as an iconic landmark of Lisbon, have led to the Santa Justa Lift being described as the Eiffel Tower of Lisbon. It may well be the most beautiful lift in the world, with its regal neo-Gothic, wrought-iron exterior, and its sumptuous wood and brass interior.

Stand in awe of this historic landmark, as you unravel Lisbon's military and commercial past.

Monument dedicated to Luís Vaz de Camões, who is widely considered Portugal's greatest poet.

A small, tree-lined picturesque square at the back of the Convento do Carmo.

Placed in the re-urbanised area of Lisbon Baixa, Figueira Square is today one of the main hubs of the city's transport system.

Lisbon's main pedestrian street connects Praca Rossio with Praca do Commercio through the triumphal arch.

This romantic terrace offers amazing views of Lisbon & the Tagus River.