If this is your first trip to Lisbon, we highly recommend learning about the history behind the city’s iconic landmarks. Lisbon group tours led by expert, local guides are the best way to learn about a new city beyond the highlights. Here’s an extensive list of interesting and unique tours that the whole family (adults and children of all ages) will enjoy.
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Portugal’s colorful capital city offers something for the whole family. It’s hard not to fall in love with the historic charm of the cobblestone streets and buildings covered in colorful tiles. Not to mention the delicious pastries, centuries-old castles, and beautiful river views from Lisbon’s seven steep hills! Take a tour and discover the best Lisbon has to offer!
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Best Lisbon Groups Tours to Add to Your Itinerary
Free Tours in Lisbon
History Walking Tour
Walking tours are one of the first things you should do upon arrival in Lisbon. You learn the lay of the land, see the main historical sites, and you can ask your tour guide for their recommendations. Plus, there are usually free tours where you can pay what you wish. Around €10-20 per person is roughly how much you should tip your guide at the end, depending on the length and quality of the tour.
This Free Tour of Lisbon by FreeTour runs twice daily in English for around three hours. Learn fun facts you won’t find in a history book and visit different areas of the city, including:
- Santa Justa Lift
- Carmo Convent
- Bairro Alto neighborhood
- Alfama neighborhood
In addition to visiting Lisbon’s top sites, your guide will also treat you to a tasting of a pastel de nata. This delicious egg custard tart is a staple pastry in Portugal! Although there is a coffee break mid-way, younger children may struggle with the length of this tour. It’s perfect for older children and mobile adults.
Graffiti and Street Art Tour
Walk along Lisbon’s cobbled streets for five minutes and you’ll notice the Moorish ceramic tiles and street art. It’s a highly decorated city! Take GuruWalk’s Street Art Tour (it’s also pay-what-you-wish) around Lisbon’s most beautiful and famous murals. This amazing tour only runs once on Saturdays, but it’s a great way to engage family members who aren’t enthusiastic about history tours.
Visit the old neighborhood of Mouraria and learn about the history of graffiti in Lisbon. See works by icons like Gagosh and Losk and find out which pieces are ‘rogue’ (i.e. illegal)! Uncover unique details you wouldn’t have spotted alone. It’s a 2.5-hour tour, so keep that in mind for young kids.
Alternative Walking Tour
Has someone in your extended family already visited Lisbon? Maybe you would prefer to learn about the culture of the city beyond the famous sights? This Alfama & Mouraria Tour by Strawberry Tours ticks every box! Yes, it’s also a free tour that allows you to tip your guide at the end.
Learn the Alfama district’s favorite legends as you walk through São Jorge Castle. See where Portuguese fado music was born. Hear stories about infamous and popular characters of the city like Saint Vincent, Pope John XXI, and Moorish figures like Tariq ibn Ziyad.
This great tour runs for 2.5 hours twice a day, but don’t just show up. Always book free tours in advance. There is usually a cap on group sizes so you don’t feel like your guide is herding you around!
City Tours in Lisbon
Family-Friendly Walking Tour
Families with young kids won’t regret booking a private tour of Lisbon, especially tours run by a local child-friendly guide. Real Lisbon locals are behind the Withlocals Family-Friendly City Tour. They lead unique tours with educational activities, entertaining stories, trivia, and treasure hunts so everyone has an unforgettable experience.
This three-hour city tour is private, which offers a lot of benefits. Skip places that don’t interest you and linger at fun spots. Some of the best places you’ll visit are Praça do Comércio, Bairro Alto, and the Church of São Roque. Your kids will feel more at ease asking questions as they’ll receive a child-friendly explanation. There’s no one else on the tour to hold up and the kids go free!
Eco Tuk Tuk Tour
Calling Lisbon a ‘walkable city’ is a misnomer. Yes, it’s compact and pedestrianized, but the hills and cobblestones add an extra obstacle! Parents with young children and adults with limited mobility may struggle. Keep the whole family together by opting for an electric Tuk-tuk City Tour instead.
Choose a one-hour express tour with a private guide if you’re only visiting Lisbon for a short time. Opt for two-, four-, or even six-hour private tuk-tuk tours if you have more time to spare. Imagine how much you’ll see in four hours by zipping through the narrow streets!
On this family tour, visit a unique range of fun spots like Lisbon Cathedral, Rossio Square, and Miradouro da Senhora do Monte (great views!).
Tagus River Cruise
Tagus River flows past Lisbon and out into the Atlantic Ocean. Many striking bridges cross the river, such as the Ponte 25 de Abril and the Vasco da Gama Bridge. See them and Lisbon’s skyline from a relaxing river cruise.
Choose a morning slot if you are traveling with young children. Adults-only groups should opt for a sunset cruise with wine. It’s the perfect place to watch the sun sink lower into the ocean.
While this two-hour experience isn’t private, it could be if you are a larger group. Your friendly and knowledgeable boat captains will be on hand to answer any questions.
Historic Tramcar Tour
To locals, Lisbon’s tram line is just another form of public transportation. But to travelers, yellow trams are a fun and unique way to explore the city! Lisbon introduced tramcars in 1873 and Yellow Bus Tours’ Hop-on-Hop-off Tram Tour allows you to ride as many as you like in 24 hours.
Stop off as many times as you like, wherever you like, within the timeframe. Sure, it’s a little touristy, but it provides affordable, easy access to Lisbon’s top sights. Take a cable car ride to Praça do Comércio, Parque das Nações, Avenida da Liberdade, and many more places. Tickets include the traditional tram 28 route (in a premium tramcar!) plus the public trams, funiculars, and the Santa Justa lift.
Food Tours in Lisbon
Secret Food Tour
Portuguese cuisine may not be as world-famous as Italian or Greek, but it should be. This Secret Food Tour of Lisbon will open your eyes (and tastebuds) to a whole new culture with delicious dishes! It’s a small group tour that welcomes everyone but is better suited to older teens and adults.
Stop at five to seven places on this award-winning tour over three hours. Don’t worry if that sounds like a lot of walking. All the restaurants and taverns are a short walk apart in the Mouraria neighborhood. Taste Portuguese cheeses, wine, fresh fish, pork, pastries, and a special secret dish.
Undiscovered Food & Wine Tour
This is absolutely one of the best family tours in Lisbon and is a great alternative for children aged four and upward. Eating Europe’s Undiscovered Lisbon Food Tour runs twice a day so you can book over lunch or dinner.
It also centers on Lisbon’s Mouraria neighborhood, famous for its traditional taverns and multicultural offerings. You just might find this tour caters slightly better to younger children.
There are plenty of things to try over this four-hour experience, including some you might not expect. Try a variety of pesticos (small plates) like local bifana sandwiches, Mozambican samosas, cheeses, and pastries. Adults can indulge in local products like beer, wine, and port. Vegetarians are catered for but check ahead with other dietary requirements.
Port Wine & Tapas Tasting Tour
Adults-only family groups traveling to Lisbon will love this port wine and tapas-tasting experience. Portugal is, unsurprisingly, the home of port so it’s a fun and cultural tour. This Premium Port Wine Tasting lasts around two hours and packs in a lot.
You’ll taste five port wines from small producers; these brands are difficult to find outside the country. Local port experts will guide you through the tasting and will pair ports with the best cheeses. This tour can cater to larger groups, but book in advance.
Pastel de Nata Pastry Class
Take a slice of Lisbon home by learning how to make the country’s signature sweet. A Pastel de Nata Pastry Class can teach all ages how to make the pastry in two hours or less. The recipe is 200 years old, so you know it’s tried and tested.
Attend this step-by-step class led by a friendly, knowledgeable guide. Enjoy snacks and drinks throughout the process. Of course, you’ll get to eat your creations too!
Time Out Market Cooking Class
Lisbon’s Time Out Market is a legendary, upscale food hall near the banks of the Tagus River. It’s a must-do for any family vacation in Lisbon. While you’re there, you can take one of Time Out’s Cooking Classes. These classes always sell out and they only run once every few days. These classes are released approximately two months in advance, so keep your eye on the website!
Cooking class themes include everything from local dishes to Japanese ramen, fresh pasta, and Chinese dim sum. Workshops are around two hours and children are welcome when accompanied by an adult. Cooking Japanese food in Lisbon might seem odd, but these masterclasses are run by some of the best chefs in the city. It’s an incredible experience for any budding chef or serious foodie!
Day Tours From Lisbon
Belém
Technically, Belém is a Lisbon neighborhood, but it’s around 10 km outside the city center. It’s a great place to visit on a day tour if you don’t want to travel for a long time to explore somewhere new. Belém is the heart of Lisbon’s maritime heritage and home to spectacular UNESCO sites. This Half-Day Belém Private Tour is ideal for groups of all sizes to explore the neighborhood at their own pace.
Jerónimos Monastery is an architectural masterpiece that you cannot miss. It gets busy, but your guide can arrange skip-the-line tickets. The same goes for Belém Tower, a fortification built on the coastline to protect the city. Your guide will also tell stories about the Monument to the Discoveries and Portugal’s seafaring past you won’t learn in the Maritime Museum.
This three-hour walking tour showcases all the highlights of Belém. It even includes pastries from Pastéis de Belém, arguably the best pastry shop in the city. These will quickly become your new favorite snacks!
Sintra
Only an hour/30 km northwest of Lisbon, Sintra is a great day trip option. It’s known for its colorful and historic palaces, castles, and mountainous green landscapes. Sintra’s most spectacular structures are the UNESCO-certified Pena Palace, Sintra National Palace, Castelo dos Mouros, and Monserrate Palace.
You can take public transport to Sintra, but Get Your Guide’s Small-Group Tour includes extra benefits. Get skip-the-line tickets to Pena Palace. Visit two other towns, Cabo da Roca and Cascais, after your trip to Sintra. The lighthouse at Cabo da Roca marks the westernmost point of Continental Europe, and Cascais is an idyllic seaside town.
This nine-hour tour includes a driver and guide. Note that visiting Sintra from Lisbon on a day tour is extremely popular. The best times to book are as early in the morning as possible or in the shoulder seasons.
Beach
Thanks to its long coastline, Portugal boasts some beautiful beaches. Groups who want to take a day trip to the beach should book a Secret Paradisaical Beach Tour with Viator. It’s a private tour lasting all day, around eight to 10 hours, and includes a customizable picnic lunch. Your driver will pick you up from your hotel and arrange everything.
Where, you might wonder, is this secret paradisaical beach? That’s the fun part! Your driver will take you to four beaches/coastal areas (Ursa Beach, Cabo Espichel, Ribeira do Cavalo Beach, and Praia do Norte). Plus, a secret fifth beach they guarantee you wouldn’t find on your own. It’s the ultimate, stress-free yet adventurous tour.
Fátima
Visit another of Portugal’s major cities on a day tour from Lisbon. Fátima is 128 km from Lisbon, which is a one hour and 40 minute drive. This small-group Fátima Tour is one of the furthest day trips from Lisbon, but still not too far for older kids. Plus, it’s only six hours, which is great if 10+ hour tours would be taxing.
You might already know why Fátima is famous! It was the site of the 1917 apparition of the Virgin Mary as witnessed by local shepherd children.
As you’d expect, there are lots of important religious buildings here. Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima, Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, and Chapel of the Apparitions are all listed on your tour’s itinerary. This tour also includes visits to the shepherd children’s childhood homes.
Enjoy the Best Lisbon Group Tours
Your family trip to Lisbon should be fun and fascinating, and fill you up with delicious Portuguese treats! These family tours in Lisbon are the best, stress-free way of ensuring you’re never bored. You get to soak up all the Portuguese culture without waiting in long lines or Googling what you’re looking at. There are more than enough amazing tour options here to inspire your Lisbon vacation.