Known as the ‘City of Seven Hills’ along with Rome and Istanbul, Lisbon in Portugal has a steep and varied landscape. Miradouros or viewpoints are strategically placed around the city, enabling people to look out across the city to the Tagus River whilst capturing various photos of cityscapes and famous landmarks. Whilst some are more popular than others, all are guaranteed to offer something unique.
View of Lisbon from the top of Parque Eduardo VII
With the streets covered in a mass of black and white mosaic cobbles however, wandering around this Portuguese hub with its many Moorish characteristics, is often taxing on your legs. Add to this the steep gradient of the hillsides, and many who visit simply opt out of climbing the almost perpendicular slopes. Therefore deciding which way your should travel around Lisbon is important after all you are here to visit Lisbon’s attractions, historical sites and well-known neighbourhoods.
So How Do People Travel Around Lisbon?
No matter which city you visit there will always be an abundance of different ways to travel around and whilst there are a number of knowledgeable historical walking tours plus city break Lisbon are available both night and day in Lisbon if you don’t fancy the strenuous hikes there are other, informative ways to sight-see on Lisbon’s many transportation options.
#1 Tour Buses
One of the many tour buses in and around Lisbon
Increasingly popular with tourists who enjoy seeing and understanding more about each city they visit, these tour buses all come with in-coach audios providing a history lesson as you sit in comfort. The hop-on, hop-off aspect of these tours mean that at each stop, should you wish to jump off and explore you can do so. Once you are ready, you then simply wait for the next bus to arrive and continue on your tour. The only difficulty you will have is choosing from the large number of companies now providing this service. Many companies offer a 48 hour ticket, meaning that you have plenty of time to see not only the central parts of Lisbon but also those districts further afield, with their off-the-beaten-path attractions. You also gain several other perks with many tour operators including discounted entry to museums and monuments, money off at several shopping outlets and restaurants plus fully active Wi-Fi.
One of the most comprehensive tours is provided by Grayline. They offer four different tour routes both inside and outside of the city, travelling as far as Cascais on the coast, all available on the same 48 hour ticket costing from €28 per person.
Onboard the Castle line bus provided by Grayline
#2 Trams
Probably the most popular tram route in the city is Electrico 28. This vintage, wooden yellow tram transports you across the city from Praça Martim Moniz to Campo de Ourique and allows you to jump on and off as you please. With over 30 stops this is a great way to explore the city in a traditional manner without costing a fortune. A shorter route around Alfama and Baixa is also available via tram 12 or if you want to travel further afield to the district of Belém to explore the Hieronymites Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) and the Belém Tower (Torre de Belém) take Tram 15. Whilst Tram 15 is not classical in design, and always crammed full of tourists heading in the same direction, this is a great way to travel around.
Tram 28
Top Tip: If you intend to use the tram system for more than one journey in the course of a day, utilise the budget-friendly Public Transport Pass for only €6.60 which can also be used on the buses, funiculars and the metro as well as the Santa Justa Lift . One journey is currently €3.00 if purchased directly from the driver.
#3 Funiculars
Lavra Funicular
As national monuments these are a must for everyone that visits Lisbon. With three in total, these funiculars climb up the steep hillsides allowing you to reach different vantage points around the city. The Lavra funicular is the oldest in the city, dating back to 1884 and carries you up to a quiet, almost tourist free area of the city whilst the Gloria funicular is probably the most widely used and leaves from Praça Dos Restauradores taking you up to the Miradouro de Sāo Pedro de Alcântara where you can sit, have a glass of wine and take it the fantastic vistas of the city and Castelo de Sāo Jorge on the opposite hillside. The final funicular, Bica, can be found at Rua de Sāo Paulo and is considered by many to the most picturesque of all journeys with views including that of the Tagus River as you progress up to the Bairro Alto district.
A single ticket costs a hefty €3.00 so consider purchasing a daily transport pass so that you can incorporate the funicular trips with your tram rides.
The Bica Funicular
#4 GoCar
A new green way to explore the city’s narrow streets, this electric story-telling car, is similar to a go-kart and guarantees a fun-packed day of exploration. With either preset routes or the option to programme your own individualised tour GoCar allow you to travel around the city and along the narrow streets that other transport cannot reach. Unlike other options, you are in full control so should you wish to stop for photos, coffee or lunch you can do so without worrying about timetables and full to bursting trams. With tours lasting between 50 minutes and 7 hours you have full flexibility to explore as much or as little of the city as you wish. It may not be the cheapest way to see the city, but it will be tailored to you which is somewhat lacking in the other travel options already mentioned.
GoCar Fun
Alfama 1 hour tours start at €45 for two people whilst a 7 hour tour of the entire city with set you back €120. Interested? Then visit the GoCar Website for more details.
#5 Tuk-Tuk’s
One of the uniquely decorated Tuk-Tuk’s
If you don’t like the idea of self-drives but want a more personal and perhaps more luxurious experience then hiring an eco-friendly Tuk-Tuk could be for you. With many different circuits to choose from, each of the major districts have been included, if however, you have somewhere specific you would like to visit and it is not covered on an already prepared route, don’t worry, this can also be incorporated.
With several companies in the city to choose from you will have plenty of choice. Each Tuk-Tuk is uniquely decorated so if you haven’t booked ahead of your visit perhaps the best way to choose will be through design alone – which one catches your eye the most?
A firm favourite – the Sardines Tuk-Tuk (photo provided by Tuk-On-Me Lisbon)
Whether you are after a short ride or a longer tour both companies are happy to accommodate your needs meaning each trip is personal and therefore, pricing will vary. Tuk-Tuk’s can accommodate up to 6 people making this a great way for a family or group of friends to see the city.
Tuk-Tuks waiting for customers
To find out more check out either Tuk-Tuk Lisboa or Tuk On Me Lisbon.
Of course, if these options don’t interest you then you also have the extensive metro system at your finger tips, several walking tours and even a Segway tour to help you navigate your way around the heritage of this old city.
A Lisbon Segway Tour
Given the choice, how would you travel around Lisbon?
However, when planning a trip to Lisbon not only do you need to consider how you will travel around this hilly city, you also need to think about which of the many areas you would prefer to stay in. So to help you make an informed decision, why not check out this article about where we stayed while in Lisbon.
Disclaimer: We were provided with free tickets to explore the city although all words and thoughts are our own. All pricing is correct as of September 2023.
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When I moved to Lisbon I was fascinated by the funiculars and still am. My absolute favorite is Bica (partly because it’s gorgeous, partly because you’ll never see me climb up lol). As for the tuk tuks, well, to be honest? I’m fed up with them. It’s just too crowded and busy…
I tried a couple of these during my trip to Portugal but my favorite by far was riding a Tuk Tuk.
We did the bus tour in Lisbon, but they didn’t go to the places where funiculars go, which I heard is the best part of the town, so I left a bit underwhelmed. Good to know there are so many other options!
Which tour did you go on? Such a shame that you didn’t enjoy your tour. We did go on one that took you down past the Gloria Funicular but the others are slightly more difficult to find. 🙂
Hi Sue, these are three companies that we were aware of during our recent trip. I would certainly be prepared to add further details of other companies to this post so that people are fully aware of all there options. Please let me know if you would like some others listed. You can email me directly at travellingbookjunkie@gmail.com if you would like to provide us with the details.
Movie Tour??? Wow, that sounds like great fun. I need to look into this. Thanks for highlighting it to me. 🙂
Glad to hear you are considering a visit to Lisbon in the future. 🙂
It is very true that those ways offer a fun way to get around Lisbon quickly. I personaly chose to do walking tours as a tour guide in order not to see the city but to know it. With its secret places, small coffees, great churches and the satisfaction to be able to get inside those. Lisbon must be seen walking.
I guess it’s just a matter of time to be able to enjoy Lisbon walking.
hit me up if you are coming 🙂
Elliot, I also love walking tours but they are not for everyone as you say. For some utilising the services I have mentioned make for a more enjoyable trip. I would love to do a walking tour next time we visit Lisbon though – we will definitely me in touch! 🙂
With a great pleasure 🙂
please keep in touch when you’re back in that lovely city !
Elliot
We will do, Thank you 🙂
Myself & my wife have been coming to Lisbon at least twice a year for the past 8 years and I have recently discovered Lisbon Scooter hire. It is a brilliant way to see the city and I usually hire for 3 days costing only €90 and uses very little petrol. It’s also ideal for visiting Sintra and Cascais.
Hi Martin, thank you for the great suggestion. For people that wish to hire scooters are there certain requirements to be mindful of? This is something we did not get time to explore during our recent visit but would definitely make things easier for some I can imagine. We travelled to Sintra on the train which was very straightforward once we had figured out the automated machines and they did run very regularly but it is always nice to know about the alternatives.
My husband and I just spent a month in Lisbon (we only left the day before yesterday!) and we absolutely loved it! We actually got most places by walking, as from the city centre, much of the city is easily accessible within 30 or 40 minutes at most. Of course there are the hills to contend with, but we were thankful for the exercise! I found the tuk-tuks the strangest form of transport in Lisbon, as they’re really not something I associate with a European city! I would also add that, as well as the 24 hour pass for €6, you can simply top up the Viva Viagem travel cards with credit and use it to pay a flat €1.25 on all forms of transport, which is a great option if you’re staying for longer than 24 hours and would like to use the transport occasionally but perhaps not ever day or more than once a day.
Thanks for your comments Sam. I agree that walking is often the best way to see a city however, sometimes it is also nice to see the city in a different way and I think when visiting Lisbon some of these are a must, especially trams and funiculars. Thank you also for highlighting the top up card, we were only there for a week and decided to get a daily card one day to travel around on the trams etc before heading off on the metro to the airport but once again this is far cheaper than paying directly with the drivers.
Oh, absolutely. Yes, I agree that the trams and funiculars are very unique and attractions in themselves. It’s funny how cities with these kinds of prepaid card systems penalise users for not using by charging more. In London (where I’m from) the difference is obscene: some journeys are almost 100% more expensive if you pay in cash! I guess it’s more work for the company, and the drivers having to deal with taking people’s money and giving change can slow down the service, so it makes sense I guess.
I agree. We live just outside London and would never even attempt to travel around the city without our oyster cards. 🙂
I have not visited Lisbon yet but had no idea there were so many fun ways to get around! Would love to try a GoCar or Tuk-Tuk if I visit.
Both great ways to see the city. 🙂