Category: What to do in Lisbon

Some say that the Lisbon experience is only complete after a boat trip along the Tagus River and we, of course, tend to agree. Admiring the magnificent monuments of the Portuguese capital by boat is an opportunity that should not be wasted. There are several buildings from different time periods and with different forms, but they all share a remarkable beauty. Find out 5 Lisbon monuments below that you can admire while travelling by boat with Lisboat.

1. Belém Tower

Formerly known as the Torre de São Vicente a Par de Belém, it is one of the most iconic attractions in the city of Lisbon. The Belém Tower is located on the right bank of the Tagus River, in the parish of Belém, mixing medieval architecture with the Manueline style. It was built by King D. João II with the aim of protecting and guarding Lisbon. We dare say that the tower exists to be admired from the river, as it was built so that sailors and pirates could fear and marvel at its warlike bearing.

2. 25th of April Bridge

The Portuguese State had wanted to build a bridge connecting the two banks of the Tagus River since the ending of the 19^th century, however the project only started in 1950, during the dictatorship. The bridge would be inaugurated in 1966 as Bridge Salazar, in honor of António de Oliveira Salazar, the chief of state at the time. The name change to 25^th of April bridge took place after the Carnation Revolution, in honor of the date of the coup d’état. Crossing under the bridge by boat is, without a doubt, something magical.

3. Monument of the Discoveries

The monument was initially thought to be a tribute solely to Infante D. Henrique. However, the Monument of Discoveries not only immortalizes the main driver of the Portuguese Discoveries, but also its collaborators and followers, whose statues appear behind that of Infante D. Henrique, the leading figure of the attraction.

4. Jerónimos Monastery

Officially known as the Monastery of Santa Maria de Belém, this monument is the pinnacle of Manueline architecture and is one of the main hall churches in Europe. It took more than a hundred years to complete its work, which represents the glory of the Portuguese Discoveries. The Jerónimos Monastery is located close to the Tagus River and it can easily be seen from the water. Because of the nautical nature rooted in its construction, it is symbolic to appreciate the monastery from a boat, like a sailor from ancient times.

5. Electricity Museum/MAAT

The Electricity Museum is one of our favorite buildings due to its orange color, which results from the brick cladding that makes up the infrastructure. It is considered one of the most beautiful examples of industrial architecture of the 20th century. The building was an old thermoelectric power station, responsible for supplying electricity to the city of Lisbon. It started to function as a museum in 1990. Nowadays, it integrates the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT), whose futuristic structure of a whitish color is visible to its right (when looking from the river).

We are living strange times with awkward things happening all around the world: the pandemic, explosions, fake news, sad news. That’s why it’s important to learn to take care of ourselves and take quality time for us. Sometimes an hour, an hour and a half, a slightly longer lunch hour can make all the difference in our week.

Lunch at Cais do Sodré or Belém

For the best lunch break in Lisbon, more important than the food (yes, it is possible to exist something more important than the delicious food served throughout the city of Lisbon), is how you will spend this hour. To fully enjoy the experience, we recommend you schedule this “lunch hour.” Let your colleagues know that you will be arriving a little later that day and have limited access to your cell phone. (don’t panic, ok? Yes, it’s possible. Trust us!)

First, choose the place: Cais do Sodré or Belém. The decision is yours, but keep in mind that the location you select impacts the time you have lunch.

Ribeira das Naus pier (Cais do Sodré), a few minutes before 1 pm, boarding gate of Lisboat.

Or

Cais da Princesa (next to the Torre de Belém), a few minutes before 12:00, boarding gate of Lisboat

In the bag, a sandwich, a drink and a piece of fruit (and a dessert, which no one has to know). On your face, a smile and a face mask (it’s the “new normal,” don’t forget), in your hand (properly disinfected) your single Lisboat ticket.

Take the seat indicated by our crew, and for about 60 minutes, there are no colleagues, bosses, traffic, nothing.

For 60 minutes, watch Lisbon and its light, the river, and, hopefully, dolphins. Close your eyes and feel Lisbon from the river, just to open them in time to be mesmerized by the magnificence of the 25 of April Bridge.

Look at the horizon and watch the place where the Tagus merges with the Atlantic.

The use of the mobile phone is only allowed to take photos or share these moments with those you love the most.

The breeze that blows, the seagulls that fly over, the city that pulses so close and yet so far.

Do not look at the clock. You will know when it is time to return when the boat docks. This time is just yours, and you still have time to just be and enjoy the best of life, and Lisbon has to offer you.

A half-day break in Lisbon

About an hour after leaving, the Lisboat’s boat stops. It is time to go with more energy and will to succeed.

All Lisboat stops are close to public transportation. Whether by metro, bus, tram, tuc-tuc, or taxi, you will quickly return to your workplace.

Challenge yourself to conquer this time for yourself. You will see that the day, the week, the month will run much better. But don’t just believe us, try it for yourself: the best lunchtime in Lisbon.

Dear Internet users and Lisboat fans, we are not the summer, but here’s your answer: discover a new way to love Lisbon in just 48 hours!

What to do in Lisbon?

Two days will not be enough to know this fantastic city that raises sumptuously on the Tagus. However, if you follow our recommendations two days will be more than enough to fall in love with the city of the 7 hills.

Are you prepared for this experience? Come on board and find out what to do in Lisbon.

Day 1 – Riverside Lisbon

First of all, start the day as genuine Portuguese: eating! Fortunately, the city has several options for all tastes (and wallets). Just search for articles in Time Out, NiT, or Trip Advisor, and you will have several suggestions, all great and delicious.

At Lisboat we are more old-style: we suggest “Brasileira” in Chiado, “Confeitaria Nacional” in Praça da Figueira or a famous bakery in the Cais do Sodré area, close to the Lisboat Dock, on the Ribeira das Naus pier.

Whatever your choice, while savoring Portuguese delicacies, take a moment to feel the city. Travel-time back to the town of Kings, and sailors that have built a nation open to the world. What a city, right?

After a good breakfast, a nice walk to the river. As you are getting closer, notice the sea breeze you’re starting to feel, the same breeze that centuries ago inspired and frightened those who ventured into the small and fragile wood ships.

And speaking of ships, it is precisely at the Ribeira das Naus Pier that this walk ends, at the door of Lisboat.

Welcome to Lisboat!

It is precisely 11 am, time to put your face mask on, disinfect your hands in alcohol-gel dispensers at the boats’ entrance and hop on fun through the river.

As the boat moves away from the pier, take the opportunity to (re)discover the magnitude of Terreiro do Paço. The Portuguese people built an impressive and imperial city, facing the sea and the world. The heart starts to beat faster, doesn’t it? We know. It happens to us every day!

Day 2 – Days of Lisbon’s secret stories

How about a different day, away from Lisbon’s mainstream monuments and attractions? The city hides several secrets, places of history, and stories. Here at Lisboat, and exclusively for you, we did our research for the Top 7 secret spots in Lisbon. Hop on that?

Simão’s Bookstore

A Livraria do Simão, the smallest bookshop in Lisbon, if not the world. There are 4 square meters, with about four thousand books of the most varied languages, values ​​, and genres, such as romance, poetry, and short stories. This Portuguese pearl was born in 2008, a result of Simão Guerreiro’s, a former chemistry professor, passion for literature. (Location: S. Cristovão Stairway)

Augusta Street Arch

Did anyone ask for a 360º panoramic view over Lisbon? You can find it at the top of the Triumphal Arch of Rua Augusta. Built during the sec. XVIII and XIX, this arch symbolizes the strength of Lisbon reborn after the 1755 earthquake that completely destroyed the city.

In Latin, we can read “The Virtues of the Greatest”: the strength, resilience, and achievements of the Portuguese people.

Open to the public since 2013, this is a view almost as beautiful as the one you can enjoy from Lisboat’s boats.

Columns Wharf

The pier of the columns and its marble steps in the heart of Praça do Comércio were the entrance of Kings and Heads of State in our country. Designed by the architect Eugénio dos Santos, it was built after the terrible earthquake of 1755. At the top of the marble steps, the pillars are of Masonic inspiration and represent the two columns of the temple of Solomon (wisdom and devotion).

Revolving Bridge of Rocha Quay of the Count of Óbidos

In 1927, when the then President of the Republic, General Óscar Carmona, inaugurated the revolving bridge of Cais da Rocha with great pomp and circumstance. This bridge allowed thousands of workers to save a lot of time on unnecessary trips. Currently, this almost century-old bridge exists but is still very important for the mobility of thousands of people.

Find the Green Raccoon

There is a raccoon on the loose in Lisbon, awaiting the visit of Lisbon’s discoverers. In Belém, precisely between the Jerónimos Monastery and the CCB stands a giant green raccoon behind the building. A work by the unmistakable Bordalo II and one of the best examples of urban art in Lisbon.

Sala Thai or the Thai Pavilion in the Gardens of Belém

To celebrate the 500 years of bilateral relations between Thailand and Portugal, the Thai government has offered our country this fantastic piece that deserves a closer look. The pavilion was built traditionally, without the use of metals. Take a closer look, and you will notice that there is not a single nail or screw in the structure. Everything was assembled with wooden inserts. You can find it in the gardens of Belém, next to the traditional pastry shop in Belém.

Ginjinha in Largo de S. Domingos

In this store opened in 1840 by a Galician man named Espinheira, you can experience one of Lisbon’s most typical traditions, drinking a ginjinha (sour cherry liquor), “with or without them”. In other words, with the cherry or without it. We believe that the best thing to do is to drink with and without the cherry. Drink it without guilt; after all, “what happens in Lisbon, stays in Lisbon.”

How to be able to visit all these sites in one day?

Simple, with your 48h hop on hop off ticket, you can get on and off Lisboat boats, as many times as you want. Hop on at Cais do Sodré, Hop off at Cais da Princesa. Hop on at Cais da Princesa, hop off at Cais do Sodré. No questions asked, with all the freedom and flexibility that only Lisboat can offer you.

At Lisboat the boats may be ours, but the experience is all yours

Hello internet users, Lisboat’s fans and followers! How is your 2020 going? Peculiar, right? No, you don’t need to say anything else! We know, believe us, we know.

The year 2020 has been a different year with many new things. It has required many changes, so many that we already refer to them as the “new” normal.

At Lisboat, “normal” means helping our customers have fun, relax, and discover Lisbon that delights and fascinates them. And this will never change, our greatest desire will always be to deliver you the best and safest experience on the Tagus river. That is why we are always available to offer you the “old” normal (fun, experience, and a lot of joy) with the rules of the “new” normal.

New partnerships with new discounts

What if we challenged you to go on a maritime adventure in Lisbon? That would be an excellent idea, wouldn’t it? Well, it’s official: we are challenging you to go on a maritime adventure in Lisbon, a partnership between Lisboat and the Portuguese Navy.

The Portuguese Navy manages some of Lisbon’s most iconic attractions: the Planetarium, the Vasco da Gama Aquarium, the Frigate D. Fernando II, and Glória and the Navy Museum. All of them are a tribute to Portuguese navigators.

What a perfect way to complement the fantastic Lisboat boat trip on the Tagus river, don’t’ you agree?

This partnership means a 20% discount for all Lisboat customers at the entrance to these attractions. To benefit from this discount, you just have to show your Lisboat ticket.

Hop on in Lisboat and Hop Off at the next destination of your adventure

The most fantastic thing is that you can quickly move between different equipment, at your own pace, on the Lisboat boat.

All of our tickets (except single ticket) are hop on hop off, which means you can get in and out as often as you like from our boats during the ticket’s validity period.

Build your own itinerary, decide what, how, and when you want to visit, benefit from our special prices for children up to 11 years old, and embark with the Portuguese Navy and us on a real maritime adventure in Lisbon.