Lisbon small group tours
Olá! Explore where tram-lined streets meet the Atlantic and history lives in every tile.
Discover Lisbon, Portugal’s sun-soaked capital
Lisbon isn't just Portugal's capital – it's where your story begins. Picture this: golden trams rattling up steep cobbled streets, their bells chiming as they pass buildings adorned with hand-painted azulejos. The scent of warm custard tarts from centuries-old bakeries mingles with salt air drifting up from the Tagus River. In the Alfama district, melancholic fado music spills from candlelit tavernas where locals have gathered for generations to share songs of longing and love.
This is Lisbon – a city built on seven hills where miradouros (viewpoints) offer sweeping panoramas across terracotta rooftops toward the glittering Atlantic. Where medieval castles stand sentinel over neighbourhoods that survived the great earthquake of 1755. Where every corner reveals another chapter of Portugal's maritime legacy: from the ornate Belém Tower that once guarded explorers setting sail to discover new worlds, to monuments celebrating those who ventured into the unknown.
But Lisbon is more than its monuments. It's the warmth of locals who invite you to linger over coffee. The artisans keeping age-old tile-making traditions alive. The intimate restaurants where recipes haven't changed since your grandmother's grandmother's time. Our small group tours in Lisbon reveal this neighbourhood side of the city – guided by local experts who know which backstreet serves the best bacalhau, where to watch the sunset as fado echoes through ancient alleys, and how to navigate the city like a local rather than a passing tourist.
With a maximum of 18 guests, our Lisbon group tours are intimate journeys of discovery. You'll explore this captivating city before or after venturing deeper into Portugal and Spain's Iberian heartland, where medieval villages, sun-drenched vineyards and coastal treasures await.
Small group tours in Lisbon and beyond
Iberian Inspiration
Was £3,629
From £3,529
Discover Portugal
Was £3,209
From £3,109
What to do in Lisbon
Feel the soul of fado
In a dimly lit taverna in Alfama, silence falls as the fadista takes her place. Then, her voice rises – raw, haunting, achingly beautiful – accompanied only by the melancholic strum of Portuguese guitar. This is fado, Portugal's most treasured musical tradition dating back to the 1820s. The lyrics speak of saudade – that untranslatable Portuguese longing for something lost or distant. As the performance unfolds, you'll understand why fado was declared UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. It's not just music; it's the sound of Lisbon's soul, passed down through generations in neighbourhoods where grandmothers still lean from their windows to listen.
Taste the iconic pastel de nata
Since 1837, one family has guarded the secret recipe for Portugal's legendary custard tarts. In the blue-tiled halls of Pastéis de Belém, bakers work around the clock producing up to 20,000 tarts daily using techniques passed down through six generations. Join the queue that snakes out the door (it moves quickly, we promise). Watch through windows as tarts emerge golden from their trusty ovens. Then bite into one still warm – the pastry shatters into a thousand flaky layers while custard melts on your tongue, sweet and creamy with hints of vanilla and lemon. Dust it with cinnamon. This is the taste of Lisbon.
Journey to fairytale Sintra
Just 40 minutes from Lisbon lies Sintra, a medieval town where mist clings to forested hillsides and palaces rise like storybook illustrations. The National Palace dominates the town square with its distinctive twin chimneys reaching skyward. Step inside to discover rooms where Portuguese royalty lived for over 800 years. Gilded frescoes of swans soar across ceilings. Geometric tiles cover walls in hypnotic patterns. Walk through the vast palace kitchens where royal feasts were prepared beneath conical chimneys. Outside, narrow lanes wind past pastel-coloured houses where the air smells of pine and woodsmoke, and local pastry shops tempt with travesseiros (pillow pastries) and queijadas (cheese tarts).
Dine like a local in Portugal
From flaky pastéis de nata in Lisbon's historic bakeries to crispy cod cakes and creamy Serra da Estrela cheese, Portugal's culinary traditions are waiting to be savoured. Discover the flavours that define Portuguese life on our small group tours of Lisbon.
