With A Native, 2 Hours 15

Overview

This walk starts at Miradouro São Pedro de Alcantara, by the fountain, and is led by Nuno, a guide born and raised in Chiado who also works as a theatre actor, storyteller and teacher. He opens with the foundation of Lisbon and its conquest by D. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, before heading into Bairro Alto, the neighbourhood he calls home and says he is proud of. From there the route moves to Chiado, the district where writers, poets and journalists once lived, and the guide asks guests whether they have heard of Pessoa.

The walk then reaches Largo do Carmo, with its National Republican Guard headquarters and the ruins of the Carmo Convent, where the story turns to the Carnation Revolution of 25 April. Rossio Square follows, and here the tone shifts to the Inquisition, described in the tour description as one of the darkest chapters of Portuguese history, and the Church of São Domingos. The guide closes with a talk on who the Portuguese are and why codfish matters so much to them. The route has 8 stops in total, and the GuruWalk listing shows the first 3.

The tour runs on GuruWalk, lasts 2 hours 15 minutes and is given in English. It is free to book, and guests pay the guide what they think the walk was worth at the end. There is no pickup: everyone meets the guide at the fountain at Miradouro São Pedro de Alcantara.

Itinerary

1. Meet at the miradouroMeet the guide at Miradouro São Pedro de Alcantara, in front of the fountain. The walk opens with an introduction to the city, its foundation and its conquest by D. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal.
2. Walk through Bairro AltoThe route steps into Bairro Alto, the neighbourhood the guide describes as his home and says he is proud of.
3. Explore ChiadoThe walk continues through Chiado, the area of socialites, intellectuals and poets, with stories that touch on Pessoa.
4. Further stops, not listedThe full route has 8 stops, and the GuruWalk listing shows only the first 3. Later stops described in the tour text include Largo do Carmo, the ruins of the Carmo Convent and Rossio Square.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points are worth knowing before reserving a spot on this GuruWalk listing.

• Duration and pace. The walk lasts 2 hours 15 minutes. One set of reviewers found it longer than expected and said more breaks would have helped, so assume you will be on your feet for most of it.
• What to bring. The GuruWalk listing gives no specific packing advice, so bring whatever you would normally carry for a walk of this length.
• Language. The tour is given in English only. Anyone booking should be comfortable following spoken English for the full 2 hours 15 minutes.
• Group feel. Reviewers describe the guide as fun and friendly, and praise the depth of his knowledge of Portuguese and Lisbon history.
• Meeting point. There is no pickup or transfer. Meet at the fountain at Miradouro São Pedro de Alcantara, and plan to arrive with time to find the spot.
• Paying the guide. Booking is free and guests pay the guide what they think the walk was worth at the end. No amount is suggested anywhere.

Common issues. No cancellations, group size limits or accessibility restrictions are stated on the GuruWalk listing. One reviewer noted the walk ran longer than expected and would have liked more breaks, so travellers with tight schedules or limited stamina should factor that in. The GuruWalk listing shows only the first 3 of the route's 8 stops, so the full itinerary is not published in advance.

What To Know Before You Walk