Headed to Lisbon and also Madrid. I've heard good and bad about the growing number of Tuk-Tuk's in Lisbon. There seems to be several formal companies and I assume more independents.
Any good/bad experiences to share?
How about Uber and/or Bolt in Lisbon?
I heard more bad than good so stayed away from tuk tuks. Bolt worked very well in Lisbon and Coimbra. The one time I tried to use Uber in Sintra we had a bad experience with a crazy driver, not Uber's fault but I went back to Bolt after that.
I have been following posts on Facebook on the various Lisbon/ Portugal pages and there are many recommendations for Tuk Tuks on those pages. These are not the kind that sit around and wait for a passenger (like a taxi). But, rather, they are licensed guides that give you a tour of the city - some are private and some are maximum of 6 passengers (tuk tuks are small).
So, if you are wondering about an actual city tour of sorts with a Tuk Tuk - make sure they have good reviews and are licensed . The ones I see on FB have all that. You can also go on Trip Advisor and search.... I would not book via Viator or Get your Guide - simply because they are not tour operators - and they take commission from the actual tour company. If you click on a tour, find the word 'operator' - and then go to their website. I wouldn't just 'grab/hail" a tuk tuk off the street though.
We will be taking a Tuk Tuk tour on our trip - but I still need to finalize other details.
I have read that Bolt and Uber work well also. (I don't use Uber in the US , but may have to use Bolt over there!)
I avoided the Tuk-Tuks but I did use Uber a few times and that worked out well.
We heard mixed things too and felt the same hesitation at first. In Lisbon, we mostly walked and used Uber/Bolt and that worked well for getting around.
We did try a tuk tuk experience, but not in Lisbon. We did a private tuk tuk tour in Sintra instead and that’s where it really made sense for us. More space, less traffic, proper stops, and time to actually see and understand what you’re visiting. Our guide was Daniel Ponce from Yes, You Deserve!, and it felt much more like a guided experience than just being driven around.
Personally, I’d use Uber or Bolt in Lisbon and save a tuk tuk tour for somewhere like Sintra, where the setting really suits that kind of experience.
