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RS Walking Tours in Lisbon-- hit or miss?

Hi, I will be traveling to Lisbon with my toddler and am trying to map out how much time we should give ourselves to do all the walking tours. I was planning the following but would welcome feedback as it is hard to gauge the pacing.
Day 1 (we are in Chiado), we stay in Chiado and do #2-5 on Bairro Alto walk
Day 2: Do the RSe Baixa tour. First half in the morning, lunch, second half in the afternoon.
Day 3: Morning in Belem, afternoon Alfama walking tour.

Does this pacing make sense to folks who have done the RS walks? I can always add things in (aquarium, arrabida national park, etc. if there is time, but don't know how long the walks will take). Thanks!

Posted by
1541 posts

We were in Lisbon just for a port day on a cruise in April. In that one busy day we followed the Rick Steves three neighbourhood walk [Alfama, Baixa, and Bairro Alto]. We did not go to Belem. We had ample time for a decent lunch and a bit of shopping and were back at the ship in plenty of time.

I think with a toddler your Day 1 and 2 seem fine, but Day 3 might be a bit challenging.

Posted by
3150 posts

The walking tours through the three neighborhoods in Lisbon should take 2-3 hours each depending on your pace, lingering to absorb the ambiance and enjoying refreshments along the way. With a toddler, you might add a half hour. And a half day in Belem is just about right.

Posted by
477 posts

I would personally do the Alfama walking tour on day 2 and your Baixa tour on day 3 with Belem. You can catch your transportation to Belem from the start of this tour, and also I think you may find you want more than a morning in Belem. There is a nice park area there for a toddler to run in, and a fair amount to see. It seemed to me we kept walking through part of Baixa every time we went somewhere, so we had seen much of it without even doing that tour.

Posted by
3 posts

So based on the feedback, here's a revised itinerary.
Day 1: same thing
Day 2: RS Baxia Tour with the family, but the adults alone do a 1.5 hour tour of Alfama in the late afternoon.
Day 3: Drive to arrabida national park in the morning and drive back to Belem to do the tower, in the afternoon/evening.
Day 4: Aquarium in the morning, afternoon is open....maybe Gulbenkian museum?

Thoughts?

Posted by
361 posts

Hi sashap123,
We spent over a month in Portugal and toured various parts of Lisboa on 4 separate days. During our time in Belem, we especially enjoyed the Maritime Museum, so full of Portugal's exploration history around the world. Our favourite treat was to have Nata (custard tarts served warm) at Pasteis de Belem with coffee and once had lunch, a glass of wine and tarts at this famous cafe founded in 1837 and featured in RS Portugal video. We tried the Natas all over Portugal but never tasted any as great as these Pasteis de Belem. I think that a child would also really enjoy them. The restaurant is a series of rooms with lots of original tile decor and traditional waiter service. There is also a "take out" option outside the building with line ups for this favourite treat. Enjoy Lisboa!

Posted by
3150 posts

I'd definitely visit the Gulbenkian Museum. I feel it's one of the under-rated museums in Europe. A varied collection from Egyptian to oriental to European masters. And entry is free on Sunday.