Lisbon Tram Ride

Tour the City in Style on One of Its Famous Trams:

Ride one of Lisbon's famous trams through the city’s seven hills, accompanied by the rhythmic sounds of Fado. Lisbon’s trams have been getting Lisboetas around the city since 1873. Horse-drawn versions were replaced with electric ones in 1902. You will ride in one of their present-day descendants. Join your guide for a panoramic tour past the Belém Tower. You will stop for photos at the towering Monument to the Discoveries and the elegantly styled Jerónimos Monastery. Board your tram on the other side of the city in Estrela Square. You will pass the São Bento Palace, home of the Portuguese Parliament, Black Horse Square and the Se Cathedral. As you traverse the atmospheric streets, you will enjoy the sounds of fado played on a traditional Portuguese guitar, and a glass of port—the signature wine of Portugal—all served by a hostess dressed in a traditional Minhota costume.

After a long day yesterday, it was nice to sleep in, since we were not scheduled to dock in Lisbon util 1:00 pm. When Tim and I finally made our way to breakfast, we ran into Bill and Kathy, one of the couples from our pre-cruise extension in Tuscany. After we finished eating, they offered to give us a tour of their cabin.

Bill and Kathy had booked an Explorer Suite, just one step down from the Owner’s Suite. These are true suites and occupy the best locations on the corners of the forward and aftmost areas of the ship. Their suite was amazing, and the expansive views from the wraparound balcony were incredible. We then offered to show them our cabin and how the other 75 percent of passengers live! Although our cabin is small, it suits us just fine and actually has a few features that I prefer over the more expensive suites.

Because I’m typically asleep when we sail into a new port, I was excited to watch our sail-in to Lisbon. As it turned out, the views along the waterfront were amazing, and we were able to see many of the city’s most iconic buildings.

Views of Lisbon during Our Sail-In

More Views of Lisbon - Ronnie, Our Cabin Steward, Made Sure We Had a Clear View

When I had been trying to decide which excursion to take, I remembered that my friend Kevin had said we must take a tram ride while in Lisbon. An excursion on a tram, therefore, seemed the perfect option.

Our tram tour was so much fun. Not only were our driver and guide a hoot, but our ride took us through interesting neighborhoods as we descended the hills of Lisbon. I was able to catch glimpses of facades decorated with intricate ceramic tiles, known as azulejos, which have become an iconic symbol of Portuguese culture.

Sarah, Tim, and Our Tram

A Few Sights Along the Way

Details, Including Buildings Decorated with Aqulejo Tiles

During our ride, we were treated to two Portuguese specialties – a custard tart and port wine. Our hostess, who was dressed in a traditional Minhota costume, related the history and significance of these two items to Portugal.

Custard Tarts and Port

Vintage and Modern Trams Are a Popular Means of Transportation

When our tram reached the waterfront, we exited and had time to explore the area. Tim and I made a beeline to Pasteis de Belém, the most famous pastry shop in Portugal, and the one that has the best custard tarts, according to our guide. For a shop that sells between 20 and 30 thousand tarts per day, the quality was outstanding, and Tim and I found these to be even more delicious than the ones we had on the tram. I also admired the elaborate blue and while tiles in the shop.

Custard Tarts and Blue and White Tiles at Pasteis de Belém

We then wandered by several of the buildings that we had seen from the ship this morning, including the Jerónimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 1500s. The monks who lived here were the ones who developed the recipe for the custard tarts that we had just enjoyed at Pasteis de Belém.

Jerónimos Monastery

Just across the street, we walked around the Monument to the Discoveries, which celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discovery, or Age of Exploration, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The monument represents the prow of a ship and is headed by the figure of Henry the Navigator, along with 32 leading figures who played a crucial role during that era. In addition to the sculptures, I loved seeing the mosaic tile map of the world, depicting the routes that the Portuguese ships had established.

Monument to the Discoveries

We also had time for a quick peek at the Belém Tower, a beacon and fortress built in 1515 to guard the entrance to Lisbon’s harbor. It also served as the departure point for the many voyages during the Age of Discovery.

Belém Tower

Before returning to our ship, we drove through the downtown area with their festive Christmas lights and displays. I love overnighting in a port, and we were able to enjoy the city lights from Viking Neptune.

Festive Lights

We Completed the Portion of Our Cruise from Rome to Lisbon