starting at €175 total, not per person
• 3.5-hour private walking tour
• children 12 years and under are free
• skip ticket lines and go inside the monuments
• reservations required
why walk In lisbon?
Because that’s what locals do. Portuguese are among Europe’s biggest walkers! A Eurobarometer survey published in 2014 revealed that Portugal is among the countries where making daily routine trips by foot is most common. To really know Lisbon one must go into those small maze-like streets of the city’s old quarters, where automobiles are limited and real life unfolds in pedestrian friendly streets and squares.
important details
closures
Visits to the modern orthodox synagogue and cemetery require 30-days advance notice, sent directly to the synagogue. They do not permit tours inside the synagogue on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The synagogue has their own appointed docents who gives the tours.
It is a waste of tour time and money to have our guide take you to the synagogue when the synagogue has their own appointed guides.
The synagogue is located outside the historic center, and not easily accessible during this historic walking tour. If you schedule an appointment for a visit to the synagogue, your guide will be happy to direct you there at the end of your Jewish Lisbon tour.
January 1
May 1
December 25 and 31
start and end points
Starting at:
Principe Real
Ending at:
Rossio Square
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ADD SERVICES
We access traffic restricted areas with steps and ramps. It is not possible to do this tour route with a vehicle.
You can add a private luxury vehicle for commuting to and from the historic center.
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INCLUDED
Skip the ticket lines with an official, knowledgeable guide.
Authorization to enter sights.
Audio system for larger parties.
VAT tax.
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WALKING LEVEL
2 km, (1.24 miles), 98% down hills and stairs. A few upstairs and inclines. Uneven cobblestones on tour route. Not safe for those with walking sticks, canes or unable to walk for 1-hour without resting.
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INFORMATION
Wear comfortable athletic shoes.
There are stops for clean restrooms, and food & beverage breaks if needed.
A museum closed on Sundays.
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MEETING POINT
Hotel, apartment, ship dock, or at an easy-to-find location in historic center. A map and photo of exact meeting point is sent with tour confirmation. Hotel or apartment meetings subject to time and location.
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START TIMES
7-days a week, year round.
Morning: 9:00am, or 9:30am
Afternoon: 2:00pm, or 3:00pm
Some closures on Sundays.
Custom start times subject to guide availability.
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TICKET FEES
Paid by guests at entry with cash. A closure on Sundays.
Adults €5.00
Students €4.00
Retired 65+ years €4.00
Child under age 14, no ticket fee
experience the major sights of lisbon from a jewish perspective
Join the only Jewish guide in Portugal and visit to the major sights of historic Lisbon. Along the way you will discover artifacts, inscriptions, and monuments that no other Jewish tours of Lisbon can access.
In May of 2012 a sensational discovery by Archaeologists of Jena University revealed Hebrew inscriptions on stone which point to the Jewish people residing in Portugal as early as 390 C.E. However, some Biblical Archaeologists believe that Tartessian texts found in Southern Portugal in 1922 suggests a Jewish presence dating to the time of King Solomon.
Walking through the quaint side streets of Lisbon your guide and historian will explain these recent findings and unveil hidden elements in the architecture, explaining the influence of great Jewish sages like The Abravanel- a philosopher and statesman, and Abraham Zacuto who altered the course of the Age of Discovery. The Jews of Portugal throughout history held social and political ranks with the favor of kings, and conciliatory relations between Muslims and Christians alike. However, these periods were equally marked by inquisitions, forced baptisms and brutal massacres which have been overlooked in many historical references.
On this tour you will discover the amazing story of Crypto-Jews, (Cristão-Novos) a distinctive sub-group of Sephardim in Portugal who survived over 400 years of persecution in secret. At the site of the Inquisitors Palace, learn little known facts about the Portuguese Inquisition and the controversy of the Marquis of Pombal whose authority destroyed Jewish heritage but saved lives at the same time.
Discover the deportation point during WWII where thousands of Jewish refugees escaped Nazi persecution, among them famous names like Marc Chagall, Max Ernst and many others who contributed to the arts, sciences and politics of the world stage. Learn about Portugal’s own Oskar Schindler, a righteous gentile who is responsible for the single largest rescue mission of WWII, deifying state orders to save thousands feeling the horrors of the 3rd Reich.
Beyond the former Jewish quarters, there are stories in artifacts festooned around the city that will bring deeper understanding of the Early Modern Diaspora,
The Passover Massacre, Crypto-Jewish practices and famous Jewish families associated with Portugal.
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EXCLUDED
Entry ticket fees.
Transfer to and from hotels outside of historic center.
Sundays: Museums are closed.
Beware of imitations
Please be aware of other Jewish tours, led by guides with similar sounding names. There is the only authorized guide in Portugal who is Jewish, and he works exclusively with us here at Lisbon Explorer.
major highlights
Príncipe Real: An upscale district with concept shops, galleries, cafes, an exotic garden, and a popular quarter for Lisbon's newest Jewish residents.
Sao Pedro de Alcantara Miradouro: The most scenic view from the west side of Lisbon. Get a birds-eye overview of the historic center and the site of mass forced conversions in 1498.
Bairro Alto and Chidao Quarters: The sights of former Jewish quarters and important sephardic sages. Discover Portugal's most important Judaic artifacts.
Rua Garrett: Merchant district with historic shops.
Carmo Ruins: A roofless Gothic church saved by Jewish engineers. It now contains an unusual archeological cabinet of curiosities.
Elevador de Santa Justa: A Neo-Gothic transport tower inspired by the works of Gustave Eiffel, offering 360 views of Lisbon.
Baixa- Pombalina Downtown: The former Jewish quarters Grande and Pequeno.
Rossio Square: Discover the former sight of the Tribunal of the Inquisition. This is now Lisbon's gathering place with more Jewish engineering.
São Domingo's Square: Memorial to the tragic massacre of 1506.
Much, much more....
