Lisbon Park and Garden Tours

One of the best things to see and do in Lisbon is to explore its squares, botanical gardens and natural parks full of history and life. Many of these gardens belong to palaces, castles and museums, so you can include both in your tours of the city in the same day.

In this article I present some of the most interesting tours you can do in Lisbon, which will allow you to connect culture and nature, as well as history and daily life.

One of the gardens you can visit on a tour of Belem is the Alfonso de Albuquerque Garden, which is located on the banks of the Tagus River, in front of the National Palace of Belém. With about 2 hectares, it is a Renaissance style garden with artificial lakes, statues, fountains and some trees. In the center is a bronze statue in honor of Alfonso de Albuquerque, who was governor of Portuguese India in the early 16th century.

These tours usually include some of the best things to see and do in Belem, one of Lisbon's most interesting neighborhoods. They are conducted in small groups and you are accompanied by a professional guide who provides information about the sites you see and the history and culture of the city. They usually last about 3 hours and take place every day, except Mondays, as some monuments are closed.

Other sites you can discover on this tour are the Jerónimos Monastery, an impressive monument of Portuguese Manueline Gothic style built in the 16th century, the Garden of the Empire, which belongs to the Monastery, and the Belém Tower, one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the city. You can also visit the Monument to the Discoveries, erected in honor of Henry the Navigator, on the banks of the Tagus River.

Not all tours include entrance tickets to the monuments, so if you are interested in seeing them you can buy a ticket to the Jeronimos Monastery and/or book a ticket to the Belem Tower. Something very characteristic of these tours is that they pass by Pastéis de Belém, a centenary pastry shop where you can taste the typical Portuguese cream cakes.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 35 € for adults and about 17 € for children from 12 to 17 years old.
• Duration: about 3 hours.

If you want to get to know the green spaces of the city while doing outdoor activities in Lisbon, a bike tour from the historic center to the Belém neighborhood is a great option to add to your itinerary. The tour covers about 10 km and allows you to enjoy the panoramic view of the city and the Tagus River, as well as the squares and gardens.

These tours are done in small groups of people, with a local expert guide who will tell you about the main tourist sites of the city, its history and culture. In addition, they provide you with all the elements you need, such as a helmet.

This way you can visit the Eduardo VII Park, one of the most important parks in Lisbon, which stands out for its geometric hedge walkways and views of the Tagus River. This park is also home to Estufa Fria, a botanical garden with thousands of trees, plants and flowers from all over the world. Although these tours do not usually make a stop at this garden, you can include it in another tour of the city.

The tour usually continues through the city center along the Tagus River to Belém, where some of the most important attractions of the city are located, such as the Jeronimos Monastery, the Tower of Belém and the National Palace. As it ends in this neighborhood, you can take the opportunity to get to know these attractions, for example, by joining one of the best tours of castles and palaces in Lisbon.

Another option: Electric bike tour in Lisbon

Another option if you are interested in this type of activities is to book an electric bike tour in Lisbon, since this type of bicycles do not require physical effort to move around the city. They usually include a visit to the main attractions of Lisbon and are done with a professional guide. There are also options for private tours of Lisbon that allow you to customize the tour to your liking.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 39 € for adults and about 28 € for children and teenagers from 4 to 16 years old. Children under 3 years old participate for free.
• Duration: about 3-4 hours.
• Means of transport: bicycle.
• Disadvantages of this option: you need to be in good physical condition to fully enjoy the experience. It does not include entrance fees to monuments.

The tuk tuk is a four-wheeled vehicle where you have a panoramic view, which is ideal for getting to know the city of Lisbon. You can travel up to 6 people approximately and you are accompanied by a professional guide who will tell you about the highlights of the city and its most representative sites.

It is one of the best private tours of Lisbon, as it allows you to design your own tour with the parks, gardens and green spaces you are interested in visiting, and you only share the experience with your fellow travelers.

Usually, you can opt for tours lasting between 3 and 4 hours, which take place every day at different times. As the vehicles have open sides, these tours are most recommended in spring and summer in Lisbon, when temperatures are more pleasant.

What to see on a tour of parks and gardens in Lisbon

Here are the main parks, squares and green spaces that you can include in your tuk tuk tour:

• Parque Eduardo VII: it is the main park of the city, whose hedge galleries with geometric shapes usually appear in postcards of Lisbon. It is in the center of the city.
• Estufa fría: is a greenhouse complex covering about 1.5 hectares. It is located in the Eduardo VII Park.
• Capela de São Jerónimo Garden: it is a small garden overlooking the Tagus River, near the famous monastery of the same name, in the neighborhood of Belém.
• Rebeira das Nais: it is Lisbon's waterfront, where there are walkways and green spaces.
• Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Park: it is a green space of about 8 hectares next to the museum of the same name, located in the center of the city.
• Ajuda Botanical Garden: is an ancient garden, founded in 1768, of more than 3 hectares, located in the grounds of the palace of the same name, in Ajuda.
• Jardim da Praca do Imperio: it is a garden located in front of the Jerónimos Monastery, in the neighborhood of Belém.
• Monsanto Forest Park: it is the largest in Lisbon, about 900 hectares; a true oasis of nature in the city.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 50 to 232 € per person depending on the number of travelers participating in the tour.
• Duration: about 4 hours.
• Means of transport: tuk tuk.

One of the best tours you can do around the gardens of Lisbon is the one that includes a visit to the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum and the Garden of the Gulbenkian Foundation. The interesting thing about this tour is that it combines a nature tour with the museum's exquisite art collection.

These tours usually take place almost every day, except Tuesdays, and at different times. They are private, that is, you only participate with the people you are traveling with. In addition, they are conducted with an expert guide who will tell you the most interesting things about the garden and the museum. You will probably have to buy the entrance to the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum on your own, as it is not usually included in the price of the tours.

The Gulbenkian Foundation Garden covers about 8 hectares and is home to a great variety of plants and animals. Some 230 species of plants and about 43 species of birds have been identified. It is certainly an ideal place to embark on a :::link|text=photography tour in Lisbon|element=sc-138-5405::: and capture the beauty of the garden.

As for the museum, it contains more than 5000 pieces that belonged to the private collection of Calouste Gulbenkian, such as porcelain, tapestries, tiles, furniture and jewelry, and works by renowned artists such as Rembrandt, Renoir and Monet. The pieces come from different parts of the world and some date back to 2000 BC.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 77 € per person.
• Duration: 2 hours approximately.

Hiring a guided tour with an expert to St. George's Castle is a great idea if you want to get to know this monument and its gardens in depth. The castle was built in the mid-11th century by the Muslims and later passed into Portuguese hands. It has been a military fortress, royal palace and prison, being restored after an earthquake. It is located on top of the hill of the same name and is one of the best things to see in the Alfama neighborhood.

Guided tours of St. George's Castle usually last about 2 hours and you are accompanied by an expert guide who tells you about the history, construction and highlights of the castle. They are conducted in small groups almost every day of the week (except Mondays) in the morning or afternoon. Many tours are conducted in English or Portuguese, so it is important that you check that it is conducted in a language you know.

In addition to its impressive architecture, the castle is one of the best viewpoints in the city and is surrounded by greenery, so it is an ideal activity to enjoy outdoors in Lisbon. It also stands out for its archaeological site, where you can learn about the history of mankind since the Iron Age, and for the Camera Obscura, where you can see a detailed image of the city in Da Vinci's periscope.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 31 € per person.
• Duration: about 2 hours.
• Disadvantages of this option: does not include transportation to the castle.
• How to get there: the easiest way up is using the Baixa and do Castelo elevators, which are included when purchasing the Lisbon Card. Buses and streetcars are also available.

With an extension of more than 900 hectares, the Monsanto Forest Park is the main green lung of the city. It is the ideal place for all kinds of outdoor activities, especially :::link|text=hiking tours in Lisbon|element=sc-138-5401:::, as it offers several trails of varying difficulty surrounded by nature. It is located in Serra de Monsanto, in the west of Lisbon.

In addition to exploring its hiking trails, you can undertake bike rides or leisurely walks through the forest, which arose from a reforestation project. The park offers picnic areas, ping pong tables, gazebos and restaurants. You can even visit a palace, that of the Marquises of Fronteira, from the 17th century. If you are traveling to Lisbon with children, you will be interested to know that there are special recreational areas for the little ones.

This park can be reached in many ways, either by bus, cab or by hiring a private tuk tuk tour of Lisbon with a customized itinerary. Whether you want to take a leisurely walk or a more demanding hiking tour, this park offers many options to enjoy nature.

If your stay will be at least 5 days in Lisbon, you can embark on a full-day guided tour of the Ajuda National Palace and Queluz Palace, which offer beautiful gardens to explore, in addition to their incredible architecture.

These tours usually last 8 hours and can be done every day starting early in the morning. They are conducted in small groups with a professional guide who will enrich the tour with information and commentary about the palaces, their gardens and other sites of interest in Lisbon and Sintra, a town near Lisbon.

The tour usually starts at the Queluz Palace, a baroque style palace built in the mid-18th century. There you can visit the luxurious interior rooms, such as the King's Chamber and the Throne Room, as well as the French Baroque-style garden, consisting of mythological sculptures, tiles, water fountains, boxwood gardens and deciduous forests. Undoubtedly, this palace is one of the best things to see in Sintra.

Then, the neoclassical National Palace of Ajuda is usually visited, which houses the oldest botanical garden in Lisbon, from the late eighteenth century. This baroque-style garden consists of small lakes, gardens of aromatic plants, an orchid greenhouse and mythological sculptures, among others. Some tours also include a visit to the Royal Treasure Museum located in this palace, where you can see jewels and valuable objects that belonged to the Portuguese royalty.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 73 € per person.
• Duration: about 8 hours.
• Means of transport: by vehicle and on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you will visit two of the most beautiful palaces in Lisbon and its surroundings, the National Palace of Ajuda and the Palace of Queluz.