If you’re heading to Lisbon for the first time, there’s one thing you learn very quickly: the “City of Seven Hills” is not just a cute nickname. It’s a warning!
Lisbon is stunning, layered with history and color, but it is also steep, cobblestoned, and surprisingly demanding on foot. We knew one of the best ways to see Lisbon was on foot, but that means hills (SO. MANY. HILLS) and beautiful but terribly uneven cobblestones.
That’s where a Tuk Tuk tour completely changed the experience.
We pre-booked a four-hour private Tuk Tuk tour with Tiago from lisbon.tour.guide, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of the trip. Instead of exhausting ourselves navigating the hills, we were able to glide through the city’s most iconic neighborhoods, viewpoints, and hidden corners in a fun, open-air electric Tuk Tuk.
Our route covered both Old Town and the Belém quarter giving us a really well-rounded introduction to Lisbon. In Old Town—especially through areas like Alfama—you get that classic maze of narrow streets, tiled facades, laundry strung between buildings, and viewpoints tucked into places you’d never find on your own. Every turn feels like a postcard.
From there, we continued toward Belém where the scale of the city shifts. This is where Lisbon’s maritime history really comes alive with wide riverfront views, stunning architecture, and those famous pastry stops everyone talks about. (And yes, the custard tarts are worth it!)
What made the experience even better was how personalized and insightful it felt.
As a guide who knows the history, the most famous places, and the hidden gems extremely well, in just a few hours you can see all the Lisbon highlights, learn the history behind them, and get practical, useful recommendations shared in a fun and engaging way. It’s the kind of experience that actually improves the rest of your stay because you walk away with great tips for food, neighborhoods, and things you’d never find on your own.
Tour Guide Tiago!
Tiago’s electric Tuk Tours are led by Tiago personally who has been recognized by Portugal Tourism. He offers a unique, eco-friendly way to experience the city. The electric Tuk Tuks are especially perfect for Lisbon’s steep, winding streets, making it easy to cover a lot of ground without the exhaustion of constant climbing.
Hop aboard and you’ll explore Lisbon’s vibrant streets in comfort and along the way, your guide brings the city to life with insider stories, history, and local context that you simply don’t get on your own. He also know the places that are super-touristy and the places that are more local!
We did the full experience as a kind of “highlights and hidden gems” tour—part sightseeing, part storytelling, part local introduction—and it was exactly what we needed on our first day.
The tour can start from your hotel or a central meeting point which makes it easy to fit into any itinerary especially if you’re short on time.
By the end of the four hours, we didn’t just see Lisbon—we understood it. We knew where we wanted to return on foot, what neighborhoods we wanted to explore deeper, and we had a list of recommendations that shaped the rest of our stay.
If it’s your first time in Lisbon, I can’t recommend this enough. It’s the fastest way to get your bearings, avoid the uphill exhaustion, and actually enjoy the city’s layout instead of fighting it.
You can pre-book these or they’re usually available in various parts of the city to just walk up and grab. Why pre-book? You’re getting a better experience. You can customize ahead of time, you get a guaranteed tour guide who is local to Lisbon and loves to show visitors his part of Lisbon. Plus, they’ll pick you up and be ready when you are!
The pink street in Lisbon!
A huge thank you to Tiago for such a memorable introduction to Lisbon—it was truly an amazing way to experience the city. He took us to some amazing places with beautiful vantage points, took lots of photos of us together (no selfie arms!), and sent us a list of authentic restaurants and bars to try near our hotel.
Want to do your own Tuk-Tuk tour while in Lisbon? We can help with that and help plan all the details for your Portugal adventure or wherever your bucket list takes you! Reach out to your favorite Upon a Star Travel advisor or go here and fill out our form!