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Half-Day Walking Tour about the African Presence in Lisbon

Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Lisbon, Portugal
  • 3 to 4 hours (approx.)
  • Group discounts
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Discover a side of Lisbon’s culture and history that many visitors overlook—and take in a new perspective of the city—on this small-group history-themed walking tour. In the morning, meet your guide in central Lisbon, and set off on foot: you’ll discover landmarks throughout the city that relate to a long tradition of African influence, from Moorish architecture to evidence of the Atlantic slave trade.
  • This small-group tour ensures a personalized way to explore the city
  • Learn about the African influence on Lisbon from your guide’s stories
  • Exploring on foot makes it easy to soak up the city’s ambiance
  • See the Alfama neighborhood, gardens, churches, and other landmarks

What's Included

  • Coffee and/or Tea
    Coffee/Tea or bottle of water

    Meeting and Pickup

    Meeting point

    • Restauradores Square
      Praça dos Restauradores, 1250-001 Lisboa, Portugal

      In front of the Tourist Office (Posto de Turismo dos Restauradores)

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    Operating hours
    .9:00 am

    Itinerary

    1

    Alfama

    20 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    2

    Chafariz D'El Rei

    10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    3

    Campo das Cebolas

    10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    4

    Praca do Comercio (Terreiro do Paco)

    20 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    Baixa de Lisboa (Pass By)

    5

    Calle Rosa de Lisboa

    10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    6

    Time Out Market Lisboa

    10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    7

    Jardim Dom Luis

    5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    8

    Consulate-General of the Federative Republic of Brazil in Lisbon

    10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    9

    Praca Dom Pedro IV

    10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    10

    Igreja De S Domingos

    10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    11

    Estacao Do Rossio

    10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    Restauradores Square (Pass By)

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 12 hours of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
    • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Reviews

    4.9
    based on 42 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

    A must do in Lisbon

    Avis_H, Mar 2026
    Al was fabulous! He is so knowledgeable about the African influence in Portugal. His knowledge of history was impressive. He wove the strands of history together with apparent east. He was friendly with a great sense of humor. He walked at a good pace for my group. We stopped for coffee about halfway through the tour. My group of 5 had a great time

    African Historical walk.

    Jerome_B, Jul 2025
    Great historical walking tour with some wine tasting at the end. Al our tour guide was patient and informative. It was a nice slow paced tour.

    Great tour guide. Lots...

    George_E, Jul 2025
    Great tour guide. Lots to learn. I would certainly recommend this to anyone with a passion for history and would certainly recommend to my friends.

    Great Tour Guide

    Dannielle_M, Mar 2025
    Al was a great tour guide. He was very kind, knew so much information and made our time walking through the city informative and interesting. We learned a ton and he went above and beyond in making us feel comfortable. We saw sites that gave us a new perspective and that was much appreciated.

    Okay

    Chloe_L, Sep 2024
    Late start and just an okay tour experience. Tour guide was not passionate and difficult to understand. Way over priced

    Fantastic learning tour

    Charmaine_J, Aug 2024
    When they say “walking tour” they mean walking tour! Wear a good pair of walking shoes, and pop some Ibuprofen before you go. Our guide Al (I think) is a walking encyclopedia about the history of Portugal and even their connection to Spain. We learned sooo much about the impact that the Africans and the Moors had on both countries. If you love learning about history, this tour is for you. Ask lots of questions, you’ll be surprised at what you learn. This tour is also a great way to see a bit of Lisbon too. I Highly recommend this tour.

    We learned so much

    Erel_O, Jul 2024
    It was a great tour, adding to our knowledge. We were surprised to learn about the long standing presence of Black people in Lisbon. Al was a great and friendly tour guide.

    Insightful and moving tour

    Ken_P, Jun 2024
    I knew that Portugal played a central role in the African slave trade and has a legacy of Moorish and African influence. Alcides provided details and context in a moving and personal tour. He drew on his own experience as a person of Cape Verdean ancestry as he tied together key locations in old Lisbon with stories connecting the present to the past. We learned a lot and had an enjoyable time with a man who is knowledgeable and effective at telling stories that too often vanish into the shadows.

    Unbiased insight

    Krystal_A, Apr 2024
    Our tour guide Alcides was suave; he engaged all of our senses during this tour. You felt as though you were a part of the history there in Lisbon.

    Excellent tour guide who brings out neglected aspects of Lisbon history

    Clayton_K, Apr 2024
    Portugal has been slow to acknowledge the African influences (other than possibly tiles and fado), so Al's tour brings to light important but neglected aspects of Lisbon's history. The tour takes you through several neighborhoods so is informative about a wide range of subjects. Al's English is excellent (he studied in London). Be sure you know the meeting place where the tour starts.

    Amazing Tour and Guide

    Ginger_A, Mar 2024
    Al was AMAZING!! A true pleasure and delight, very informative and personable. The tour started promptly, we had a small intimate group of 4. We were able to ask questions and gain valuable insight from Al’s knowledge and professionalism! Yes I would do it again 😍

    an ok but not perfect waling tour

    Michael_W, May 2023
    a lot of interesting sights however for a 3 hour tour not organized for restroom breaks we stopped randomly at a hotel which was not welcoming to us

    Absolutely the best, thanks.

    William_H, May 2023
    We had a most enjoyable and informative tour with Al. The personalized tour is a must cultural tour we have had during our almost 2 week vacation in Portugal. I highly recommend it to all visitors to this wonderful country.

    Best startingpoint for your stay

    ikram_1, Jan 2023
    Alcides is a friendly and knowledgeable guide. Great way to understand Lissabon and Portugal in the broader perspective.

    Great experience

    Joyce_T, Nov 2022
    Was a great experience. I would recommend to US travelers. The guide was very knowledgeable and very informative and all around nice guy.

    Excellent tour

    Tayo_A, Apr 2022
    The guide was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. We learned and saw a lot. It was a good way to get a sense of the city and learn about the lesser known history of portugal
    Likely to Sell Out

    From $178.66

    per person

    up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 47 days in advance.

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