Lisbon Hop on Hop off Bus Tours

When we think of touring a city we imagine walking through its streets, but there is an option that we tend to overlook and is designed to see all the sights easily and comfortably: the tourist bus.

Lisbon has several sightseeing bus options. You can buy a pass for one or several days and use it as many times as you want and as you like. Trams or cruises on the Tagus River are also very popular in Lisbon.

This is the most basic option: for two days you can hop on and off the Lisbon sightseeing bus as many times as you want (also known as Hop on Hop off) and you have the option to choose the 24 hour or the 48 hour pass. And you have the option of choosing the 24-hour or 48-hour pass.

You can book your pass online in advance and activate it for as many days as you want and there are two ways to make the most of it: on the one hand, I recommend that, at least once, you do the complete routes (there are several routes) to enjoy the city and on the other hand, take advantage of this service as a means of transport to get quickly and comfortably to places further away from the centre, such as Belem or Alfama.

How it works

If you've never ridden a tourist bus before, I'll start by telling you how they differ from normal buses. The main differences are twofold: they have on-board commentary in several languages about the city's points of interest and they have panoramic views so you can enjoy the scenery during your trip (they are, in fact, designed for that purpose). The tour buses have WIFI and air conditioning.

Another question you may have is why it is worth paying for a ticket, in this case a 24 or 48 hour ticket, rather than using the city buses in the city. The answer lies in the stops on the different routes. The aim of this type of bus is for travellers arriving in Lisbon to get to know the city's important points (not just the most touristy ones) and to know how to find their way around and move between them easily.

So, whether you are travelling to Lisbon for one day or you have two days in the Portuguese capital, this is one of the best options for getting to know the city. Importantly, you have 24 or 48 hours (depending on the pass you buy) from the time you activate your tourist bus pass. I recommend that you do it first thing in the morning to make the most of the time you have to use it.

Itinerary of the Monumental Lisbon route

Itinerary of the Belem Route

Itinerary of the modern tour of Lisbon

One of the first things that will catch your attention during your visit to Lisbon are the yellow trams, which are still in perfect working order. These trams are just one of the many means of transport in the Portuguese capital, but in addition to the locals, many tourists use them. This option combines the tourist bus ticket with free stops with the tram routes through the centre of Lisbon.

How it works

The way the tourist bus works is the same: you have 48 hours from the time you validate your ticket to use any of the routes whenever you want and you will travel on buses with panoramic views and on-board commentary.

The difference of this Lisbon tourist transport option is that it includes, in addition to the advantages such as discounts, the use of the funicular or the city map, the use of four tram routes during this two-day period.

With this option you can comfortably move around the districts of Baixa, Bairro Alto, Chiado, Estrela and Alfama without having to endure the heat and hills of walking. The city's trams are available from 9.30am to 7pm and a complete route can take up to two hours.

If you are interested in the tram, there is also the option of hiring the Lisbon sightseeing tram, which allows you to discover the city in a different way. With this option, you have 24 hours from the time you activate your pass to hop on and off the tram and explore Lisbon's small streets and architectural wonders.

Tram itinerary

• Tagus River Cruise

This is the most complete option of all. For a total of 72 hours you can enjoy the sightseeing bus, the tram and the boat trip on the Tagus. Especially in the warmer months, this option is highly recommended as you will get rid of the heat of walking around the city.

If you are booking this Lisbon transport option (you can do it online) I recommend that, to get the most out of it, you plan your visit to the city day by day. This package also includes a number of discounts in bars and shops that could be very useful for you, so it is a good idea to check them out to see if some of them are close to the places you are going to visit.

Even if you have all the tourist transport at your disposal, don't forget to walk around areas like the Alfama neighbourhood to get the full experience of what the city has to offer.

Ana's Traveller Tip

A tourist bus will make your visit to Lisbon much easier, but don't forget to walk around certain areas of the city.

Another interesting option, especially if you're travelling to Lisbon with children, is not only to tour the city aboard a comfortable tourist bus, but also to enter the largest indoor aquarium in the world: the Lisbon Oceanarium, to which you'll have access with this tour.

Divided into a main tank plus four other tanks representing the oceans, the impressive aquarium is worth a visit on your trip to Lisbon. It has an infinity of marine species and is one of the main attractions of Modern Lisbon.

With this ticket valid for 48 hours, you also have included two open-top bus routes, with more than 50 stops and visits to essential places such as: the Jerónimos Monastery, the Santa Justa Elevator, the Eduardo VII Park or the National Tile Museum, among many others.

In this case, the 48-hour ticket for the Lisbon sightseeing bus is combined with a cruise on the Tagus River. The boat ride is a very popular activity in Lisbon; the city lends itself to this and it's a way to get a different perspective of the city while enjoying the sights.

Like the sightseeing bus, the boat also has recorded audio commentary on the main points of interest. Don't underestimate this option because it's not the same to see the city as a simple landscape as it is to learn the stories behind its most emblematic places.

About the cruise

The cruise you will have access to by booking online this Lisbon sightseeing transport package lasts two hours, departs from Cais da Ribeira das Naus and you can choose between 10:00, 13:00, 15:00 or 17:00. If you go in summer, I recommend the first hour to avoid the heat, but don't forget to protect yourself from the sun during the crossing.

Itinerary of the Tagus cruise

Ana's Traveller Tip

Take advantage of your pass to do at least one complete tour of the city listening to the commentary; you will learn very interesting things about Lisbon.

If you are attracted to Lisbon by the Tagus River, you can also book online the option to use the sightseeing boat without adding the bus.

The Lisbon sightseeing boat pass is valid for 24 hours and works just like the hop-on hop-off bus: you can hop on as many times as you like and do the whole tour while listening to the audio commentary, or you can use it as a means of transport around the city and hop off or on at any of the stops along the way.

What's included in this pass

• A range of discounts in shops, bars and shows in the city that you may find useful during your visit.
• A map of Lisbon
• Access to some of the city's landmarks such as the Santa Justa elevator and the funicular railways
• Access to Aerobus, the airport shuttle that departs from the city centre

Itinerary

One of the most interesting aspects of using the Lisbon sightseeing bus (apart from the comfort) is the panoramic views you'll enjoy during the tour, but another very important one that is often overlooked is the commentary. The commentaries allow you to put into context all the landmarks of the city you are seeing during the tour and if you are a curious traveller I'm sure they will pique your interest in Portuguese history and customs.

Want to satisfy that curiosity? The best way to do it is to complete your visit with a guided walking tour through the most central areas of Lisbon. These tours not only show you around the city, but also tell you interesting legends and anecdotes about it. If you want more information about guided tours, you can check this article on Best Tours and Day Trips from Lisbon.