Lisbon Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Tram Access

Praça do Comércio and downtown Baixa

Most visitors start their Lisbon bus tour at Praça do Comércio, the vast riverside square that opens onto the Tagus through the Rua Augusta Arch. Before the great earthquake of 1755 the royal palace stood here, and the Marquis of Pombal rebuilt the downtown Baixa district afterwards in an orderly grid, one of the first earthquake-resistant city plans in the world.

From the stop you can walk up Rua Augusta to Rossio Square, or take the Santa Justa Lift up to Chiado. The hills rising on both sides, Alfama with São Jorge Castle and Bairro Alto opposite, are best explored on foot or by tram, which your ticket includes.

Belém: the monuments of the Age of Discovery

The Belém line follows the river west to the district from which Portuguese navigators set sail in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Jerónimos Monastery, begun in 1501, is a masterpiece of the Manueline style and holds the tomb of Vasco da Gama. Together with Belém Tower, the small fortress guarding the river entrance, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nearby, the Monument to the Discoveries rises like a ship's prow with Henry the Navigator at its front. A Belém day trip by bus is easy: hop off, visit the monuments and walk along the waterfront, then board again. Monument entry tickets are not included, so allow time for the queues.

Modern Lisbon: the avenues and Parque das Nações

The Modern Lisbon line climbs Avenida da Liberdade, the city's tree-lined boulevard of mosaic pavements and luxury shops, to the roundabout of Marquês de Pombal and Eduardo VII Park, which offers a classic view down to the river. The route continues past the Gulbenkian Museum, one of Europe's finest private art collections.

It ends in Parque das Nações, the riverside district built for Expo 98, with modern architecture, cable cars along the water and the Lisbon Oceanarium, among the largest aquariums in Europe. The Vasco da Gama Bridge, over 12 kilometres long, stretches across the Tagus from here.

Lisbon's trams and the tram museum

Your hop-on hop-off ticket also lets you ride Lisbon's public trams while it is valid, a perfect way to reach the hilltop neighbourhoods the buses cannot. The yellow vintage trams, including the famous line 28, rattle through Alfama, Graça and Estrela on narrow, steep streets.

With a valid ticket you can also visit the city's tram museum in the Alcântara area, where historic trams and buses tell the story of public transport in Lisbon since the 19th century. How to get around Lisbon easily? Combine the bus lines for the big distances with the trams for the old quarters.