The Portuguese Tiles
Description
The Tiles (azulejo in Portuguese) is one of the strongest cultural expressions in Portugal. With this tour we'll check, mostly outdoors, tiles artworks from the 16th till the 21st century. It's a special opportunity to meet Lisbon in a totally different perspective. I'll tell you unique stories and we'll visit unexpected places. The itinerary is about tiles but never dissociated of the history and the stories. To end the tour we will have the opportunity to taste a codfish cake. Expect the Unexpected
Tour Options
Itinerary
This is a house full of history. Once an aristocratic house, it was remodeled in the 19th century to house Lisbon's first casino. Here we will find a decoration with a Moorish influence, very much in keeping with the romanticism of the time. This will be the starting point for a journey over Lisbon's tiles.
At the church of S.Pedro de Alcântara we will discover the beginnings of the blue and white tile in Portugal. This church houses tiles from the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century.
In this church we will discover the oldest tile panels in Lisbon in situ. These are signed 16th century panels and mark the transition from the Moorish tradition to a Portuguese brand tile.
The oldest brewery in town totally covered with XIX century tiles
Here we will appreciate a 19th century tile façade with Masonic motifs. We will get to know the history of the man behind this iconic Lisbon façade
This is the oldest bookstore in the world still in operation and the luxurious facades of the building that houses this bookshop are covered with blue and white tiles from the 19th century.
Alcôa is an iconic pastry shop in Lisbon, but it was once a lottery shop and it was in this context that it was covered with a ceramic piece by one of the greatest Portuguese potters of the 20th century.
The most important square in Lisbon, plenty of history and stories.
This place was the site of one of the two most important tiles' factory in Lisbon. These days it's their showroom.
A store that is almost a museum, where you can enjoy tiles from almost every era.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(31)
We had an incredible time with Miguel! His tour was our first stop in Portugal and helped us learn so much about the history of Lisbon. We can't imagine having started off any other way. Knowledgeable guide and amazing tour with so many recommendations. We never would have found the locations he showed us on our own.
Thank you so much, Kathryn, for your kind words. It was a pleasure to meet you and Ravi and to introduce you to Lisbon. I hope you are having a wonderful time in Portugal and enjoying your walk in the south. Wishing you both a fantastic journey. See you again one day.
Miguel was a great guide! Incredibly knowledgeable about Portuguese tiles, and excited to cater the tour to our interests and questions.
Thank you Simone for your kind words. Hope you have a great journey exploring my beloved country. I'm pretty sure you'll be back again. Cheers
Miguel is a knowledgeable, wonderful tour guide! We learnt a lot about the Portuguese art, culture, history and of course tiles. Thanks Miguel, we had a great day!
Thank you so much Amy for your kind words. It was a pleasure to guide you through my beloved city. Hope you'll have a wonderful trip along our southern coastline. Cheers.
An enjoyable and informative walk through downtown Lisbon. We saw tiles dating from the 1500’s through modern times. And lots of history too!
Thank you, Claudia, for your kind words. It was a pleasure to show you the details of this beautiful and historic city. See you soon.
He was very interesting with his knowledge. We learned a lot. We appreciated everything he told us about the tiles and the city.
Thank you so much, Diane, for your kind words. I’m very glad you enjoyed learning about Lisbon’s tiles and the city. It was a pleasure to share it with you.
A very competent guid led me through highly interesting places between past and present in Lisbon. I learned a lot about the history of tile in Portugal , its patterns and how to classify them in art history. Where it fit , there was additional information about the city's history. Everything mega friendly and tailored to the needs and especially without time pressure. It couldn't be better!
Thank you so much, Katrin, for your kind words. It was truly a pleasure to share Lisbon and the history of Portuguese tiles with you. I’m very happy you enjoyed the experience. Hope to see you again in Lisbon one day!
Miguel was such a great tour guide!!! He obviously knows so much about tiles around the city, and took us to so many hole in the wall shops and places we never would have found on our own. He also gave amazing recommendations for food after our tour. Would absolutely recommend without reservation.
Thank you very much for your generous words. It was a pleasure to help you get to know my beloved city better. See you soon.
Miquel was amazing. Due to the weather he suggested some possible options and, we felt very comfortable leaving it up to him. He was extremely thoughtful as we are older and, with the rain, had to be more cautious not to slip. He didn’t hurry us at all. We learned so much about tiles, their history and more. He has a passion for what he does!
First of all, thank you so much for your warm words. I truly love what I do, because I adore my city and because I always learn from my clients. With you, I was challenged, because even with the forecast of heavy rain you didn’t want to give up. And by not giving up, you pushed me to think outside the box. And I do enjoy being challenged. Thank you very much for your trust and for your perseverance.
My daughter and I had an absolutely wonderful experience with our Portuguese Tiles tour guide, Miguel! He was so warm and friendly and had such a great depth of knowledge of the history and art of the Portuguese culture. We learned so much and enjoyed seeing the beautiful tiles throughout Lisbon. This tour was a fabulous way to begin our vacation because as we learned more about Lisbon’s past history and art/architecture, Miguel also gave us lots of tips and suggestions for our days ahead in Lisbon. A true pleasure and a great way to spend our morning! Highly recommend!
Thank you so much, Jean, for your generous words. I sincerely hope that my tour and my tips helped make your experience in my beloved city of Lisbon really memorable.
This was so much more than a tile tour! We learned an incredible amount of Lisbon’s (and Portuguese) history-from the Phoenicians thru Roman, Arabic, Christian, and Jewish populations. The 1755 earthquake and the 1974 revolution into democracy. Miguel has a passion for history and art that culminates in tile! He was also very kind and accommodating to a schedule change that we had.
Thank you so much for your kind words. It was a real pleasure to guide you through my beloved city and explore its beautiful historical layers together. Hope to see you again in Lisbon one day!
