Description
The Lisbon Alfama Tourist Scavenger Hunt is a 3.2 km / 2.1 miles self-guided walking tour of the historic center of the city. It should take you 3 hours to complete. You’ll face challenges at almost every stop.
Click here for the complete details of this Tourist Scavenger Hunt, including the city’s history, what you’ll see, and the tour’s specifications and requirements.
What you’ll see:
- Church of the Immaculate Conception
- Roman Theatre Museum
- Saint-Anthony Church
- National Pantheon
- Lisbon War Museum
- Lisbon Cathedral
- Fado Museum
- Saint-Engracia Church
- Saint-Vincent de Fora Monastery
- Sao Jorge Castle
This scavenger hunt has a difficulty level of DIFFICULT.
This area of Lisbon takes you up and down hills along streets and staircases. The ideal group size is between 2 and 6 – but is not restricted to this. Children and pets are welcome.
Challenges are adapted for all age groups so that everyone has fun. Some are simple while others are more complicated.
After purchase, to begin your Lisbon Alfama scavenger hunt, you will need to be in front of (not inside) the Lisbon Cathedral (Google Maps Link), at Largo da Sé, 1100-585 Lisboa, Portugal. This is the starting point.
Alternatively, you can access “My Account” and follow the instructions there.
Never hesitate to contact us if you experience any difficulties.
Your adventure will end two blocks from where it starts.
Ancient History
Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and is located on the Atlantic coast. It is a city with several hills.
Lisbon traces its history to 1200 BC with the presence of a Phoenician trading post. Its name was Olissipo.
The Roman Empire took control of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), around 200 BC and kept it until 409 AD. There were already 30,000 inhabitants in 200 BC., Lisbon was a Christian city then.
Then, the Gothic and barbarian empires and kingdoms conquered and ruled the area, one after the other until 711 when Berber and Arab Muslims conquered the region.
Norway briefly controlled Lisbon in 1108 during their crusade to the Holy lands. The Almoravids, another Berber Muslim dynasty, commonly known as the Moors (Moors) regained control from 1111 until 1147.
In 1147, Knights of the Crusade led by Afonso I reconquered Lisbon and brought it back under Christian control. The population at that time is 154,000. Mosques were either destroyed or converted into churches. The Arabic that had been spoken here for 400 years disappeared quickly.
Modern History
During the age of discovery, Lisbon launched several expeditions of naval exploration. Among its explorers is notably Vasco da Gama (1460-1469), the 1st Tale of Vidigueira, the first European to go to India by sea in 1498, bypassing the southern tip of Africa. The exchange agreement with India, as well as the numerous trading posts established in Asia (Indian Ocean) and Brazil, made Portugal very rich, very quickly.
But, little by little, the French, British, and Dutch chipped away at Portugal’s trade dominance. During a succession crisis, Portugal lost its independence and fell under Habsburg-Spanish rule in 1580 for 60 years. Their ensuing war for restoration lasted between 1640 and 1668.
Napoleon Bonaparte, in turn, invaded Portugal at the beginning of the 19th century, forcing Queen Maria I and Prince Regent John VI (Joao VI) to flee to Brazil for a few years.
Portugal became a republic in 1908, but fell under the dictatorial regime of Estado Novo, Salazarism, between 1926 and 1974. The Carnation Revolution led to the 3rd republic that endures to this day.
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