First Time on a Sailboat in Lisbon: Comfort, Kids and Seasickness

Most people who book one of the Lisbon sunset and wine sailing tours, or any sail on the river, have never been on a sailboat. This guide covers what it feels like, who can come, and what to wear, so nothing on the evening surprises you.

What does a sail on the Tagus feel like?

Calm, most evenings. You leave a sheltered dock, motor out into the river and, when the wind allows, the crew raise the sails and turn off the engine. The boat goes quiet and leans a little, and you hear the water along the hull.

The river is wide here, and inside the estuary you are sheltered from the ocean swell. What changes the ride is the wind: in summer the nortada, the north wind, strengthens in the afternoon and can raise a short chop. The weather by month explains it month by month.

Will you get seasick on the river?

Most evenings on the river are smooth, but a windy one can unsettle a sensitive stomach. If you are prone to it, take your usual remedy before you board, not once you feel it.

Sit low and in the middle, where the boat moves least, and look at the horizon rather than your phone. A catamaran rolls less than a sailboat, so the sunset catamaran or the sailing catamaran is the gentler choice.

Does the boat lean?

Under sail, when the wind allows, yes. A sailboat heels with the wind, sometimes enough that one side sits closer to the water. It is normal, and the skipper tells you where to sit and what to hold.

The lean feels steeper than it is. Sit on the high side if the skipper asks, keep one hand for the boat, and hold your drink low and close.

Under motor, or on a still evening, the boat sits level. The catamarans and the traditional boat barely lean at all, which suits you if the idea makes you nervous. Our post on whether the sails go up explains when the wind allows it.

Is there a toilet on board?

On many boats, yes. The catamaran lists two toilets. The small-group sail from Belém, the wine-and-history sail, the day-or-sunset sail from Alcântara, the ten-guest sunset sailboat and the open-bar yacht each list a toilet or restroom.

Several other listings do not mention one. If it matters, use the facilities at the dock before you board, and ask the crew when you arrive.

Can children come?

On most boats, yes, with an adult. The sailing catamaran lists infant seats and takes a stroller, and infants ride on a lap on the Belém yachts. The open-bar yacht is not for children under 6.

Alcohol is for adults, and one sailboat sets its drinking age at 18. For young children the catamarans are steadier than a heeling sailboat, and the post on sailing with children goes through each boat's age rules.

What if you have limited mobility?

No boat here is wheelchair accessible. Boarding means a step from the pontoon onto a moving deck, and on a sailboat you climb down into the cockpit.

The wine-and-history sail, the helm wine sail and the open-bar yacht exclude people with mobility impairments. The sunset yacht sail is not recommended for travellers with mobility restrictions, and the small-group sail from Belém asks you to contact it first. Call before you book.

Can you steer?

On a couple of sailboats, yes. On the helm wine sail you may take the helm and help with the sails, and on the one-hour sail the crew let you help sail the boat, both when the wind allows and with no experience needed.

On the other sailboats, ask the skipper whether you can take a turn at the wheel on a calm stretch. On the cruises you are a passenger.

What should you wear on deck?

Flat shoes with soft soles, which grip a wet deck and do not mark it. Some boats ban high heels, and one recommends sports shoes, sunglasses and a coat.

Bring a warm layer whatever the month. Every evening sail comes back after the sun has gone, and the river is colder than the streets. Several sailboats carry blankets; the wine-and-history sail, the day-or-sunset sail from Alcântara and the two-and-a-half-hour sail list them.

What happens at the safety briefing?

Before you leave the dock, the crew show you where the life jackets are, where to sit, and what to hold when the boat moves. The day-or-sunset sail from Alcântara and the one-hour sail list the briefing in their itineraries.

Life jackets are carried on board: the catamaran and the one-hour sail list them, and the wine-and-history sail provides them if required. Keep your phone in a pocket you can close.

How cold does it get on the water?

Colder than the streets, and colder after sunset than you expect. IPMA's normals put Lisbon's average low at 18.2°C in July and 8.2°C in January, and an evening sail comes back close to that low, with a breeze over the deck on top.

In summer the afternoon highs average 27.9°C in July, so a daytime sail is warm and a sunset sail starts warm and ends cool. In winter bring a proper coat, a hat and gloves. Our weather by month has every month.

Is the wind different by time of day?

In summer, yes. The nortada tends to reach its strongest in the afternoon, so a morning sail usually meets lighter wind and a sunset sail can be brisker on the way out.

That is good news if you want to sail and less good if you are nervous. If a calm deck matters more than sailing, pick a morning slot or a catamaran; if you want the boat heeling, a breezy late afternoon suits you.

Can you bring a pushchair or a service animal?

A few boats say so. The small-group sail from Belém, the sailing catamaran and both Lisbon By Boat yachts list themselves as stroller accessible. The whole-boat sail and the traditional boat allow service animals.

A pushchair still has to be lifted aboard and folded on deck, so bring a light one. For anything else, ask the operator before you book rather than at the gate.

What if you are nervous about the water?

Start short and steady. The 90-minute catamaran is wide and flat, and the one-hour sail is the shortest time on the water here. Tell the skipper when you board: crews take first-timers out every day and can seat you where the boat moves least.

Keep to the cockpit rather than the bow, hold on when the boat turns, and look at the shore. The nerves usually ease once the boat settles into its rhythm.

What should you leave at your hotel?

Anything you would hate to drop in the river, and a few things the boats refuse.

• High heels: banned on the one-hour sail and the open-bar yacht, and a bad idea on any deck.
• Red wine: not allowed on board the helm wine sail or the open-bar yacht.
• Your own food and drink: not allowed on the day-or-sunset sail from Alcântara, and a €50 fee on the whole-boat sail.
• A big suitcase or bag: there is little room below, so carry a small backpack.

Eat something light beforehand, too. A full stomach and a moving deck are a poor mix for a first-timer, and no evening sail serves a meal.

Which boat suits a first-timer?

That depends on what worries you. Here is what each boat's listing says.

If you want a steady deck, choose a catamaran; if you want to learn, choose the helm wine sail. The guide to choosing a sail weighs the rest, and the visitors guide covers getting to the dock.

Frequently asked questions

Boats for a first time on the water

Lisbon: Sailing Tour with Wine and Snacks

Two hours on a ten-guest sailboat from Alcântara with white wine, beer and snacks. Guests may take the helm and help with the sails when the wind allows.

From $38 per person

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Lisbon Sailing Catamaran Public Cruise with drinks

Two hours on a sailing catamaran for up to 18 from Alcântara, with drinks, a live guide and a short pause off the riverside square downtown. Infant seats are available.

From $46 per person

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Lisbon: Sailboat Sunset Tour with a Drink

Two hours on a ten-guest sailboat from Alcântara, timed to the sunset, with a welcome drink, snacks and a toilet on board. Single bookings are welcome.

From $38 per person

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