★★★★★
The 90-minute sunset catamaran
The crew waited a few minutes for a family running late. The walking route from a map app was wrong and unsafe, so check the way before you set off on foot.
Millard · September 2026
Lisbon Sunset Boat Tour on a Catamaran with 1 Welcome Drink
From Santo AmaroCatamaranOne drink included
Ninety minutes on a catamaran, timed so the sun goes down while you are still on the water. One welcome drink is in the fare and a bar serves the rest, paid by cash or card, with music playing and nets at the front to stretch out on. It is a social evening rather than a lesson in history: there is no tour guide on board.
Your ninety minutes on the catamaran, at a glance
A catamaran with nets
Lie on the nets at the bow or sit in the covered areas.
Timed to the sunset
The crew plans the route so the sun sets while you are out.
One drink, then the bar
A welcome drink in the fare; the bar takes cash or card.
Music and two toilets
A relaxed deck, and no queue for a single loo.
3,550 reviews
More than any other boat we list, at the lowest cruise fare.
Free cancellation
Full refund up to 24 hours ahead.
A catamaran with nets and a bar
Sardinha do Tejo runs this evening on a catamaran with nets stretched across the bow and covered seating behind. A catamaran sits on two hulls, so it rolls far less than a sailboat, and the deck has room to move about with a drink in your hand. Nothing in the fare promises sail time: treat it as a cruise on a stable boat.
At $31 a person, it is the lowest fare for a sunset on the river from Santo Amaro, and with 3,550 reviews it is the most-reviewed boat we list. The other big boats with a bar or wine served freely, from a spacious yacht with an open bar to a traditional river boat downtown, are compared on Lisbon sunset cruises.
Ninety minutes timed to the sunset
The crew knows the sunset times and plans the route around them, so the best light comes while you are still on the water rather than on the walk back to the dock. The boat usually heads first towards Cristo Rei on the Almada bank, the 110-metre monument that has stood on its hill since 1959. Then it runs under the 25 de Abril Bridge and west past the Champalimaud Foundation, MAAT and the old Tejo Power Station to Belém Tower and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, with the Jerónimos Monastery set back behind the gardens.
That is a lot of city in ninety minutes, and it all goes by from the water. There is no stop to go ashore and no swimming stop. As a guide to when you sail, the sun sets about 21:00 in mid-June and about 17:30 in mid-November; the operator sets the start time for each date.
One drink, then the bar
Every guest gets one welcome drink. After that the bar is open for anything else you want, and you pay as you go by cash or card. Travellers who mention the bar describe it as quick, with wine and beer; the prices on board are the bar's, not part of the fare.
What you will not get is a guide. A tour guide is listed as not included, and a host greets you in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese. Some guests prefer it that way: no commentary, just music and the view. If you want someone to name what you pass, pick a sailboat with a skipper instead.
Your ninety minutes on the water, step by step
- Find door 3. At Doca de Santo Amaro, near the Rui dos Pregos restaurant.
- Board and take your welcome drink. Pick a spot on the nets or under cover.
- Across to the south bank. Towards Cristo Rei on the Almada side of the river.
- Under the bridge. Beneath the 25 de Abril Bridge and west along the Belém shore.
- The monuments at Belém. MAAT, the Tejo Power Station, Belém Tower, the Padrão and the Jerónimos Monastery.
- Sunset and back. The sun goes down on the return, and the boat docks about 90 minutes after it left.
Who this suits: a relaxed, social sunset on a budget
Book this if
You want the sunset from the river at the lowest fare, on a stable boat with room to move. You like music and a bar more than a talk. It suits groups of friends, families, and anyone who gets queasy at the thought of a heeling sailboat.
Book something else if
You want the landmarks explained: the small-group sunset sail from Belém with live commentary costs $55 a person, and the ten-guest wine-and-history sail costs $34 a person. You want to see the sails go up: the day or sunset sail from Alcântara hoists them when the wind allows, at $34 a person. You want the drinks included all evening: the open-bar yacht from Santo Amaro costs $56 a person. You use a wheelchair: the operator lists this trip as unsuitable.
What's in the fare
In the fare
- Boat tour
- One welcome drink per person
- Bar on board for further drinks (cash or card)
- Music
- Two toilets
- Life jackets
- Crew
Not in the fare
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Tour guide
- Swimming stops
- Drinks after the first: bought at the bar
Finding door 3 at Santo Amaro
Meet at door 3 of Doca de Santo Amaro, near the Rui dos Pregos restaurant, under the bridge. Give a working phone number when you book: the operator asks for one in case it needs to reach you.
If you walk, do not follow a map app blindly. One traveller found the walking route it offered crossed a railway line and ran onto a main road on foot. Take tram 15E to the Estação Santo Amaro stop, or a taxi to Doca de Santo Amaro, and walk along the marina from there. The gates at every dock are on the Lisbon sailing map, and the walking approaches are in the visitors guide.
Know before you go
- Be on time. No-shows and late arrivals get no refund; the operator will only move you to another date.
- Weather and numbers. Bad weather or too few passengers can move or cancel the trip.
- Bring cash or a card. Only the first drink is in the fare.
- Wear a layer. The ride back after sunset is colder than the ride out.
- Mobility. Not suitable for wheelchair users.
- No swimming. No stop to swim, and none to go ashore.
What travellers say about the catamaran
★★★★★
The 90-minute sunset catamaran
Plenty of places to sit, a friendly crowd, quick bartenders, decent wine and good music the whole way.
Madeline · September 2026
★★★★★
The 90-minute sunset catamaran
Relaxing, with no commentary to sit through: a catamaran ride to a clear view of the sunset, and nothing more was wanted.
Triboulet · September 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is wine included?
One welcome drink is included, and wine is one of the choices. After that you buy from the bar; for drinks all evening, the open-bar yacht costs $56 a person.
Is there a guide on board?
No. A host greets you and the crew runs the boat, but a tour guide is not part of the fare. Expect music rather than commentary.
Does the catamaran sail?
Do not count on it. Nothing in the fare promises sail time; for a boat that raises its sails when the wind allows, see the day or sunset sail from Alcântara at $34 a person.
Is it good for children?
It is a stable, slow boat with two toilets and life jackets on board, which suits families. The operator lists no minimum age.
Is there a smaller boat with someone to explain the city?
Yes. The ten-guest wine-and-history sail leaves from the same marina with a captain who tells the city's story, at $34 a person.
Can I cancel?
Yes. You get the full fare back if you cancel at least 24 hours ahead. Inside 24 hours nothing is refunded.
Other ways to spend an evening on the river
Ready for a sunset on the catamaran?
Check the evenings still open, with a full refund up to 24 hours ahead.
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