Mary and I sailed the Tagus River last evening to watch the sunset on a glorious summer day here. It’s a popular pastime among visitors and locals. So during our time here we’ve eyed some of the commercial big-name tours. Too often they looked crowded and uncomfortable – 40 or more guests with no room to stand. Plus, they stressed there would be ONE welcome drink and a SMALL snack. No thanks.

After much searching, we found one cruise that promised free-flowing wine. That got our attention. So did the photos of the beautiful classic Ketch sailboat with happy sailors – no more than 12. It was also reasonably priced at $45, about the same or less than the others. We booked it for what turned out to be one of the hottest days so far this month.

We made the right decision. The boat was clean and well-maintained. The seats were comfortable, with room for a little folding table to hold plates of cheese and charcuterie. And as promised, the wine, white or rose, was cold, delicious, and poured throughout the two-plus-hour cruise.

There were only six guests, and we were fortunate to have two amiable Londoners to share the fun with. The evening was perfect with a soft cool breeze and calm waters. Landmarks and the Lisbon skyline were in clear view as we sailed from Belem to the cruise port and back. It was fun to think of great explorers like Vasco da Gama plying these same waters centuries ago.

But best of all, our captain and first mate regaled us with stories, answered many questions, and positioned the boat perfectly for stunning sunset shots. Wine notwithstanding, it was a brilliant Lisbon evening,

Here’s a link to the Airbnb listing; https://www.airbnb.ie/experiences/567343