11 iconic trams you can ride in a lifetime before they disappear

The city on seven hills is gorgeous at street level, but you’ll feel less enthusiastic about those hills when exploring the Portuguese capital on foot. Take advantage of Lisbon’s trams, which take you from valley to hilltop in style, bringing a bit of nostalgic magic to urban transport. Lisbon’s tram network expanded rapidly after 1873, but only six of the original 27 lines remain, served by sunny yellow carriages that exude Art Deco elegance.

The best route

Tram 28, which connects Martim Monish with Campo Ourique via Graça, Alfama, Baixa and Estrela, is a Lisbon dream, using Remodelado wooden carriages from the 1930s.

How to do it

carris.pt; tickets €3.10 (£2.58)

Where to stay

Vintage Lisbon (00351 21 040 5400) offers brightly colored double rooms from £220 a night, including breakfast.

6. Prague, Czech Republic

Prague’s tram network is living proof that public transport can be beautiful. Sleek modern trams glide past modernist landmarks, while Cold War-era carriages weave between the brutalist public buildings and bohemian masterpieces that give Prague its unique architectural identity. The first trams roared into the city in 1875, expanding to 26 lines and reaching all corners of the city. You will be hard-pressed to find a more attractive vantage point from which to admire the typical streets of Prague.

The best route

Tram 23 connects Vozovna Žižkov with Královka using 1960s Tatra T3 carriages that evoke images of spies trading secrets for copies Red Right newspaper.

How to do it

pid.cz; tickets 30 kroner (£0.99)

Where to stay

Andaj Prague (00420 227 341 234) has magazine-worthy interiors, doubles from £246, excluding breakfast.

7. Budapest, Hungary