You will begin your Belém tour experience outside the impressive Belém Tower, which along with the monastery forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and the 7 Wonders of Portugal. You’ll learn how and why it was conceived for defensive purposes, and the important battles to which it bore witness.  By pointing out hidden details, your guide will describe how the Age of Discovery influenced the appearance and use of this grand building.

From there, you will head towards the immense Padrão dos Descobrimentos, or the Monument to the Discoveries. With its grand exterior situated right on the water’s edge, you’ll get an idea of just how close Belém is to the sea and why it was of such strategic military and navigational importance. Your expert may give an in-depth explanation of the explorers depicted on the monument and the routes they pioneered, or perhaps delve into the social history of Lisbon’s maritime culture and how embarking upon these often treacherous journeys affected those who were left behind.

While it is easy to mistakenly think that this monument is centuries old, it was completed in 1960. Your expert will reveal how it came to be, as well as Belém's importance to Lisbon’s progression, particularly under authoritarian Prime Minister Salazar (1889-1970) who used its legacy as a means of propagating Portuguese superiority.

Before heading to the last stop, you will pass by the legendary Pastéis de Belém bakery, where people come from far and wide to try their delicious signature custard tarts. Here you will be introduced to your guide and the origins of Belém, learn the relationship between these pastries and the Jerónimos Monastery and try to figure out what’s in the secret recipe that makes them so delicious. You are highly encouraged to head back after the tour and try one of these legendary pastries. 

And finally, you will end your visit to Belem at UNESCO World Heritage site, the Jerónimos Monastery where, with pre-paid tickets in hand, you will set out to explore one of the most prominent examples of Manueline (ornate, 15th-century maritime style) gothic architecture in Lisbon. As you wander through the monastery halls, you will learn about when Vasco de Gama and his men spent the night here ahead of their first voyage to the Orient, cementing Belém and the Monastery as key sites in the age of exploration and Portuguese colonial history. You will take a peek at Vasco de Gama’s tomb and find out more about the monastery’s other illustrious inhabitants over the years.

This voyage of discovery will leave you with a deeper understanding of Belém and its role in key periods of Portuguese history, as well as Lisbon’s relationship with the sea and how that has affected the city’s development.

For more on Baixa and central Lisbon, consider our Baixa Walking Tour of Lisbon including Bairro Alto & Chiado. If you wish to see the older side of Lisbon, we also offer a Lisbon Old Town tour of the Alfama district.

For more information about Context tours, please visit our FAQs.

Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.

 

We pre-purchase tickets to Jeronimos Monastery to ensure the smoothest possible experience but it is not possible to skip the line entirely at the moment. If you have flexibility with your schedule, we recommend an afternoon tour to avoid the worst of the cruise ship crowds in the high season. We don't typically go inside the Belém tower as they have a restricted capacity and the lines can get long (plus there is a lot to admire and discuss in its exterior!). 

 

In the Monastery, the Church and Lower Cloister are accessible to persons with reduced mobility. The Tower is partially accessible. Please contact us to discuss in more detail your mobility concerns so that we can best advise.

 

This walk is not a part of our official family program. That said, we may be able to arrange a visit with a family-friendly guide. Please contact us for options and advice.

 

Though we used to meet for pastels here, it has gotten too busy and reduces the time of the tour. Instead, we share its fascinating history and encourage you to return outside of tour time.

 

They limit their capacity and it's not possible to skip the line which means a long waiting time. The interior is also not overly impressive, we choose to focus on the exterior with its immense facades and interesting carvings.