10 Things to Do in Belem in Lisbon

The Belém district is situated at the mouth of the Tagus River and is famous for the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower, two fine examples of the Manueline style. This architectural style is very characteristic of Portugal and will surprise you with its extravagant decoration. Here are the best things to do in this authentic Lisbon neighbourhood.

Any trip to Lisbon must include a visit to Belém. This area is closely linked to Portugal’s colonial history; from these very shores, the caravels set sail from Europe to reach the coasts of Brazil or the overseas possessions in India.

By choosing a guided tour, you can explore this neighbourhood with an expert guide who will take you to see the main sights: the Jerónimos Monastery, the Padrão dos Descobrimentos and the Belém Tower. These tours usually last two hours and typically start at Praça do Império (opposite the Navy Museum) or at Doca de Bom Sucesso, the quays on the riverbank.

Best tours of Belém

Don’t assume that all tours of Belém are the same; there are different ways to explore the neighbourhood. These are the most popular:

• Guided walking tour of Belém – from £30
• Tuk-tuk tour of the Belém area of Lisbon – from £71
• Segway tour of the Tagus River and Belém in Lisbon – from £64

Whichever tour you choose, during your tour of Belém you will pass by the Jerónimos Monastery, a majestic religious building overlooking Praça do Império. Its history is linked to maritime exploration and the figure of Vasco da Gama. In 1497, the Portuguese navigator set sail from the port of Santa Maria de Belém, skirted the west coast of Africa, rounded the Cape of Good Hope and arrived in Calicut (India) on 20 May 1498. A year later, two ships returned to Portugal laden with spices. To celebrate this new trade route, King Manuel I decided to build a grand church and commissioned the project to the architect Diogo de Boitaca.

The first stop is the Church of Santa Maria de Belém, a Gothic church with large columns and the tombs of four Portuguese monarchs, Luís de Camões and Vasco da Gama. Another highlight not to be missed is the two-storey cloister in the Manueline style. Both floors are richly decorated with gargoyles, nautical symbols, medallions, tiles and much more. From October to April, it is open from 10:00 to 17:00, whilst from May to September it closes at 18:30.

When you’re inside the monastery church, look up at the vault of the transept. This extraordinary dome is characterised by a structure reminiscent of a spider’s web but, despite its height and size, it isn’t supported by a single column!

The Belém Tower stands in an iconic spot in Lisbon: on the former beach of Restelo, from where ships set sail for Brazil, Africa and the other overseas colonies. Construction began during the reign of Manuel I and bears the signature of Francisco de Arruda. The architect designed the fortress at Azamor, a town on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, and his time in the Maghreb is reflected in the tower’s decoration, which features distinctive Arabic-style elements.

The Belém Tower is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30 (between October and April) or from 10:00 to 18:30 (between May and September).

Before entering, pause for a moment to look at the rhinoceros gargoyle, a sculpture depicting this animal. The statue hides a unique story linked to the maritime explorations of the 16th century. In 1513, Admiral Afonso de Albuquerque returned from India with a rhinoceros and presented it as a gift to Manuel I: it was the first time this beast had set foot on European soil. At the royal court, they wondered if it was as strong as an elephant, and to settle the matter, the monarch had them face off in a deadly contest. According to legend, the rhinoceros won, and the king wished to honour the ‘strongest animal in the world’.

Just a few metres from the Belém Tower stands a tower resembling a caravel: the Padrão dos Descobrimentos. The monument commemorates the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator, a key figure in Portuguese history.

On the opposite side of the prow, a large cross completes the monument, and at its base there is a door. Behind this doorway is a small museum illustrating the routes of the Portuguese navigators. From here you can climb up to the viewing platform, which offers splendid views over the Sport Bridge, the Tagus River, the 25 de Abril Bridge and the Jerónimos Monastery. If you like panoramic viewpoints, you’ve chosen the right city. Lisbon is also famous for its viewpoints, and the most highly rated ones are in the nearby Alfama district.

** From October to February, the Padrão dos Descobrimentos is closed on Mondays**, whilst on other days it is open from 10:00 to 18:00. From March to September, however, it is open every day from 10:00 to 19:00.

To see the tower, the Jerónimos Monastery and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos from a different perspective, you can opt for a river cruise on the Tagus. Tours depart from the port of Belém or other central districts of Lisbon. A good option might be a sunset boat trip. This way, you can see the main monuments of the Portuguese capital whilst cruising along the river.

The boats usually reach Praça do Comércio by passing under one of the city’s icons: the 25 de Abril Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in Europe. Opened in 1966 as the Salazar Bridge, it changed its name after the 1974 Carnation Revolution. Its shape and red colour make it resemble San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

If you’re visiting Lisbon in summer, I recommend booking your tour in advance. During the warmer months, these excursions are very popular.

Until the 19th century, Lisbon’s long avenues and steep slopes were traversed by a multitude of carriages. Royalty travelled in luxurious, richly decorated carriages, and many of these have left the streets to be housed in the Museu Nacional dos Coches.

The museum is divided into two parts: some vehicles are housed in the Picadeiro Real (the former royal riding arena), others in a modern structure designed by the Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha. Both buildings are located in Praça Afonso de Albuquerque.

If you’re coming from the centre of Lisbon, you can take tram 15 to the Belém stop. The journey takes about twenty minutes. If you’re passionate about transport, I recommend visiting the Museu da Carris, a cultural institution housing double-decker buses, metro carriages, horse-drawn carriages, trams and much more. From Praça Afonso de Albuquerque, you should take tram 15 (this time in the opposite direction) and get off at the Estação de Santo Amaro stop.

In Lisbon, pastéis de Belém are an institution, and the bakery that uses the original 19th-century recipe is located in this part of the city. Naturally, we’re talking about Casa Pastéis de Belém, the establishment at Rua de Belém 84. You’ll recognise it by the tiles on its façade and the queue that often forms at the entrance. The pastries that come out of this place every day are a treat for the taste buds and well worth the wait. As well as the pastéis, you can also buy a Bolo Inglês, a selection of sweet and savoury treats, and jam.

During the festive season, the shop’s range is complemented by the bolo-rei and the bolo-rainha, two Portuguese versions of the King’s Cake. If you’re visiting at this time of year, I recommend reading the post ‘10 things to see and do in Lisbon in December’.

A short distance from the Jerónimos Monastery lies the Museu Coleção Berardo, now the Museu de Arte Contemporânea, a cultural institution housing over 900 works from the major artistic movements of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Among the most notable works, we must mention Picasso’s “Femme dans un fauteuil” and “Tête de femme”, Andy Warhol’s “Brillo Box” (wooden cubes recreating sponge packaging) and Francis Bacon’s “Oedipus and the Sphinx after Ingres”. The museum won a Tripadvisor “Traveller’s Choice” award in 2021 and I can assure you it’s well worth a visit. It’s located in Praça do Império and general admission **costs around €5.
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Mateo’s tip

If you like contemporary art and are visiting the Portuguese capital at the weekend, you’re in luck. Entry is free on Saturdays!

The riverbank is home to a cultural institution of great interest: the MAAT, Lisbon’s Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. It is situated next to the city’s old power station and its shape resembles a wave on the Tagus. Opened in October 2016, it hosts exhibitions by contemporary artists, architects and thinkers. It is also used for concerts and film screenings.

Architecturally, this building is characterised by its 15,000 three-dimensional tiles that reflect the water’s surface and by its public viewing point overlooking the opposite bank of the Tagus. The two buildings that make up the complex (Central – Museum of Electricity and the MAAT) are open from 11:00 to 19:00, Wednesday to Monday.

To round off your visit, you can enjoy a drink at maat Café & Kitchen, a restaurant serving Mediterranean-style signature cuisine. Its specialities are fish and seafood from the Portuguese coast.

Are you a football fan? Then you’ll be pleased to know that the Belém district is home to the Os Belenenses stadium, Lisbon’s third-largest club and the fourth-largest in the country by number of supporters. The Estádio do Restelo has been their home since 23 September 1956, when the home side beat the mighty Sporting 2–1. The stadium has a capacity of 19,856 spectators and offers a beautiful view of the Jerónimos Monastery and the river. If you fancy it, you can visit it on a guided tour. If you’re interested, I recommend checking out their official website.