A first-time trip to Lisbon is not complete without a day spent in the district of Belém. Located along an estuary of the Tagus River and directly to the west of the city center – Belém is a scenic hub teeming with monuments, museums, and the grandest of monasteries. Keep reading for a few tips and tricks on how to navigate this popular, Portuguese destination.
HOW TO GET TO BELÉM
There are a variety of ways to get from the heart of Lisbon to Belém including bus, tram, taxi, and Uber. If cycling is your jam and you aren’t too keen on going inside any of the actual attractions – you can even get to Belém via bike! This eBike tour & traditional bike tour are both highly rated & sound like a very fun way to visit Belém’s top sights!
Despite the plethora of options, I personally think that the best way to get to Belém is by train. The train – which honestly feels more like an above ground metro – is easy to access, incredibly convenient, and insanely affordable.
STEP 1: Make your way to the Cais do Sodré train station.
- You can arrive here easily via metro or even on foot.
- A one-way ticket in 2024 costs €1.45.
- If you have a Lisboa Card the fare will be free.
You can read all about the perks of the Lisboa Card by clicking here.
STEP 2: Walk upstairs to the platform & find the train to Cascais.
- The train departs every 10 – 20 minutes.
- The schedule is based on the day of the week & time of day.
STEP 3: Board the train, grab a seat, and enjoy the quick ride.
- Belém is just under 5 miles (8km) away from Cais do Sodré.
- This translates to a 7-minute train ride!
STEP 4: After just three stops, exit the train at the Belém station.
- If you accidentally find yourself on an express train, don’t panic.
- You will know you are on an express train if it does not stop at Belém. It should, however, stop at Algés – the next station after Belém. Once stopped – simply exit , cross to the other side of the platform, and board the train going in the opposite direction. It will only take 3 minutes to get back to the Belém stop.
- How do I know this, you may ask? Well, I experienced it firsthand along with the sweet couple riding the train next to me 😉
WHAT TO DO WHILE IN BELÉM
There are a variety of sights in town, but what you choose to visit depends on your personal taste, of course. The main attractions that are considered a must-see in Belém are the Jerónimos Monastery, the Monument of the Discoveries, and the Tower of Belém.
Here are all of the places I chose to visit during my day in Belém.
MOSTEIRO DOS JERÓNIMOS – I thoroughly enjoyed exploring this religious building since this 16th-century monastery is an architectural marvel to say the least. Unless you are a part of a group tour – please know that the queue to get inside can be very long if you plan to visit during the busy season. Unfortunately, there is no skip-the-line feature if you are using the Lisboa Card or a digital, pre-purchased ticket. I got in line at 10:05am and did not gain access until 11:10am. Fortunately for me, I struck up a conversation with another solo, female traveler standing in the line behind me. Her name was Anna, and she was a P.E. teacher from Luxembourg. Having a new pal worked out in both of our favors since new friends are great for taking photos of each other! The cloisters of the monastery are just as beautiful as the exterior as it’s teeming with ornate pillars, delicate arches, and a pristine courtyard in the center of it all. In my opinion, the long line in the hot sun was well worth the wait.
MUSEU DE MARINHA – I love all things exploration and truly find sailing vessels of all types to be quite beautiful. For those reasons alone, I was thrilled to make the Navy Museum my third stop in Belém. Since it’s located just steps from the monastery, I suggest visiting these institutions back-to-back. The museum itself was so much nicer than I expected since it was well designed, jam packed with information, and so easy to navigate! My Indian-born mother and maternal grandmother both have Portuguese last names, so learning more about the deep history between these lands and my ancestral roots was a great privilege. All of the various model boats and full size boats were a dream to look at. If you love maritime history just as much as I do, this stunning museum is absolutely worth a visit.
“BIG RACCOON” – Although raccoons wreak havoc on my house here in LA, I have an affinity towards these adorable, bandit-faced creatures so a visit to this famous piece of art by Bordalo II was a no brainer. I read about this mixed media, wall sculpture prior to arriving in Portugal and was very excited to see it on a side street in Belém during my walk from the Museum de Marinha to the Museum of Contemporary Art. The raccoon is bigger than big and truly a work of art. Up close, it’s just a bunch of painted, upcycled trash, but from a distance, this nocturnal cutie comes to life. I quite loved it!
MUSEU DE ARTE CONTEMPORÂNEA – This museum is fairly new and home to a variety of interesting pieces. If you enjoy modern works, it’s definitely worth the ticket price. There was a nice Warhol exhibit when I visited plus a few works by Picasso, Pollock, and Dali. However, if you are short on time and not too keen on contemporary paintings, photography, mixed media, or assemblage-style art – I would recommend skipping this museum during your visit to Belém.
TORRE DE BELÉM – This 16th-century fort is quite a beauty in my opinion. Surrounded by a lush park on one side and the waters of the Tagus River on the other side, the Tower of Belém is truly a site to see. Just like the Jerónimos Monastery, it can get quite busy with tourists if you choose to go inside. There was a pretty long queue when I arrived at 3:30pm. Instead of waiting in line under the hot sun, I opted for a cold beer at a nearby restaurant. After my refreshing pint, a quick bathroom break, and a fair amount of exterior photos – the line had nearly disappeared. I made my way to the entrance at 4:15pm and was inside this rock solid fortress in less than a minute. I, personally, very much enjoyed the differnt rooms within the interior of the fort as well as all of the various platforms and view points. For that reason, my recommendation would be to head inside if the line isn’t too long.
PADRÃO DOS DESCOBRIMENTOS – This is a stunning, limestone structure located along the Tagus River and absolutely worth an up-close look. The current version of the Monument of the Discoveries was completed in 1960 and features detailed sculptures of various explorers, cartographers, scientists, artists, missionaries, and monarchs. Standing at over 180-feet tall, this monument is a beautiful dedication to Portugal’s historical achievements during the Age of Discovery from the 1400s to the 1500s.
And just for good measure…
MUSEU NACIONAL DOS COCHES – I really wanted to visit the National Coach Museum but unfortunately, just did not have enough time since they close at 6:00pm. Looking back, I wish I would have skipped the Museum of Contemporary Art and visited this archive instead since it would have been a much more unique experience. I look forward to returning to Belém one day so I can admire all of the ornate carriages this museum holds.
WHERE TO EAT IN BELÉM
PASTÉIS DE BELÉM – Belém has its fair share of eateries, but if there is one place to dine it’s Pastéis de Belém – the originator of Portugal’s egg custard tart aka pastel de nata. According to local history, someone from the Jerónimos Monastery started selling these pastries a few years after the complex was taken over by the government following the Liberal Revolution of the nineteenth century. The pastries became so popular among locals and visitors alike that the official Pastéis de Belém storefront bakery opened in 1837 a few steps away from the monastery. The bakers started making Pastéis de Belem (also the name of the original pastéis de nata) in mass using the same ancient recipe created by the Portuguese monks who once resided nearby. I’ve been a huge fan of Portuguese egg tarts since youth, so I was very excited to make this famous bakery my very first stop after exiting the train in Belém! I arrived for breakfast at 9:25am and happily found a seat in the sun laden dining room towards the back of this giant establishment. In no time at all, I had ordered two Pastéis de Belem and a coffee from my kind server. The pastries were insanely flaky, wonderfully creamy, the perfect level of sweet, and sublimely delicious to say the least. It was the ideal start to my morning and the best way to kick off my day of exploration in Belém.
CAFETARIA DO MUSEU DE MARINHA – If you make your way to the Navy Museum, be sure to grab a snack at their beautiful cafe adjacent to the gift shop. I enjoyed a delicious, salt cod fritter while there. It was perfectly crunchy on the outside yet still creamy on the inside.
CAFÉ DO FORTE – As I mentioned earlier, the queue was quite long when I approached the Tower of Belém. So instead of waiting in line, I found a shaded seat at this aptly named restaurant and enjoyed a cold beer while resting my feet. The huge patio offered up some beautiful views of the Tagus River as well. It was definitely half an hour well spent in my opinion.
TOWER OF BELÉM FOOD VENDORS – If you don’t feel like going to a full blown restaurant, I suggest having a quick libation or casual snack at one of the many food stalls or drink carts surrounding the Tower of Belém. My original plan was to buy a glass of vino from the Wine With A View truck, but ended up at Café do Forte instead. I was also tempted to purchase a spiked, pineapple smoothie that was screaming my name but resisted the urge so I could get back to Lisbon’s city center for more sightseeing. I suppose these are just a few more culinary delights to look forward to during my next visit to Belém 😉
TIPS & TRICKS
- If visiting during the summer, I would aim to arrive in Belém early in the morning to avoid the heat and to also make the most out of your time there.
- However, if you are spending more than a few days in Lisbon, you can always visit Belém twice during your visit since it’s so close to the city center.
- Try to arrive at Jerónimos Monastery by or before 9:00am to avoid waiting in a long line if visiting during the busy season.
- Pastéis de Belém opens at 8am so you can still do an early breakfast here prior to getting in line at the monastery since they are just a few steps away from each other.
TOUR RECOMMENDATIONS
If you’re the type of traveler who prefers having an expert guide show you around a new city, here are a few highly rated, Belém tours offered by Get Your Guide & Viator – two companies I regularly book professional outings with.
If you’re in the process of planning a trip to Portugal, I truly hope this Belém travel guide comes in handy.
And for more information regarding my experience navigating the city of Lisbon, please continue to explore the rest of this blog for similar articles. In the meantime, happy trip planning and of course…
Safe Travels!
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