Discover Belem & Jeronimos Monastery: Private Half-Day Tour
Description
Set on the waterfront, beautiful Belém is a symbol of Lisbon’s seafaring past, once home to Lisbon’s shipyards and docks. It was from here that 15th-century voyages launched, blazing a trail of discovery across oceans to India, East Africa and Brazil. Belém is the perfect place to learn about Portugal’s Golden Age of Discovery, where the 15th-century explorers set sail to discover new worlds. Today their voyages are commemorated by the sail-shaped Discoveries Monument. Take in views of the 17th century Belém Palace, home to the Portuguese Royal Family for centuries and a prime example of English Baroque design. Belém is famed for its remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the 16th-century Torre de Belém, a thin, stone tower that has become one of Portugal’s most photographed monuments. The gothic Jerónimos Monastery also claims UNESCO credentials, with its stunning Manueline architecture.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Travel by train from central Lisbon to Belém with your tour guide, the fastest way to reach Belém, where you will see some of Lisbon’s most famous landmarks such as the Belém tower (from the outside).
Enjoy a guided tour of Jerónimos Monastery Cloister (tickets included), a prime example of Manueline architecture, combining Gothic, Moorish and Renaissance styles, that took almost 100 years to build.
Return to central Lisbon with a relaxing boat trip along the Tagus river - see the 25th of April bridge and the Cristo Rei statue - accompanied by your tour guide.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(2)
We booked this private half-day tour through Mike McHugh at Dream Makers Vacation Services, who put together a fantastic itinerary for our Lisbon trip, and this excursion was a definite highlight. Our guide from Travel Curious, Catarina, was outstanding from start to finish. Her knowledge of Portuguese history was incredible — she brought the Age of Discovery to life as we walked through Belém, and her explanations of the Manueline architecture at Jerónimos Monastery gave us a much deeper appreciation for what we were seeing. Catarina managed the whole morning perfectly: the train ride out to Belém, the cloister tour, time at the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, and the walk to the Torre de Belém all flowed smoothly and never felt rushed. She was warm, patient, and clearly passionate about sharing her city's story. The boat ride back along the Tagus was a relaxing way to end the tour, with great views of the 25 de Abril Bridge and Cristo Rei. Highly recommend this tour, and especially Catarina as a guide. Couldn't have asked for a better introduction to Belem.
The visit with Stefano was very interesting and complete. Stefano told the story of the places in a clear and engaging way!! Highly recommended.
