While still part of Lisbon, Belém and its gastronomic and architectural wonders are a little further out of the way from the centre than the rest of the city’s major destinations. And being the birthplace of the world-famous pastel de nata, as well as home to two of the Seven Wonders of Portugal, it’s well worth a visit. That being said, it is pretty easy to get to.
Getting There from Central Lisbon
Whether you’re travelling by bus, train or tram, you can use your trusty zapping card to get to Belém, as you can to get anywhere in the city or its surrounding areas. We recommend getting the train from Cais do Sodré (which also goes to Cascais, read our guide to this royal coastal resort here) to Belém, which are very cheap and regular. If you want the bus, the 728 will take you there, and it goes in the other direction towards the Oceanarium too (which is also worth a visit). The public transport is fantastic and really takes you right into the area’s heart.
Pasteis de Belém
One of the first things you’ll notice in Belém is the large queue outside of Pasteis de Belém (open 08:00-23:00 every day, Rua Belém 84-92, 1300 085), just next to the Jerónimos Monastery where the world-famous pasteis de nata originated. Sampling these creamy egg tarts may have been the very reason you wanted to travel here, or even to Lisbon itself and seeing a large queue can be disheartening. But don’t despair! This queue is for take-away. Simply walk inside and look for the restaurant area at the back. It’s 20% more to eat in, but the beautiful surroundings and azulejos make it worth it. Plus, it’s actually pretty cheap considering this is such an upmarket foodie destination. More imporatantly, the pasteis de nata are worth the wait. They also do a huge selection of other Portuguese desserts so dive in and enjoy.
Seeing the Sights in Belém
Everything within Belém itself is very walkable, with the the Jerónimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a beautiful example of 15th century Portuguese Manueline architecture that withstood the devastating 1755 Lisbon earthquake, being closest to Pasteis de Belém. After exploring the sights here, take a walk over the park towards the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, which is a monument to the Portuguese Age of Discovery. You can go to the top if you’d like, costing 5 EUR. From here, walk along the riverbanks and over the Torre de Belem.
This 16th century Manueline style tower was crucial to the city’s defences and also withstood the 1755 earthquake, unlike many of the monuments in the city centre. Keep an eye out for the rhino bust, sculpted according to descriptions of the first rhino to be taken into Portugal since the Roman age. Entry is 6 EUR.
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