Last Updated on November 7, 2024
After a short tram or Bolt ride along the Tagus River, visitors in Lisbon can fill their entire day immersed in Portuguese history. Belem, located in the southwestern-most district of Lisbon, has so many attractions you’ll need to be selective about which to visit. I found it to be the perfect day trip during my 2024 stay in Lisbon.
Visitors can relive the 1755 earthquake at Quake, wander amidst the Manueline architecture of the Jeronimos Monastery, imagine traveling in style at the National Coach Museum, or see how Portugal explored the world at the Navy Museum.
Save time to stroll along the riverfront and snap some photos in front of the Belem Tower and Monument of the Discoveries. Take a break during your day at Pasteis de Belem to enjoy the Portuguese favorite, pastel de nata at the bakery that started it all.
Quake: Earthquake Museum of Lisbon
In 1755, an earthquake struck Lisbon causing widespread fires and a devastating tsunami. Estimates of how many people died ranged from 30,000 to 60,000. In the Quake Museum, visitors can learn about this tragic event and more as guides lead groups of 12 through interactive exhibits delving into the history and science of earthquakes.
After exploring earthquakes that occurred in San Francisco and Japan, my group entered a replica of a prosperous 1775 Lisbon street. Our guide then led us to sit in church pews while a surround-sound video showed a priest beginning a mass. The seats shook with increasing intensity as the ceremony deteriorated into flames and screams.
The subsequent rooms explain how the Portuguese Secretary of State, Sebastiao Jose de Carvalho e Melo, helped residents recover by creating the Providencias. These measures described how to deal with the dead to reduce disease spread, provide medical care for the injured, ensure food for all, and address many other problems with natural disasters.
He also circulated a survey of what those affected experienced, which added to the knowledge of earthquake science. I found all of this fascinating as I’d never heard about the 1755 earthquake, let alone how the aftermath influenced future disaster responses.
Jeronimos Monastery
The Jeronimos Monastery, stretching along two blocks, is easy to find due to its bright white stone and multiple spires. King Manuel I commissioned it in the early 16th century for the Orders of the Friars of St. Jerome. The monastery also holds a place in modern history as it hosted the signing of the Treaty of Lisbon of 2007 by members of the European Union.
The church, which holds the tomb of Vasca da Gama, was unavailable to tour the day I was in town. However, seeing the cloister itself was worth the visit. I could have strolled for hours around the two stories of arcades, gazing through the delicate arches of honey-colored stone out to the courtyard.
Travel tip: Purchase tickets online and visit in the early morning as the line forms in front of the monastery and is in the direct sun.
National Coach Museum
If you ever wanted to see royal carriages from the 17th and 18th centuries, the National Coach Museum is the place to go. The spacious, two-story galleries feature 70 horse-drawn vehicles, including an ostentatious carriage with golden sculptures of gods used by King Joao V and an elaborate coach with rich embroidered fabrics that carried Pope Clement XI.
My daughter and I enjoyed seeing the showy royal carriages as well as the variety of lighter two-seated coaches, children’s cabriolets and postal vehicles. We also ventured up to the second-story walkway providing an overview of the entire impressive space.
We then crossed Rua de Belem to visit the museum’s original site, created in 1905 by Queen Amelia of Orleans and Braganca who was married to King Carlos I of Portugal. While a much smaller exhibition space, the Old Royal Riding School provided a regal home for the coaches displayed beneath a gilded and frescoed ceiling with paintings and columns on either side.
Navy Museum
As someone who does not swim and has little interest in modern warfare, I am not sure I would have gone to the Navy Museum if my daughter hadn’t expressed interest. However, in this museum, also known as the Maritime Museum, I learned how the Portuguese played a prominent role in the exploration of the world in the 15th and 16th centuries.
In the late 1490s, Vasco da Gama established the first water route to India and Portuguese explorers used advanced tools and charts to explore the world.
My favorite part of the collection occupied a building the size of an airport hangar that stored historic ships. The Royal Barge, built in 1780 with 40 oars and gold trimmings, carried the royal family throughout the 1800s and even transported Queen Elizabeth of England in 1957. I also loved the 18th century decorative, long, slim boats with canopies to protect the king as he traveled down the river.
After touring the museum, we enjoyed a lovely lunch from the café on the large plaza looking across the Jardim da Praca do Imperio to the Tagus River.
Belem Tower
Belem sits at the entrance of the Tagus River, serving as the gateway to Lisbon and the point of departure for explorers. In the 15th century, King Joao II began a plan to protect the area and King Manuel I built the Torre de Belem in 1520.
With the blue sky and calm waters of the river as the backdrop, the decorative Manueline architecture of the stone Belem Tower provides a lovely spot for souvenir photos. The line to go inside the tower stretched too long for us, so we relaxed for a bit on the bank of the Tagus before heading on to the Monument of the Discoveries. Many food carts along the way offered ice cream and other delightful treats.
Monument to the Discoveries
Instead of the long line to reach the terrace atop the Belem Tower, the top of the Monument to the Discoveries was almost twice as high and had an elevator with no wait. From the observation deck, we had a fantastic view of the monastery, the tower, the April 25th Bridge and the river. A marble mosaic fills the plaza below with an image of a compass surrounding a map of the world.
The Padrao dos Descobrimentos was completed in 1960 to commemorate the Age of Discoveries in Portugal. The monument resembles the prow of a ship overhanging the water’s edge. Dozens of 23-foot-tall sculptures look toward the water with its towering waves.
Pastel de Belem
You should not visit Portugal without indulging in some pastel de nata, which I consider a national treasure. I am not generally a custard fan, but I have to eat a few of these buttery pastries with savory filling when visiting.
After the government shut down the religious orders in 1834, the clergy in the Jeronimos Monastery started making and selling pastries to survive. A bakery attached to the refinery next to the monastery adopted this practice in 1837.
Pasteis de Belem continues to use this “secret recipe” to offer the sweet treat today. You can buy a sleeve to take home with you, but you need to eat at least one straight out of the oven as it oozes over your hand when you take a bite.
Belem is easily reached from Lisbon via the number 15 tram, the train from Cais do Sodre towards Cascais, or by Uber or Bolt service.
