You will begin your Belém tour experience with the impressive Belém Tower, which along with the monastery forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and the 7 Wonders of Portugal. You’ll learn how and why it was conceived for defensive purposes and the important battles to which it bore witness.  By pointing out hidden details, your guide will describe how the Age of Discovery influenced the appearance and use of this grand building.

From there, you will head towards the immense Padrão dos Descobrimentos, or the Monument to the Discoveries. With its grand exterior situated right on the water’s edge, you’ll get an idea of just how close Belém is to the sea and why it was of such strategic military and navigational importance. Your expert may give an in-depth explanation of the explorers depicted on the monument and the routes they pioneered, or perhaps delve into the social history of Lisbon’s maritime culture and how embarking upon these often treacherous journeys affected those who were left behind.

Before heading to the last stop, you will pass by the legendary Pastéis de Belém bakery, where people come from far and wide to try their delicious signature custard tarts. 

You will end your visit to Belem at the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Jerónimos Monastery where, with pre-paid tickets in hand, you will set out to explore one of the most prominent examples of Manueline gothic architecture in Lisbon. As you wander through the monastery halls, you will learn about when Vasco de Gama and his men spent the night here ahead of their first voyage to the Orient, cementing Belém and the Monastery as key sites in the age of exploration and Portuguese colonial history. You will take a peek at Vasco de Gama’s tomb and find out more about the monastery’s other illustrious inhabitants over the years.