Mosteiro dos Jerónimos

While I enjoyed the amazing weather in Belém, I crossed the street from the Monument to the Discoveries and headed to the Jeronimos Monastery. The garden and fountains in front of it are quite lovely and you could even have a nice picnic lunch if you wanted to.

The exterior of the monastery is quite beautiful and I admired it while munching on the pastel de Belém. The crumbling pastry was very delicious and I think you should believe the hype on them and stop in for one. You  can get one to go or maybe a few. The place is also very large and you can sit down and enjoy your pastries with a coffee. I popped inside to use the toilets and the place fits a lot of people.

The Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and I highly recommend a visit. I used the combo ticket I purchased with the Torre Belém to skip the large queue that had grown outside of it when I arrived. The construction of the monastery and church began in 1501 and was completed a hundred years later in 1601. That means that the building is over 500 years old if you count from when it got papal permission in 1496 to be built.   My visit was very enjoyable and I loved the architecture of the monastery. 

Monument to the Discoveries

One of the sights in Belem is the Monument to the Discoveries. It lies a short walk from the Belem Tower and the Jeronimos Monastery. The moment was built as it name suggest to celebrate the Portuguese Age of Discovery during the 15th and 16th Centuries.

The monument is quite large and you can even pay to go to the very top of it. I skipped this as I am sure it has a similar view to the Belem Tower. You might get a better view of the monastery if you do climb it.

May Instagrams

Torre de Belém

On Tuesday I ventured by tram to Belém. I had read so many amazing things about this part of Lisbon and I was very much looking forward to trying its famous pastry. The tram journey does not take very long but I was not sure where to get off for the Torre de Belém so when I got off I had to walk a little to get to it. I arrived just after it opened so the line I joined moved rather quickly. I suggest getting there early or as it opens for when I reached the top there was a much longer queue formed. 

Torre de Belém as it is known in Portuguese is a fortified tower completed in 1519. The tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It is one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal alongside neighbouring Jerónimos Monastery. It was commissioned by King John II to be part of a defense system at the mouth of the Tagus River and also as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon.

I recommend going to the Tower first and purchasing a combined ticket to the Torre de Belém and Jerónimos Monastery. The combined ticket is €12. For just visiting the tower it is €6 and a ticket for just the monastery is €10. You save €4 with the combined ticket and I think both monuments are well worth a visit. With your combined ticket, once you have visited the tower you can head over to the monastery and avoid the long queue for tickets as you have already purchased yours at the tower.

I had a lot of fun exploring the tower. It could get a bit crowded in some parts but they are only able to let a certain number of people into the tower at once. Since there is only one stairway between each floor of the tower, they have a stop light system to allow you to climb up and then you must wait until people come down before you can climb up to another floor.

The weather could not have been any better for a day of exploring. The view over the Tagus River was beautiful. Above you can see the 25 de Abril Bridge as well as the Christ the King statue inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Afternoon Monday in Lisbon

I left Prazeres Cemetery and hopped on the next tram that came by, I rode it along before hopping off at Estrela Gardens and sitting at the cafe in the park enjoying a drink and a snack.  The pond by the cafe was filled with turtles and ducks. The tranquil atmosphere was lovely and I should have wandered further into the park but decided not to.

Getting another tram, I headed for Alfama. The neighbourhood that kept drawing me back day after day. The weather in Lisbon was beautiful and I happily strolled through this neighbourhood once more. I was seeking out the gelato place I had gone to with my tour on Saturday but did not know where it was or its name. Unable to find it, I wandered past the castle and back down to my hostel for the night.

Turns out if I had just gone through the big gate the white van is driving through and turned right I would have found the delicious gelato place. Gelataria Portuguesa, Rua Sta. Cruz do Castelo, 15, 15A.

After I got back to my hostel I pulled out the chorizo and cheeses I had purchased at the market and chopped them up to make myself a little feast.