Belém Tower in a nutshell
The Torre de Belém stands on the bank of the Tagus in the Belém district of Lisbon, at the historic entrance to the harbour. It is a tower and an artillery bastion in one and was built as part of the defence of the city. Together with the Jerónimos Monastery it forms a single UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1983. After conservation and restoration work, the tower was inaugurated on 26 May 2026. It has been open to the public again since 27 May 2026.
This guide covers the tower and the district around it: tickets, opening hours, history, the monastery, the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Pastéis de Belém, the MAAT, the Coach Museum, how to get there, boat trips and where to stay. It is an independent site. It is not run by the tower, by the public body that manages it or by a tour company, and it does not sell entry tickets. For the rest of the city, see our Lisbon guide. Prices are in euros, as listed in 2026, and they can change.
What a visit looks like
The tower is one stop in a district full of them.
Entry to the tower is by timed slot, with at most 60 people inside at the same time and 960 a day. You see the bastion room and move between the floors by a narrow spiral staircase. Access for visitors with reduced mobility is limited to the ground floor and the bastion room. Large suitcases and big backpacks are not allowed in, and neither are food and drink. Around the tower you find the monastery, the monument on the waterfront, the bakery on the Rua de Belém and two museums, so most visitors combine several stops in one day. Book the tower first and fit the other places around your slot.
Our picks: Belém tours
Tickets for the two big sights, a guided walk through the monastery and a cruise from Belém.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Belém and Jerónimos Monastery walking tour
Three hours with monastery entry and a guided cloister visit, the church with Vasco da Gama's tomb, and a pastel de Belém tasting. The tower and sailing trips can be added as extras.
Check availability →Monastery and Belém Tower tickets with audio guide
Entry to the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower, a smartphone audio guide for both and digital QR tickets. No live guide and no transport between the two sights.
Check availability →
Tagus cruise from Belém, 1 or 2 hours
A skipper-led trip of one or two hours depending on the option, with water or soft drinks. Food and a guide are not included.
Check availability →Belém tours and tickets
Guided walks, boat trips and tickets for Belém Tower and the monastery, with live prices and availability.
Plan your visit
The tower first, then the places around it.
Belém Tower tickets
Prices, reductions, timed slots and how the Lisboa Card works for the tower.
Opening hours
Days, last entry, closed days and the weather rule.
Belém tours compared
A guided walk, a vehicle tour and what each fee covers.
History of the tower
Manueline style, the Age of Discovery and the World Heritage listing.
Jerónimos Monastery
Cloister tickets, the free church and the opening times.
Padrão dos Descobrimentos
The lift, the 42 steps and the view from the top.
Food, museums and getting around
The rest of the district.
Pastéis de Belém
The bakery on the Rua de Belém, its hours and how to handle the queue.
MAAT
Hours and the two price levels for residents and visitors.
National Coach Museum
Royal carriages, hours and ticket prices.
Things to do in Belém
Ten ideas beside the tower, from cloister to gardens.
Getting to Belém
Tram 15E, the Cascais line, buses and fares.
Tagus cruises
Sailing from the Belém dock, including sunset trips.
Where to stay in Belém
What to expect from the district and how it connects to the centre.
Good to know
A few things to know before you plan.
The tower is open
The restoration is finished. The tower was inaugurated on 26 May 2026 and has been open to visitors since 27 May 2026. The administration can still close it when the weather makes conditions unsafe.
Opening hours →Every entry has a date and time
Tickets for the tower are for a date and a time slot. The Lisboa Card does not change that: for the tower and the monastery you still book a slot, and you need the number of the physical card.
Tickets →No general free Sunday
Free entry on certain days is tied to the Acesso 52 scheme. It is for residents of Portugal, including foreigners who live there legally, for up to 52 days a year. It is not a free day for all visitors.
Reductions and free entry →Two tram fares
On board a tram costs €3.30. The pre-loaded single ticket for the CARRIS and metro network costs €1.90. They are different products, not the same ticket at two prices.
Getting there →MAAT depends on where you live
The regular MAAT ticket is €16 for visitors who live outside Portugal and €12 for residents. There is no single price for everyone.
MAAT →More independent guides to Lisbon
Separate guides from the same team.
Belém Tower: frequently asked questions
Is Belém Tower open in 2026?
Yes. The tower was inaugurated after its restoration on 26 May 2026 and has welcomed visitors since 27 May 2026. It closes on Mondays and on a few holidays, and it can close in bad weather. See the opening hours page before you go.
How much does a ticket for Belém Tower cost?
In 2026 the regular ticket is €15. Children up to and including 12 enter free. Visitors aged 13 to 24, adults over 65 and families with at least one adult and one minor pay half, which is €7.50. Proof of age is needed. Family tickets are sold only at the physical ticket desk. Details are on the tickets page.
Do I need to book in advance?
Entry is by date and time slot, so booking ahead is the safe route, especially in the middle of the day. Even visitors with a Lisboa Card book a slot and quote the card number. A spontaneous visit is not guaranteed.
How much of a day should I plan for Belém?
Tower entry runs in timed slots, so what matters is your slot, not a fixed duration. Many visitors add the monastery, the Padrão, the bakery and a museum to make a full day. The things to do page lists ten options.
How do I get there from central Lisbon?
Tram 15E runs from Praça da Figueira through Cais do Sodré to Belém. The Cascais line train from Cais do Sodré takes 8 minutes on a scheduled train that stops at Belém. Buses 714 and 728 also serve the district. Fares and stops are on the getting there page.
Is belem-tower.org the official website of the tower?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It has no link to the tower, to the public body that manages it, to the Jerónimos Monastery, to the city of Lisbon or to any tour operator.