What to do in Belém at a glance
The tower is the reason most visitors come, but it takes only part of a day. The district around it has more to offer, and most sights lie close together between the Praça do Império and the river. This list is a selection, not a ranking. Entries 1 to 3 are monuments, entries 4 to 6 are food and museums, and entries 7 to 10 are gardens and the river. For the tower itself, see the pages on tickets, opening hours and history.
Closed days differ from place to place. Monday is the rest day for the tower, the monastery cloister and the Coach Museum, and MAAT is closed on Tuesday. The tower reopened to visitors on 27 May 2026 after restoration work. Prices below are for adults in 2026 and can change. For the rest of the city, see the guide to things to do in Lisbon.
Monuments and churches (1 to 3)
The three big stone landmarks next to the tower.
1. Walk the cloister of the Hieronymus Monastery
The two-storey cloister is a paid visit and the most popular part of the monastery. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with last entry at 5 p.m. The adult ticket costs €18 in 2026. Children up to and including 12 enter free, and visitors aged 13 to 24 pay half. The upper floor of the cloister is not wheelchair accessible.
Monastery guide →2. Step into the church of Santa Maria de Belém
Entry to the church is free and has its own hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays and religious holidays 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The church is the place where Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões are commemorated. Access can be limited when it is very crowded. A cloister ticket and a church visit are two separate things.
Cloister and church →3. Take the lift up the Padrão dos Descobrimentos
The Discoveries Monument stands on the riverbank and has a viewing terrace. A lift goes to the 6th floor, then 42 steps lead up. The adult ticket (ages 26 to 64) costs €10 and the ticket for ages 13 to 25 costs €5. It also covers a documentary film and the current temporary exhibition. Opening is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from October to February and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from March to September, with last entry 30 minutes earlier. The terrace is not wheelchair accessible.
Padrão guide →Our picks: things to do
By bike along the river, on foot with pastries and by boat 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 walk with pastéis and the Discoveries monument
Two hours with a guide, a pastéis de Belém tasting and the Igreja de Santa Maria de Belém. Monastery and tower entry are extra, and the monument is seen without entry.
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 →
Bike tour from the city centre to Belém
Four hours by classic bike with a helmet, ending in Belém. Food, drinks and tips are not included, and no entry fees are listed.
Check availability →Belém tours and tickets
Walking tours, tuk-tuk rides, bike tours and river cruises around Belém, with live prices and availability.
Food and museums (4 to 6)
A bakery from 1837 and two museums with very different collections.
4. Eat a pastel at Pastéis de Belém
The bakery at Rua de Belém 84 to 92 dates its production to 1837. It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and until 10 p.m. from 1 July to 30 September. On 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January it closes at 7 p.m. Takeaway and seated customers wait in different lines, so ask the staff how to get a table. Nobody can promise a waiting time.
Pastéis guide →5. Visit MAAT
The Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology stands on Avenida Brasília by the river and has a curved roof. It is open Wednesday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closed on Tuesday. Visitors with a residence outside Portugal pay €16, and students with ID pay €12. Children from 0 to 12 enter free. The building has ramps, lifts and adapted toilets.
MAAT guide →6. Look at the royal coaches
The National Coach Museum at Avenida da Índia 136 shows historic court and travel vehicles. The museum was founded in 1905 by Queen Amélia, and the current building has stood since 2015. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last entry at 5:30 p.m. A ticket costs €15, and reduced tickets cost €7.50. Children up to and including 12 enter free.
Coach Museum guide →Gardens and the river (7 to 10)
Quiet corners and a view of the tower from the water.
7. Sit in the Jardim das Oliveiras
The olive garden belongs to the Centro Cultural de Belém, known as the CCB, and is run as its own outdoor area. Check the cultural centre's current notices for access and hours before you plan a stop.
8. Visit the Jardim da Água
The water garden is another outdoor space of the CCB. Opening times can change, so look at the current notices on the day.
9. Go to the Terraço Tejo
The Terraço Tejo is listed as a separate terrace of the CCB. It is not the same as a museum rooftop that is open at all times, so check access before you plan around it.
10. Sail from the Doca de Belém
One sailing operator meets guests at the Doca de Belém, near the Padrão. A standard trip takes about 2 hours. From the water you see the tower, the monument and the bridge in one view.
Tagus cruise guide →Plan your day: prices and closed days
Adult prices in 2026. Check the day you want to go.
| Place | Closed | Adult price |
|---|---|---|
| Belém Tower | Monday | €15 |
| Monastery cloister | Monday | €18 |
| Church of Santa Maria de Belém | Monday | Free |
| Padrão dos Descobrimentos | 1 January, 1 May, 25 December | €10 |
| Coach Museum | Monday | €15 |
| MAAT | Tuesday | €16 (residence outside Portugal) |
| Pastéis de Belém | – | – |
Public holidays add more closed days, and the lists differ slightly between sights. Do not count on a visit on 1 January, 1 May or 25 December. The church is open at its own hours, and the Padrão may also close on 24 and 31 December.
How to combine the sights
Tickets, time slots and the Lisboa Card.
Book a slot for the tower
A tower ticket includes a date and a time. Entry runs in half-hour windows from 9:30 a.m., and the last window is 4:30 to 5 p.m. The tower allows up to 60 visitors at once and 960 per day.
Tower tickets →Use the Lisboa Card for four sights
The tower, the monastery, the Coach Museum and the Padrão are on the list of free attractions of the Lisboa Card. The tower and the monastery still need a booked date and time with the card number. Do not count on getting in without a slot.
Getting to Belém →Start early, finish late
The tower and the cloister close at 5:30 p.m., so use the morning for them. MAAT, the Padrão and the bakery stay open later. One day is enough for the tower, the cloister and the pastry. Add MAAT or the Coach Museum if you want a longer day.
More about Belém
Pages for each sight and for the trip.
Things to do in Belém: frequently asked questions
How much time do I need in Belém?
One day covers the tower, the cloister and a pastry. Add MAAT or the Coach Museum for a second half day. If you only want the exteriors, the church and the riverside, a few hours are enough.
Which sights are free?
The church of Santa Maria de Belém is free. Children up to and including 12 enter the tower, the cloister and the Coach Museum for free, and MAAT is free for ages 0 to 12. Holders of the Lisboa Card enter four sights free, but the tower and the monastery need a booked slot.
What is open on a Monday?
The tower, the cloister and the Coach Museum are closed on Monday. MAAT, the Padrão and Pastéis de Belém are open, and the church is closed. Plan the paid monuments for Tuesday to Sunday.
Is Belém suitable for a visitor with limited mobility?
Parts of it are. In the tower, access is limited to the ground floor and the bastion room. The cloister and the church are accessible on the ground floor, but not the upper cloister. The Padrão terrace is not wheelchair accessible, while MAAT and the Coach Museum have ramps and lifts.
How do I get to Belém?
Tram 15E, buses 714 and 728 and the Cascais train all serve the district. Details and fares are on the page about getting there.