Belém is an historic district on the West part of Lisbon closely related to to the Portuguese discoveries and many of the great Portuguese adventurers set sail from this location to discover the world and find new maritime comercial routes.
The emblematic buildings of Torre de Belém (Belém Tower) and Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos Monastery), both UNESCO World Heritage sites, were built in Manueline style with exotic, navy and maritime elements inspired by the voyages the Portuguese made around the world.
Between the two monuments one can find the refreshing gardens of Praça do Império, with its fountains and vegetation. Facing the river Tagus you'll have on your right the Centro Cultural de Belém (Belém Cultural Centre), with exhibitions and cultural events and a little further the Champalimaud Foundation, both with a contemporary architecture that is worth to admire.
In walking distance to your left, you'll find the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries) and the Museu dos Coches (Coach Museum) where you can find a unique collection of coaches.
While in Belém the choice of restaurants is enormous (you can find our review on Darwin's Café here) and even if you don't decide to have lunch or dinner, a visit to the Pastéis de Belém patisserie to taste one (or more) of the worldly famous Portuguese custard pastries is mandatory.
How to Get There:
Train (station - Belém)
Tram - 15
Bus - 714 / 727 / 728
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