A Quick Detour Through Belem, Lisbon
Belem almost didn’t make it onto our trip! After a walking tour around Alfama, lunch at Time Out Market, and wandering the nearby streets and viewpoints, we strolled through Baixa-Chiado and suddenly realised the day was slipping away and we still hadn’t seen Belem.
Deciding not to miss it, we parted from our group and took an Uber to Belem, asking to be dropped near the Belém Tower first. We didn’t have time to go inside, but we spent a while admiring the tower from the outside. Built in the early 16th century, this iconic fortress was originally part of Lisbon’s defensive system at the mouth of the Tagus River and also served as a ceremonial gateway to the city. The area was bustling, everyone trying to get that perfect photo just like us.
After soaking in the tower, we strolled along the riverside towards the Padrão dos Descobrimentos or Age of Discoveries monument. Even from a distance, the monument’s striking design, shaped like a ship’s prow and adorned with sculptures of explorers, was impossible to miss. The esplanade in front of the monument features a huge mosaic, and we spent a while studying it. Even though we know the Philippines was never colonised by Portugal, it was fascinating to see the places Portugal did have influence in Southeast Asia. A fun twist, Ferdinand Magellan, who “discovered” the Philippines for Spain, was actually Portuguese.
After the monument, we briefly stopped to admire the façade of the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. The intricate Manueline architecture is incredible even from the outside, with delicate stone carvings and ornate details that make it one of Lisbon’s must-see landmarks.
From there, we continued our walk towards the famous Pastéis de Belém. The streets were lively, and the scent of freshly baked custard tarts grew stronger the closer we got. When we arrived, the queue for the historic counter and the café was huge. Not keen on waiting, we opted for the secondary counter accessible from Travessa das Galinheiras and were able to get our pastéis de nata in less than five minutes. It would have been nice to see the Antiga Confeitaria, the original pastry shop where these tarts were first created in 1837 by monks at the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, but we didn’t have time to queue. The warm, creamy tarts were a perfect little reward after our riverside stroll and monument-hopping. It’s incredible to think that this recipe has been largely unchanged for nearly two centuries, surviving the liberal dissolution of monasteries in Portugal and becoming a symbol of Portuguese culinary tradition.
Our time in Belem was short but sweet, literally. From admiring the tower by the river, wandering past the Age of Discoveries monument, pausing at the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, and finally tasting the famous pastéis de nata, it was a whirlwind visit that gave us a glimpse of one of Lisbon’s most historic neighbourhoods. Even without going inside the main sights, Belem still left a lasting impression and a craving to come back one day with more time and maybe a little more patience for the queues.
