Belem Tower is a fortified structure in Lisbon, Portugal which was built in 1514 to protect the mouth of the river. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and is a popular attraction in the city. There are often large queues to get in and it’s best to buy your tickets in advance to minimise queuing.
Officially, Belem Tower is called the castle of Saint Vincent and it sits in on the edge of its own garden. It’s worth spending some time in the garden before joining the queue for the tower. It really can take quite some time to get in and you shouldn’t underestimate how long you may be queuing for. Once inside though, you can see why this place has such a draw. The tower has five levels and the ground level has a large bastion with a vaulted ceiling and openings for several canon.
Above the bastion is a large terrace which offers views in all directions. The tower houses further rooms, some with their own outdoor viewing areas or verandas. Some of the viewing positions are fortified so that soldiers stationed here could remain safe whilst looking out to the river mouth and the sea beyond. The top floor of the tower has an attractive room with chequered floor tiles and stunning views, which only get better as you climb the spiral stairs to the roof terrace above.
Belém Tower is open every day except Monday from 9.30am, closing at 6pm. Standard adult admission is 15 Euros (2025 prices). Admission is free with the Lisbon Card.
LOCATION & MAP
Address: Torre de Belém, Jardim da Torre de Belém, Av. Brasília, Lisbon, Portugal
Tel: +35 121 362 0034
You can use tram E15 which runs from Praça da Figueira to get to Belem Tower, or use the Hop On, Hop Off Yellow Bus Tour.
MORE ON BELEM TOWER
Torre de Belem – Official website
Torre de Belem – Wikipedia
Lisbon’s Best Hotel Deals – We recommend Hotels.com
More Things To Do In Lisbon
Lisbon City Guide – From our sister-site, Free-City-Guides.com