RSSIn Belem
My favorite side-trip from Lisbon. Belem is considered a parish of Lisbon, being only 6 kilometers away. But stroll along the waterfront, where Portuguese explorers set sail centuries ago, and you’ll feel like you are walking into another place and time.
The Torre de Belem, a fortified lighthouse, guards the coastline as it has since the early 1500s. It also was built to protect the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, a beautifully preserved monastery from the 1500s. Also along the waterfront is a small museum dedicated to the voyagers who dreamt of lands beyond Portugal’s shores. The Padrao dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries) was built in 1960, and today houses a short film that gives an excellent overview of Lisbon. Go here early in your trip for an welcoming understanding of the city you are visiting.
And don’t leave Belem without trying one of it’s delicacies: Pasteis de Belem are a deliciously sweet custard-like desert, perhaps from a recipe of Catholic nuns at the Jeronimos Monastery. Since 1837, the shop Pasteis de Belem (Rua da Belem 84) has specialized in these confections. Although you can now find them throughout Portugal.
Train Tip: You can certainly use your Eurail Pass to take the train to Belem, but it’s not worth using a day. The 20 minute journey costs only 2.80 Euro for a round-trip ticket. Take the subway to Cais do Sodre, at the end of the Green metro line. And then go up-ground to board a train to Belem.
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About the Eurail Blog
Benjamin Thomas from the USA has been using Eurail Passes to explore Europe. On this weblog he shares his (train) travel experiences. Intro
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