This western suburb has an enormous number of prime tourist sights and cultural attractions. Bus: 14, 27, 29, 43, 49, 51. Tram: 15. Train: Belém station on the Cais do Sodré – Cascais line.

Begin at the Belém Palace (Palácio de Belém) (1), official residence of the President of the Republic, and try one of the renowned Belém pastries in the traditional pastry shop on the corner (2).

Walk up Calçada do Galvão to the Tropical Agricultural Garden-Museum (Jardim-Museu Agrícola Tropical) (3) and then go back down to the Jeronimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) (4) and to the Archaeological Museum (Museu de Arqueologia) (5). Visit the Gulbenkian Planetarium (Planetário Gulbenkian) (6) and the Naval Museum (Museu de Marinha) (7).

Take a look in the spectacular Belém Cultural Center (Centro Cultural de Belém) (8), designed by Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti and Portuguese architect Manuel Salgado, and have lunch looking out over the Tagus and the Belém gardens. Here you can also visit the Museu Colecção Berardo (9). Cross over to the riverfront using the pedestrian underpass and visit the Discoveries Monument (Padrão dos Descobrimentos) (10). Take the elevator up to the top, enjoy the panoramic views, and don’t miss the bird’s-eye view of the great Compass Rose (Rosa dos Ventos) on the pavement below. Next, walk west along the riverfront to the Museum of Folk Art (Museu de Arte Popular) (11). Continuing in the same direction, walk by the Bom Sucesso dock (Doca do Bom Sucesso) (12) until you come to the famous Belém Tower (Torre de Belém) (13).

After visiting it, continue past the Bom Sucesso fort (Forte do Bom Sucesso) (14) next door and use the pedestrian bridge to cross the train tracks and highway to Av. Torre de Belém (15), walk up it to Rua de Pedrouços where you can catch a number 15 tram to Praça Afonso de Albuquerque (16) and the Belem River Ferry Station (Estação Fluvial de Belém) (17).

A short walk east is the Electricity Museum (Museu da Electricidade) (18). After a visit here, relax on one of the river front terraces. Busses for the center: 14, 28, 43, 49, 51.