Photos: A Guy Named Nyal, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 L'Orso Sul Monociclo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Benjamin Réthoré, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo credits
Photos: A Guy Named Nyal, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 L'Orso Sul Monociclo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Benjamin Réthoré, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Belém and the sailors of the Age of Discovery
Your local guide
Tiago Mendes
View profile
Highlights
- Jerónimos Monastery and the pepper that paid for it
- The compass rose map at the Monument to the Discoveries
- Belém Tower, once surrounded by the river
- A replica astrolabe and how sailors read latitude
- Pastéis de Belém, seen from outside the bakery
About this tour
This session follows the Age of Discoveries story in Belém, from the pepper trade behind Jerónimos Monastery to the compass rose map at the Monument to the Discoveries and the tower that once stood in the river. The camera takes in the monastery's Manueline stonework, the monument's map of Portuguese voyages, and Belém Tower across the water. It also stops near Pastéis de Belém, the bakery credited with the original pastel de nata recipe.
After a short sound check, the guide walks the riverside route stop by stop, demonstrating a replica astrolabe along the way and taking questions as they come up. A short list of what the call covered is sent once it wraps up.
This suits anyone drawn to maritime history or the story of Portugal's voyages, whether planning a visit to Belém or remembering one already made.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
-
Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Lisbon before heading out.
-
Jerónimos Monastery 21 min
From the monastery's courtyard, the camera takes in the ornate Manueline stonework, and the guide explains how the pepper and spice trade financed its construction in the sixteenth century.
-
Monument to the Discoveries 21 min
At the foot of the monument, the camera looks down at the large compass rose map set into the pavement, and the guide traces the routes of the Portuguese voyages it marks.
-
Belém Tower 21 min
Looking across the river from the promenade, the guide points out Belém Tower and explains why the fort once stood surrounded by water before the river's course shifted, then demonstrates a replica astrolabe and how sailors once read their latitude.
-
Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Lisbon: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
-
A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Bacalhau (salt cod) and Alfama, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Lisbon time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 12 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Lisbon, showing you Belém Tower and Praça do Comércio live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Lisbon live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
Times shown in Lisbon time (WET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Reviews appear here after travellers have completed this tour.
How reviews work
Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Tue 27 Oct · 12 seats left From 24,00 €
Book