Lisbon: Belém Private Tour & Quake Museum with Tram Ride

The 1755 earthquake destroyed medieval Lisbon in hours. This tour shows what came after

You meet your guide at Rossio Square and spend four hours moving through Belém by tram and on foot, visiting the Quake Museum to understand the 1755 disaster, walking through Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower (both UNESCO sites), tasting a custard tart at the original shop, and seeing the Monument to the Discoveries. Transport, museum entry, and a certified guide are included. You return by late afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Arco da Rua Augusta30m
2. Tram 2830m
3. Jerónimos Monastery20m · entry included
4. Monument to the Discoveries15m
5. Belém Tower20m

Lisbon Belém tour and earthquake museum

• Meet guide at Rossio square
• Walk down Augusta Street
• Take tram ride through Belém
• Visit the Quake Museum
• Enjoy custard tart at Pasteis de Belém
• Visit Jerónimos Monastery
• Take photo at Discoveries Monument
• Visit Belém Tower

The Experience

You start at Rossio Square, where your guide meets you among the grand buildings that survived or were rebuilt after the 1755 disaster. Walking down Augusta Street, the guide explains how the earthquake, fire, and tsunami erased 85% of the city in a single day: over 20,000 people dead. It's not a cheerful opening, but it's the reason Belém exists the way it does now, and why the Quake Museum matters. The museum itself is recent, built to hold what the city learned from that November morning, and it's the kind of place that makes the rest of the tour click into focus.

Then you board Tram 28 heading toward Belém, watching the city roll past the windows. The tram itself is part of the story. It's how locals still move through Lisbon, and from your seat you see the neighborhoods that rebuilt themselves over centuries. Your guide points out the architecture, the way the city was redesigned after the disaster, and you're moving through it rather than standing still, which changes how it lands. After the tram, you visit Jerónimos Monastery, a 16th-century UNESCO site with Portuguese Gothic detail that feels both massive and intricate. The cloisters are quiet even when other visitors are there.

You'll stop at Pastéis de Belém for a custard tart (the famous one, the original recipe), and then walk to the Monument to the Discoveries, where you can photograph the statues of the navigators who sent ships out during the Age of Discovery. Belém Tower, another UNESCO fortress from the 16th century, closes out the four hours. It's a lot of ground, but the guide keeps the pace steady and the tram ride breaks up the walking. The whole thing runs about four hours total, and by the end you've seen how Lisbon rebuilt itself and why this particular neighborhood holds so much of what Portugal wanted to remember.

What’s included

• Tram transport through Belém.
• Quake Museum admission.
• certified tour guide for four hours.
• small walking tour showing city viewpoints.
• responsibility and personal accident insurance.
• stop at Pastéis de Belém for a custard tart (purchase separate).

Days and timesTue–Sun · 5 departure times, from 09:00 to 11:00

Ages7 to 70 years · Under 7 — No ticket type: can't be added to a booking

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends elsewhereMeeting point, per the operator: “down the triumphal arch of Augusta street”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Pentravel

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand Lisbon's 1755 earthquake and see how the city rebuilt itself in Belém, without arranging your own transport, museum tickets, or guide: the four-hour structure fits the main sites into one afternoon.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

How long is the tour?

Four hours, starting from Rossio Square in central Lisbon and ending in Belém.

What's included in the price?

Tram transport to Belém, Quake Museum entry, a certified guide, walking tour of viewpoints, and insurance coverage. The custard tart stop is part of the itinerary but may be a separate purchase.

Do I need to book the tram ride separately?

No. The tram ride is included as part of the tour transport.

Are the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower included?

Both are visited during the tour. Museum and monument entries are included. Confirm entry fees for the tower when booking.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. It combines tram travel with walking, so you're not on your feet the entire time.

Can I take photos at the Monument to the Discoveries?

Yes. The Monument to the Discoveries is an outdoor site where you'll have time to photograph the navigators' statues.

Is this a private tour or a group tour?

It's described as a private tour, meaning you and your party have a dedicated guide rather than joining a larger group.