Lisboa Card 24, 48 or 72-Hour City Pass Lisbon

Jerónimos Monastery in Belém

Jerónimos Monastery is the most famous monument in Lisbon and a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Belém Tower. Built from the early 16th century in the richly carved Manueline style, it celebrates the age of Portuguese sea voyages with stone ropes, shells and sea creatures woven into its columns. The two-storey cloister, with its lace-like arches around a quiet garden, is the highlight of any visit.

With the Lisboa Card, entry to the monastery is included, but you must book a time slot after exchanging your voucher for the card, as daily admissions are limited. Plan about 1 to 1.5 hours inside. Jerónimos Monastery tickets bought at the door often mean long queues, so the card and a booked slot save real time. The monastery is closed on Mondays and some public holidays, and opening hours are shorter in winter.

Belém Tower and the Tagus riverfront

Belém Tower stands at the edge of the Tagus River, a short walk west of the monastery. Built in the early 16th century as a fortress to guard the entrance to Lisbon's harbour, it later became the symbol of the city's maritime past. Inside you climb narrow spiral stairs past the old cannon bastion, royal rooms and a chapel to a terrace with views over the river and the 25 de Abril Bridge.

Entry is included with the card and, as at Jerónimos, it needs a time slot booked after the exchange. Belém Tower opening hours follow the national monuments schedule, closed on Mondays. Around the tower, the riverside promenade leads to the Monument to the Discoveries and the gardens of Belém. To get there, take tram 15 or the train from Cais do Sodré, both included with your Lisboa Card.

Trams, funiculars and the Santa Justa lift

Lisbon is a city of seven hills, and its transport is part of the experience. The card covers the metro and buses, the yellow trams that rattle through Alfama, Graça and Estrela, and the funiculars of Glória, Bica and Lavra that climb the steepest streets. With unlimited rides, you can hop on and off as often as you like without buying single tickets.

The Santa Justa lift, an iron tower with neo-Gothic details opened in the early 20th century, links the Baixa district with Largo do Carmo and the Chiado quarter above. Riding it with the card skips the ticket queue, and the upper platform gives a fine view of the castle hill. The metro also reaches the airport and Oriente station, so the card helps from the moment it is activated.

Day trips to Sintra and Cascais by train

The card includes trains from Rossio station to Sintra and from Cais do Sodré to Cascais, two of the most popular day trips from Lisbon. Sintra, about 40 minutes by train, is a UNESCO-listed hill town of palaces, gardens and misty forest. If you are planning how to get to Sintra from Lisbon, the train from Rossio is the easiest way, and the card guide lists discounts at several Sintra sights.

The Cascais line runs along the coast of the Tagus estuary and the Atlantic, passing Belém, Oeiras and the beaches of Carcavelos and Estoril before reaching the old fishing town of Cascais. With a 72-hour card you can spend one day in central Lisbon, one in Belém and one in Sintra or Cascais, which is why the longer card usually gives the best value.

Lisbon museums and how to use the card

Beyond Belém, the card guide lists free entry to many museums and monuments, such as the National Tile Museum, set in a former convent and covering five centuries of painted azulejos, the National Coach Museum with its gilded royal carriages, and the Museum of Ancient Art with Portuguese and European masterpieces. Many other venues give discounts with the card.

Is the Lisboa Card worth it? It pays off when you combine public transport with two or three paid monuments a day. Activate it on first use, sign it and write the date and start time, as the card is personal and non-transferable. National museums and monuments close on Mondays and on some holidays, so plan your Belém day from Tuesday to Sunday and use Monday for trams, viewpoints and the Cascais train.