The ruins of the 14th-century Carmo Convent are quite photogenic to walk through once you pay the…read more7€ admission fee (Photo). Towering Gothic arches frame the open sky. It's a remnant of the 1755 earthquake that destroyed much of Lisbon and leads the visitor to the Carmo Archaeological Museum where artifacts have been gathered from the prehistoric through medieval eras. There are items like Peruvian mummies & shrunken heads as well as Roman sarcophagi including the Sarcophagus of the Muses which details nine Greek muses (Photo 10). My favorite piece is actually outside, a bright red statue entitled "Encontro" by Franz Weissman (Photo 2) standing in stark contrast to the heraldic items. The museum is around the corner from the popular Santa Justa Lift. RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/btGN-VGvo8

Beautiful, outdoor museum! My tour guide in Porto actually suggested it for when I was traveling to…read moreLisbon. I'm so glad he did. The open air was refreshing and the artifacts themselves were so unique. Great museum that you can go as quick or slowly through as you want.

Catching up on review drafts a while back!…read more Had the pleasure of enjoying a few hours here in April 2022. Portugal being famous for their decorative ceramic tiles, this museum displays an extensive collection of both classical ceramic wall tile and modern art, housed in a 16th century monastery building. From the outside the building doesn't look super impressive though inside there's a good amount to see. Ticket price last I checked was €8, we arrived shortly after 10am on a Saturday and there was a line of about 20 people at the entrance and ticket counter though the line moved quickly. Upon entry first stop was the cafe for a quick breakfast, they took about 20ish minutes to open after the museum building opened, as we waited the staff was setting out chairs and readying some foodstuffs. Not wanting to wait too long, I went with a pastel de nata, a mini croissant and an espresso. The pastries were nothing special though not inedible. The espresso was solid. That being said, I came for the tiles and not the food, so getting to that... The exhibits start from the ground floor encircling a small courtyard and you make your way up a few more stories. The first two levels have more traditional tiles used for building ornamentation, some purely decorative motifs, others with elaborate scenes painted on them. The exhibit progresses in chronological order with upper floors featuring modern art. Since the museum sits in a historic monastery, the chapel, antechamber, auditorium and surrounding rooms part of the original church floor plan showcase elaborate wall and ceiling ceramic embellishments. Really gorgeous! Overall certainly recommend checking out this museum--there was a fair variety and what stood out to me was both the functionality and humor of some of the more classical pieces, and the creativity of the modern pieces. Worth it to spend a couple hours here if you're visiting Lisbon.

This was a great museum and we also really enjoyed the café and gift shop. The museum showcases…read moretiles from the 15th century through today. It was cool to see how the tradition has evolved over the years. Many signs are in both Portuguese and English. All the staff we spoke with were also very fluent in English. This was also the first place I saw a people love us on Yelp sign (in Portuguese) which was super cool. The café serves coffee, beer and wine as well as sandwiches and pasties in a beautiful setting. Part of the café is indoors and part is in a garden courtyard. Beautiful sculptures and flowers. We got here on the bus but you could also Uber. Bus stop is very close but it's a bit out of the way from the main touristic areas. I would budget about two to three hours here depending on how interested you are in the tiles. Definitely have a drink and a snack and enjoy the courtyard garden area. Shop was well stocked, reasonably priced and featured some work by local artisans.

On my first visit to Lisbon sixteen years ago, I failed to visit this legendary monastery because I…read morecame on a Monday, the one day they're closed. I could resolve my disappointment only by devouring a half-dozen pasteis de nata across the street. This time I made sure Jamie W and I had reservations for a scheduled time-slot on a day other than Monday. When we arrived, there was still a long line of people and no shade from the blazing sun, but we got in quickly. I have to say the building did not disappoint. Built in the 15th century during the Age of Discovery, it took a full century to complete because the Manueline architectural style was so idiosyncratic. As a tribute to Portugal's seafaring history, the inlays on the stonework were made intricately with decorative paneling on windows, arcades, and pillars. Traditional stone columns were sculpted into twisted ropes, corals, anchors, and sea monsters. The result is a stunning level of craftsmanship epitomized by the beauty and meticulous detail of the cloister. The two-story structure is a prime example of flawless symmetry and historical significance. The church houses the tombs of legendary explorer Vasco da Gama and famous Portuguese poets. Monks from the Order of Saint Jerome used the monastery to pray, meditate, and offer spiritual discourses. You can do the same. Admission per person is 18€. RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/3GGfbOtM3m

I won't review the experience inside the monastery but give timings on our arrival and the wait…read more We arrived around 9:45am and there was a relatively short line (maybe 30-50 people? The line got significantly longer in the next 30 minutes). At 9:55am they started letting 9:30am ticketholders in. We were let in around 10:15am (we had 10:30am entry tickets).

The Maritime Museum showcases the history and contributions of Portuguese navigators…read more My husband and I toured this museum for 8 euros each. In about one hour, we saw dozens of model and life-sized ships, canons, statues, paintings, coins, informational plaques, the king's and queen's cabins, a gift shop, and more. I felt most interested in the life-sized ships. Overall, I think that this museum is worth a visit if you are already in the area.

We were fortunate to come here as a Gate 1 tour. With tours you can skip the lines, so I like that…read moreabout them, but of course you are on everyone else's schedule. I was torn between admiration of a culture playing to it's strengths (being surrounded by water has it's perks), and Derek L's view of colonialism. There was exactly 1 acknowledgement of how the country benefitted from slavery. It's a slippery slope of acknowledging how one acquired wealth but also realizing it occurred at a major violation of human rights. The room of boats was awesome, esp being able to view it from above on a balcony. The gift shop had some nice holiday themed items.

Amazing collection of art from all over the world!…read moreGulbenkian, who was born in Turkey, collected pieces from so many cultures. Here's a list: Egypt Mesopotamia Iran Turkey Egypt China Japan Dutch Europe Highlights: coins from Mesopotamia Ceramics from Iran & Turkey Renaissance medals This is a must see museum in Lisbon. Worth the admission price. Free on Sunday afternoons.

A welcome quiet and peaceful experience to escape the noise, crowds and chaos of Lisbon…read more Eclectic museum. Collection has a little bit of everything from 5,000 year old artifacts to modern abstract paintings and sculptures. For a complete overview plan to spend about 3 hours here.. If you are lodging downtown, take an uber to get here instead of changing buses several times. You'll save an hour commute.

This had to be one of the highlights of our visit to Portugal. Ironically, this was not on our…read moreoriginal itinerary. We planned to see a castle farther north, but there were wildfires that had the roads closed to get there. The Palace is extraordinary and so well kept up. The grounds were extraordinary. The gardens were lovely. But the interior was magnificent. The palace was built in the 17th century and was spared from the earthquake that destroyed much of this area of the county. So much is still original, and what needed to be has been restored. I particularly liked the ballroom and the various bedrooms. The ceilings were very nice in some of the palace. Overall, it was an awesome experience.

Ever felt catfish by online photos? I felt that. I really enjoyed the outdoors but felt like the…read moretime spent here could have gone to another site. I would skip it and would have spent more time inside Quinta

If you plan to spend a full day in Belem like Jamie W and I did, then I suggest visiting this…read morecontemporary museum but only if you have time after the essential stops like the Jerónimos Monastery. I just don't view the collection here as indispensable for modern art lovers. You can tell by the one-off nature of the exhibits that it started as a private collection, this one from a self-made billionaire businessman named José "Joe" Berardo. In fact, the museum was named after him when it first opened in 2007, but now it's officially called Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC/CCB). The museum is housed inside a massive concrete complex called Centro Cultural de Belém. On the upper floor, there are singular pieces from the likes of Warhol, Picasso, Dalí, Miró, and Lichtenstein. Less interesting to us were the lower floors where they dive deep into highly abstract, conceptual, and minimalist art. The labyrinthine layout is confusing to navigate, but you can skip sections entirely if you're not engaged with the exhibits you see like Jeff Koons' "Poodle" (Photo 9). That happened a lot with us. Admission is 15€, and there's a combo bookstore and cafeteria where we sat a spell and had the 2,5€ Iced Lattes (Photo 8). Frankly, a half-hour is enough for a visit, and it was pretty easy to pick up an Uber from the front of the complex to get back to central Lisbon. RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/6RJs_afSDR

Even if you're not a fan of cubism, surrealism, etc., a visit is worthwhile for the beauty of the…read morebuilding itself and the views, which you can enjoy from either the second floor restaurant or the comfy outdoor chairs provided so you can sit and relax. Bonus: was not crowded on a beautiful Sunday in late May when downtown Lisbon was jammed with tourists.

This was the second time I visited this historic tower and the second time I didn't make it inside…read more And honestly, I'm just fine with that. This most recent time, it was closed for long-term renovations, and Jamie W and I were here just a couple of weeks before its reopening. I heard it wasn't that exciting anyway. I read the rooms were small and claustrophobic, and the staircase was narrow and steep dictated by a new traffic-light and siren system (oh dear!) The only motivation might've been the view from the top, but even with that, there's a nicer panoramic view of the Tagus River from the sloping rooftop of the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) just a stroll to the east. We were just happy we got a view of the tower itself because we were worried it would be completely covered by scaffolding. After all, it was built in 1520 surviving as a true symbol of Portugal's Age of Discovery. RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/ayZwwRJHQd

2 of 2 Yelp reviews…read more Cut and pasted from the internet: "The monument celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discovery (or "Age of Exploration") during the 15th and 16th centuries." Quality/Quantity - A must visit, but we have been here so often and only stopped by because we had an all day train pass; see other reviews. So much history, just "Google" it and read. Kid friendly, so many field trips. Ambiance - Beautiful monument. Beautiful surroundings. Other tourist sites to visit. An easy train ride and a short walk. Service - Self service. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success since 1939.

Definitely a castle you should visit when you're visiting Lisbon. If you're staying in Lisbon,…read moreyou'll see it when you are in the downtown area. Do you see it? Seeing a piece of Portuguese history in person is something I've always wanted to do. Since this castle is atop the city, it offers some of the best views of this bustling town. You probably just need a couple of hours to tour the grounds.

A must visit! The views, the peacocks, the open air. Can't suggest enough! Glad this was…read morerecommended to me. A must!

What a lovely museum about the history of Lisbon located on the University Campus. It is closer to…read morethe airport than the downtown tourist area. It is also called Pepper Palace. It is 3 euro entry fee that is very fair and worth so much more. Gives you the entire history of Lisbon which is very helpful to understand Portugal from 1300 to the great earthquake of 1755 all the way to modern Lisbon. Highly recommend to get a better appreciation of Lisbon. The museum is 2 floors and you get access to the lovely garden with peacocks walking around. Walk the garden because it is very beautiful with a nice breeze. WiFi available to customers. Bathroom: available and clean

History of Lisbon, the largest city in Portugal and the capital. It is the third biggest city in…read morethe Iberian peninsula after Madrid and Barcelona. It is also one of the oldest cities in the world, the second oldest in Europe after Athens. The museum has five branches. This one is with the history of the city, is located in the former Palácio Pimenta, an 18th century palace built by King John V of Portugal for his mistress. Lots of exhibits and you can expect a brief tour to take at least an hour. A proper examination is closer to three hours if you walk the garden (peacocks!) and a get coffee at the small cafe out there if it's a nice day. The city has been run by Romans, Germanic tribes, Moors and then conquered by Afonso Henriques in 1147. Artifacts on display include ceramics from the 6th century BC, gold pendants from the 2nd century AD, Roman column caps and paintings. One small room is dedicated to the history of the massive Estátua de D. José I in Praça do Comércio and the sculptor, Joaquim Machado de Castro. I found this to be an interesting exhibit. Nearly all the captions are in Portuguese and English. If there's an audio guide on offer, I didn't spot it. [Review 19057 overall - 250 in Portugal - 26 of 2023.]