Lisbon: The Age of Discovery
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by Lisbon with Pats in Lisbon
12 Oct 2017
45min
 1.5mi
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About the audio tour
“The sea with an end can be Greek or Roman. The endless sea is Portuguese”, wrote the poet Fernando Pessoa.
Lisbon is a maritime city rich in history, architecture and stories. This tour will take you through the hallmarks of the Portuguese Age of Discovery, a fascinating time of kings, explorers, writers and navigators. This was a time steeped in adventure.
From periods of discovery to periods of autocracy. You'll hear about Estado Novo, the autocratic regime of the 1940's. Find out how they redesigned the Belém district to represent a romanticized idealization of the Portuguese Exploration.
You’ll see not only 16th century UNESCO World Heritage sites, like Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower, but Estado Novo hallmarks as well, such as the Empire Square or the Monument to the Discoveries, on the waterfront.
Journey into Portuguese maritime history, and find out how a tiny country on the western edge of Europe became the world's first superpower.
Major Landmarks
Jerónimos Monastery, The Empire Square, Monument to the Discoveries, Belém Tower, Tejo River, Belém Waterfront
Directions to starting point
Start at Afonso de Albuquerque Square. It's the square right in front of Belém Palace and close to the Coach Museum, in Belém District.
How to get there:
By Train: Belém station
By Tram: 15
By Bus: 728 – 714 - 727 - 729 - 751
Bus/Tram Stop: Belém (the one prior to Jerónimos Monastery)
Tips
Places to stop along the way:
The Coach Museum, Pastelaria de Belém, Belém Cultural Centre, Belém Tropical Botanical Garden
Best time of day:
Morning from 10am onwards. The monuments open at 10am and close at 5.30/6pm. Please note that last admissions are, in general, at 5pm/5.30pm on Winter Schedule and that the Monuments are closed on Mondays. In the Summer, avoid the hottest time of the day (1pm-3pm) or, at least, take enough water and sun protection with you.
Precautions:
Beware of pickpockets on trams and buses to Belém.
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