Lisbon sightseeing tickets: Belém, the Oceanário and the Lisboa Card

Quick answer

Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower are both in Belém and both closed on Mondays, so put them together on any day from Tuesday to Sunday. The Oceanário de Lisboa is on the other side of the city in Parque das Nações and opens every day. Get the Lisboa Card only if your list of included sights and transport rides adds up to more than the card for the hours you'll use it.

How do I visit Jerónimos Monastery?

The monastery's official hours come in two schedules, because the cloister and the church open at different times:

• The ticket office closes at 4:30pm.
• The monastery is closed on Mondays and on 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 13 June and 25 December.

You can book entry online. Here's what the ticket page lists:
- It covers the 16th-century cloister and the former monks' refectory.
- It does not cover the National Museum of Archaeology next door, and it is not fast-track.
- With the e-ticket you can go straight to the monastery entrance, with no stop at a ticket desk.
- You may still wait outside in high season, even with a time slot.
- At the time of checking, it was non-refundable and could not be rescheduled.

How do I visit Belém Tower?

According to its official page, Belém Tower is open Tuesday to Sunday until 5:30pm. It has the same closing days as Jerónimos: Mondays, 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 13 June and 25 December. The page gives two different opening times (9:00am and 9:30am), so check it before an early visit.

You can book this ticket for the tower:
- It covers the tower, the Governor's and King's Chambers, the chapel, and the lower and upper batteries.
- The ticket page warns that queues outside can be long even with a time slot, especially in high season, and that there is very little seating outside. Bring water and sun or rain protection.
- At the time of checking, it was non-refundable and could not be rescheduled.

When should I visit the Oceanário de Lisboa?

According to its official FAQ, the Oceanário is open every day, 10:00am–8:00pm, with last entry at 7:00pm. Hours are different on 24, 25 and 31 December and on 1 January.

• Price: Tickets cost less later in the day. The late-afternoon slot is the cheapest, so if you're flexible, aim for later.
• Getting there: It's at Doca dos Olivais in Parque das Nações, a few minutes' walk from Oriente station (metro red line, plus buses and trains).
• Rules: You can take photos, but not with flash, and selfie sticks aren't allowed. You can't bring food into the visit route. There are paid lockers for bags.

You can book entry to the permanent and temporary exhibitions. At the time of checking, it was non-refundable and could not be rescheduled.

Is the Lisboa Card worth it?

The Lisboa Card is sold for 24, 48 or 72 hours, according to the official card page.

What it covers:
- Transport: Unlimited Carris buses and trams, the metro (including the airport transfer), and CP trains to Sintra and Cascais.
- Sights: Free entry to a list of sights that includes Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower.
- Discounts: Other places give a discount instead. For example, the official discount list shows 15% off the Oceanário, not free entry.
- Not included: The ticket page lists the ferries across the Tagus as excluded.

Two catches (both in the card's FAQ):
1. You must book time slots for Jerónimos and Belém Tower, and you can only do that after exchanging your voucher for the physical card in Lisbon. Daily entries for cardholders are limited.
2. If you buy through Tiqets, you exchange the mobile voucher at an Ask Me Lisboa point. These include the tourist office in the arrivals hall at Lisbon Airport and the offices at Praça do Comércio and Cais do Sodré.

How to decide:
1. Write down what you'll actually do in the 24, 48 or 72 hours.
2. Add up the separate tickets and transport fares.
3. Compare that total with the card price on the ticket page.

The card tends to pay off on days with Belém, several included museums and a lot of transport (or a train to Sintra or Cascais). It's less useful for a slow day or one built around the Oceanário.

You can buy the card online. At the time of checking, you could cancel or reschedule until 23:59 on the day before your selected date.

For a first look at the card alongside the metro and Tram 28E, see Getting around Lisbon on your first trip.

A simple way to group these sights

Before you go

• Don't plan Belém on a Monday.
• Treat the Tiqets tickets for Jerónimos, Belém Tower and the Oceanário as non-refundable, and lock in your dates first.
• If you buy the Lisboa Card, collect the physical card first, then book your Jerónimos and Belém slots.
• Check the official pages for holiday closures before you travel.

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