Day 16: Belém, Portugal

It is my last day in Portugal.  I am ready to go home but have one last area to explore.  I am staying in Belém and booked a walking tour and no one else showed up so the tour became a private tour.

First stop:  Jerónimos Monastery

The Jerónimos Monastery or Hieronymites Monastery is a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the necropolis of the Portuguese royal dynasty of Aviz in the 16th century but was secularized on 28 December 1833 by state decree and its ownership transferred to the charitable institution, Real Casa Pia de Lisboa.

Sadly the Cathedral was closed due to renovations.

Across the street:  Pastéis de Belém

This is where pastel de nata started!  It is believed to have originated at the nearby Jerónimos Monastery; the bakery claims to have the original recipe, which is kept secret.  The story I was told was that when the monks were expelled from the city they sold the recipe to the bakery.  They are all hand made.  They had a display where you could watch them being made . . . these ladies were chatting and rolling dough.  

I found them very good.  It had a crunchy flaky crust even when cool with a firm texture center in middle not runny.  It is a good inexpensive treat! 

 

Next stop:  Padrão dos Descobrimentos

Short walk to:  Belém Tower

Since I was the only one on the tour it ended a bit early.  So I made my final stop at Pastéis de Belém.  I had time to waste so got in the long line to get a table . . . it moved fast!  I enjoyed my second pastel de nata of the day . . . I should have ordered more since this was probably my last chance while in Portugal!

If you are in Lisbon, Belém is a great way to spend a half day!  I walked back to the hotel to check-out and grab my bags to head to the airport.  My flight is super early so I am staying near the terminal so it is an easy walk in the morning.  It was a very basic hotel but clean.  Hotel Star Inn Lisbon Airport is a five minute walk to the terminal and the theme is American movies . . . 

. . . I was not sure what to think of all the over the top movie themes, but I must admit that small bottle of port wine was a good way to end my time in Portugal.  Oh and it was Graham's.