The first time that we went to the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon, the line to get tickets and enter was so long that we decided to visit on another day. There were several tour buses parked outside of the monastery, so we ended up going to the Maritime Museum, the Tower of Belém, and the Monument of the Discoveries. When we went the second time to visit, we decided to go earlier in the day, and it definitely wasn’t as busy as the first time that we went by the monastery. It is certainly quite impressive and well worth taking the time to see.

The architecture of the Jerónimos Monastery is definitely dramatic and is in the Portuguese Gothic Manuline style, which incorporates maritime elements and pays homage to the Age of Discoveries. Walking the inner balconies that surround the center courtyard is very relaxing and beautiful. The Church of Santa Maria is connected next to the monastery and the artwork on the doorways is very detailed and there are many features dedicated to the Age of Discoveries. It requires a separate ticket to enter the church and since we were on a tight schedule the day that we visited, we didn’t actually enter the church.

The Jerónimos Monastery is a highlight to see when spending time in the Belém neighborhood of Lisbon. We spent about an hour walking through the monastery and enjoying all of the amazing architecture. Afterwards, we visited the Ajuda Palace, which is also located in the Belém neighborhood and worth visiting as well.