An Anti-racist Tour of Belém

Lisbon's Imperial Neighborhood.

A district built to celebrate empire, and to forget who paid the cost.

“Lisbon’s Belém neighborhood features some of Portugal’s most famous monuments. But many of these striking structures were funded by, participated in, or were built to commemorate the Portuguese Empire.

The Portuguese Empire was the first of the modern European colonial empires, and a visit to Belém is the perfect opportunity to unpack the complex histories and modern impacts of Portuguese imperialism, colonialism, and slavery.

Please Note: Our Anti-racist Tour of Belém features frank discussions of the Portuguese Empire including topics such as: slavery, the damage colonialism did around the world, and the moral and ethical complexities of commemorating European Empires.”

Tour Highlights

A famous black-and-white image of Belem taken in 1974; the Monument to the Discoveries in Belem is surrounded by crates owned by people fleeing the African colonies after the Empire's collapse.

Travel to Belém on one of Lisbon’s trams, busses, or famous electric trolleys.
Begin at the often-overlooked Monument to Overseas Combatants, to see the cost of Empire at its very end.
Visit the Monument to the Discoveries, a fascist-era celebration of the Portuguese “Age of Discovery.”
Sample Belém’s world-famous pastries, the pastel de Belém, the “original” Portuguese custard tart.
Tour the world-famous gothic Jerónimos Monastery, built by imperial taxes and housing the tomb of Vasco da Gama.
Visit the Tower of Belém, the gateway to Lisbon from which Portuguese explorers and colonizers departed.*
Enjoy a traditional Portuguese lunch.

^{* Note: Due to excessive wait times, this tour views the Tower of Belém from the exterior and does not go inside.}

An All-inclusive Private Tour

Belém Portuguese Empire Tour length: 6 hours (including transportation to and from Lisbon city center).
We will meet you at your accommodations in Lisbon, from which point we will travel to and from Belém on public transportation.
An all-day ticket for the Lisbon public transportation network.
A private fully-guided tour by a professional historian.
Entry tickets for all sites.
Pastries from the world-famous Pasteis de Belém.
Lunch at a traditional Portuguese restaurant.

Price

Please select group size

Price per person (USD)