Jerónimos Monastery Tickets

Once you have flashed your Jerónimos Monastery tickets at the entrance, you can spend as much time as you like inside. Most people spend between 1 to 3 hours exploring this 500-year-old architectural masterpiece. Its sheer size is almost as impressive as its history!

The best time to use your Jerónimos Monastery tickets is in the morning when it first opens. This way you should beat the crowds. The Jerónimos Monastery is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Lisbon, so if you go too late, there will be a lot of other tourists!

The Jerónimos Monastery has a storied past and is a famous and much-loved Lisbon landmark. Here are three Jerónimos Monastery facts you might not know:

The recipe for pastéis de nata was created here

Portugal’s favorite and tastiest pastry was created by the monks who used to live in the monastery. The recipe for pastéis de nata (also known as pastéis de Belém) was developed over more than 100 years before it was first recorded in the 1830s.

It took 100 years to build

The Jerónimos Monastery was built over the course of the 1500s and was no small construction project. There was a 5% tax on commerce from Africa and the Orient to help fund the project which amounted to around 70 kg of gold per year, so architects weren't limited to small-scale plans!

It's an ode to the Age of Discoveries

Portugal’s King Manuel I ordered for the monastery to be built where the navigator Vasco da Gama and his team of travelers spent their last night in Portugal, before setting off for India. It was the first trip from Europe to India by way of the Atlantic Ocean.

• UNESCO declared Jerónimos Monastery a World Heritage Site in 1983

• Designed by Diogo de Boitaca, a Portuguese architect, to commemorate the return of Vasco da Gama from India

• The tomb of Vasco da Gama can be found inside Jerónimos Monastery

• It took nearly 100 years to complete construction

• One of the most visited attractions in Lisbon

Jerónimos Monastery is one of the top attractions in Lisbon. Booking tickets in advance is the best way to prepare for your visit to this remarkable site.

While admission to the church is free, you'll need a ticket to access the cloisters and the adjoining museum.

Select the right Jerónimos Monastery ticket for you:

• An entry ticket allows access to the church, cloisters, and refectory

• A Lisbon city card can get you into Jerónimos Monastery, plus access to several other attractions in Lisbon and unlimited public transport

• See Jerónimos Monastery along the way on a guided tour of Lisbon with an expert historian, or explore on your own with a self-guided option

• Closed on Mondays

• There's free parking in front of the monastery, but it fills up fast

• Get there with public transport; tram and bus stops are within short walking distance

• Avoid the crowds and visit in the afternoon before closing

• Pre-booked ticketholders and tours get preferential access in the morning

• Tickets are difficult to get on-site – book in advance to avoid the hassle