Audio guide tour of Lisbon - English

The Belém Tower marked the maritime entrance to Lisbon during the height of Portuguese expansion. Fortress, checkpoint, and commemorative monument, it tells the story of the relationship between defense, trade, and imperial ambition.

The history of Lisbon is made up of conquests, maritime trade, catastrophes, and continuous reconstructions. This introduction tells how the Tagus, oceanic expansion, the earthquake of 1755, and popular culture have transformed the city over the cent... more

Praça do Comércio is one of the great symbols of the reconstruction of Lisbon after the earthquake of 1755. Overlooking the Tagus River, it narrates the transition from the medieval monarchical city to a modern, orderly capital designed by state powe... more

The National Palace of Ajuda tells the story of a monarchy that sought a new image after the destruction of the earthquake of 1755. Its unfinished design reflects the ambition, but also the growing fragility, of Portuguese royal power.

The Padrão dos Descobrimentos celebrates navigators, sovereigns, and protagonists of the Portuguese oceanic expansion. However, the monument also tells how the twentieth century selected and transformed the colonial past into a powerful national myth... more

The National Tile Museum tells the Portuguese story through one of its most recognizable artistic forms. Housed in the ancient Convent of Madre de Deus, it shows how the azulejo has become decoration, narrative, and a symbol of national identity.

The Fado Museum tells how music born in the popular and port districts became a cultural heritage of Portugal. The visit explores voices, instruments, and stories related to Alfama, Mouraria, and the Lisbon saudade.

The National Museum of Ancient Art gathers some of the most important testimonies of Portuguese artistic history. The museum shows how religion, monarchy, trade, and empire have contributed to the formation of the national cultural heritage.