Every sail on the Tagus is a line of monuments seen from the water, and none of the boats land at them. Here is what you pass on Lisbon boat trips on the Tagus, west to east, and what each one is.
Most itineraries run between Belém Tower in the west and Praça do Comércio in the east, passing under the bridge on the way. Wherever you start, the monuments stand in this order, west to east:
How far east you get depends on your dock and on the wind. A one-hour sail from Belém turns back sooner than a two-hour sail. The skipper decides the route on the day.
Belém Tower stands in the river at the western edge of the city. It was built between 1514 and 1519 on a basalt outcrop some distance from the north bank, to defend the harbour mouth. UNESCO says the architect Francisco de Arruda built it to mark Vasco da Gama's voyage.
The tower and the nearby Jerónimos Monastery form one World Heritage property, inscribed in 1983. From the boat you see it from the river side, the way ships arriving saw it. On land it opens Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 to 17:30, and a ticket costs €15.
The Padrão dos Descobrimentos, the Monument to the Discoveries, is shaped like a caravel setting out to sea. Henry the Navigator stands at the prow, with 32 figures from the age of the Discoveries on the ramps behind him.
It is 56 m high. The first version was a temporary one, built for the 1940 Portuguese World Exhibition. The stone monument you see now went up in 1960, 500 years after Henry's death. It sits beside Doca de Belém, so if you sail from there you walk past it to your boat.
East of the Padrão you pass MAAT, the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, on Avenida Brasília, between the Padrão and the bridge. Several itineraries name it as a pass-by. It opens Wednesday to Monday, 10:00 to 19:00, and closes on Tuesdays.
The 25 de Abril Bridge is the suspension bridge you sail under. It opened on 6 August 1966 as the Ponte Salazar and took its present name after the revolution of 25 April 1974. Cars cross on the upper deck, and trains on a lower deck added in 1999.
| The bridge | Fact |
|---|---|
| Opened | 6 August 1966 |
| Name until 1974 | Ponte Salazar |
| Main span | About 1,013 m |
| Decks | Road above; a railway deck added in 1999 |
| Colour | The same International Orange as the Golden Gate Bridge |
| Toll | Northbound only, into Lisbon |
The docks at Santo Amaro and Alcântara sit at its northern end, so boats from there pass under it within minutes of leaving. From Belém or downtown, you reach it partway through the sail.
Cristo Rei is the statue of Christ with open arms on the Almada bank, facing Lisbon across the river. It was inaugurated on 17 May 1959. The whole monument is 110 m tall: a 28 m statue on an 82 m pedestal, standing 113 m above the river.
The boats do not cross to it, but you see it beside the bridge for most of the sail. On land, its viewpoint opens 10:00 to 18:00 from October to March, and to 19:00 from April to September.
Every boat passes these landmarks. Compare them by dock, drink and price.
East of the bridge, the riverfront opens onto Praça do Comércio, the arcaded square that faces the water. Behind it the old town climbs up the hills: the cathedral, São Jorge Castle and Alfama. Several listings name them as pass-bys from the water.
This is where the downtown boats start. From the Belém docks it is the far point of the sail, and on a short trip you may see it only from a distance.
Sit on the left going upriver. Heading east, the city is on your left and the Almada bank, with Cristo Rei, is on your right. On the way back they swap. At sunset the light is behind you going upriver, which is the best time for photos of the city.
If you miss one bank going out, you get it on the way back.
Dates and heights come from the monuments' own sites and from UNESCO's list entry. The bridge's opening, span and colour are from Wikipedia; its road and rail decks from Infraestruturas de Portugal. Hours were checked 29 September 2026.
Two hours at sunset on a 50- to 58-foot sailing yacht from Doca de Belém, with two drinks, snacks and a skipper and host who explain the city as you pass. Up to 14 aboard; book for two or more.
From $69 per person (minimum 2)
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Two hours on a sailing catamaran for up to 18 from Alcântara, with drinks, a live guide and a short pause off the riverside square downtown. Infant seats are available.
From $46 per person
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Two hours on a traditional Lisbon boat from the boat station downtown, with white wine served freely all the way. Up to 47 aboard, and the sunset departure is one of several a day.
From $40 per person
Check AvailabilityNext: see what to do before and after your sail, find your dock, or compare every boat on Lisbon Sailing Tours.