The Jeronimos Monastery provides the stunning backdrop for the Belém Antiques and Crafts Market. The monastery already pays homage to Belém's history, housing both the city's archaeology and maritime museums in its wings. Plus, the building itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most prominent examples of the Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline style of architecture in Lisbon. It is hard to imagine a more perfect area for an antique market, which takes over the gardens of this monastery for two Sundays every month.
With such a great location, the Belém Antiques and Crafts Market is often a popular spot for tourists to embark on a bit of shopping, and what better place to pick up a genuine piece of Portuguese history as a unique souvenir. Combining a treasure hunt at the antique market with a tour of the monastery and perhaps one or both of the museums makes for a perfect Sunday! In the surrounding streets, there are also plenty of restaurants and cafes with lovely terraces to sit out and take in the view of the wonderful historic buildings of the area. There are simply too many great excuses to stop by this market.
From the top of one row, the stalls at the Belém Antiques and Crafts Market seem to stretch on endlessly. There is a wonderful selection of antiques to browse through here, including porcelain, newspapers, chinaware, vintage books, collectible coins and stamps, vinyl collections, vintage photography equipment, watches, clocks, artwork, and so much more. Traders here are always happy to pass the time chatting with a fellow antiquing enthusiast and have plenty of information about their wares. Of course, a few skills with the local language will go a long way here.
The Belém Antiques and Crafts Market is open on Sunday throughout the year. Though the stalls are all covered, most of the walkways for shoppers are open to the elements, so it is definitely worth checking the weather forecast before heading here.
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