Hello Lisbon, Portugal. This 1.5 mile suspension bridge looks like the Golden Gate Bridge, right? If it weren’t’ for the famous Christ the King monument on the hill, I’d think I was in San Francisco.

We arranged a half day tour with Simply Transfer and Tour and Andre picked us up at the Lisbon cruise terminal. First stop was the famous Pasteis de Belem shop near the waterfront.  The Belem cakes are made from the original and secret recipe for the custard tarts.

In 1834, during the Liberal Revolution, Jeronimos Monastery was forced to close as were all convents and monasteries. The custard tarts had once been made by the Monks, and when the monastery closed, a local shop bought the recipe.  There are many custard tart shops in Portugal but in this shop the original recipe continues to be baked and the recipe is still a secret. They are so popular that the line can be long on weekends when 40,000 tarts are sold. They’re worth the wait with the flaky crust and sweet egg filling.

Jeronimos Monastery