Jerónimos Monastery Opening Hours, Closed Days & Holidays
Jerónimos Monastery is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 AM, closing around 6:00 PM in summer (May–September) and 5:30 PM in winter (October–April), with last entry roughly 30 minutes before closing. It is closed every Monday and on several public holidays. The church of Santa Maria de Belém keeps its own, shorter hours and is free to enter.
There are two schedules to know at Jerónimos: the ticketed cloisters, which set the main opening hours, and the free church, which opens on a narrower timetable and can close for services. Getting the difference right — and remembering the Monday closure — saves a wasted trip to Belém.
This guide sets out the 2026 opening hours, the last-entry cut-off, the weekly closed day, and the public holidays when the monastery shuts.
Hours at a Glance
| Part of the site | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cloisters (ticketed) | Tue–Sun, 9:30 AM–6:00 PM (summer) / 5:30 PM (winter) | Closed Mondays; last entry ~30 min before |
| Church (free) | Tue–Sun, shorter hours | May close during services |
Published closing times vary slightly between sources and by season, so confirm your date on the official site before visiting.
Cloister Opening Hours
The Jerónimos cloisters are open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 AM, closing around 6:00 PM from May to September and around 5:30 PM from October to April. Last admission is about 30 minutes before closing. The cloisters are closed every Monday, so plan your visit for any other day of the week.
The monastery runs a six-day week, closing on Mondays — the most common reason visitors arrive to find the gate shut. On open days the cloisters admit visitors from 9:30 AM, with the closing time stepping down from about 6:00 PM in the warmer months to about 5:30 PM in winter. Because a proper visit takes an hour or more, don’t treat last entry as a real arrival time; our guide on how long to spend helps you judge it, and the best time to visit covers the quietest windows.
The Church’s Separate Hours
The church of Santa Maria de Belém is free but keeps shorter hours than the ticketed cloisters, and it can close at short notice for Mass and other services. It has its own entrance and queue, separate from the cloister ticket line. If seeing the church matters to you, arrive earlier in the day and check for scheduled services.
The church opens on a narrower timetable than the cloisters and may pause visits during religious services, so it is worth building in some flexibility. It has a separate, free entrance to the right of the ticketed entrance, and this is also where you’ll find the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões. Our guide to the church of Santa Maria de Belém explains what to look for inside.
Last Admission
Last entry to the cloisters is roughly 30 minutes before the posted closing time, and staff begin clearing the galleries as closing approaches. Since most visits run an hour or more, aim to arrive at least 90 minutes before closing for an unhurried visit — and ideally in the morning, when Belém is quieter. A pre-booked timed slot from the entrance ticket locks in your arrival window.
Closed Days and Public Holidays
Jerónimos Monastery is closed every Monday and on 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 13 June (Lisbon’s Saint Anthony’s Day) and 25 December. On all other dates it follows its seasonal Tuesday–Sunday hours. Hours can also be adjusted on some holiday eves, so check ahead if your visit falls near a Portuguese public holiday.
Beyond the weekly Monday closure, the monastery shuts on five public holidays: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, 1 May (Labour Day), 13 June (Saint Anthony’s Day, a Lisbon city holiday) and Christmas Day. If your trip falls near one of these dates, confirm the schedule in advance, since hours are occasionally trimmed around them. For getting there on the day, our guide on how to reach Jerónimos covers the tram, bus and train options to Belém.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Jerónimos Monastery’s opening hours?
The cloisters are open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 AM, closing around 6:00 PM in summer and 5:30 PM in winter, with last entry about 30 minutes before closing. The monastery is closed every Monday. The free church keeps shorter hours and can close for services, so check the official site for your date.
Is Jerónimos open on Mondays?
No. Jerónimos Monastery is closed every Monday, along with a handful of public holidays. The free church is also closed on those days. If you’re in Belém on a Monday, you can still walk the gardens and see the exterior, and visit nearby sights, but not the cloisters or church interior.
What time does the monastery close?
Closing is around 6:00 PM from May to September and around 5:30 PM from October to April, with last admission roughly 30 minutes earlier. Published times vary a little between sources, so treat these as a guide and confirm the exact hours on the official site close to your visit.
When does the monastery close for holidays?
Jerónimos is closed on 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 13 June (Saint Anthony’s Day) and 25 December. Hours may also be reduced on some holiday eves. If your visit is near a Portuguese national or Lisbon city holiday, check the schedule ahead of time.
What time is last entry?
Last admission to the cloisters is about 30 minutes before the posted closing time. Because a full visit takes an hour or more, arriving at last entry leaves you rushed. Aim to arrive at least 90 minutes before closing, and ideally soon after the 9:30 AM opening when it’s quietest.
Are the church and cloisters open at the same times?
Not exactly. The ticketed cloisters set the main hours, while the free church opens on a shorter timetable and can pause for services. If you want to see both, come earlier in the day and start with whichever has a shorter line when you arrive.
Do I need to book a time slot?
Cloister admission is by timed entry, and slots can sell out at peak times, so booking ahead is sensible in high season. A pre-booked ticket also saves you the long on-the-day line, which can exceed an hour in summer. Off-season you can often buy on arrival without much wait.
