According to the public company managing 38 national cultural sites since January 2024, visits have decreased from 5,157,404 in 2023 to 5,065,228 in 2024, marking a slight 1.8% decline, as stated in a communication released today by the entity.
“In a year marked by the complete or partial closure of several museums and monuments for rehabilitation works, mostly under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), the number of visitors showed signs of stabilization,” official figures indicate, revealing a reduction of 92,132 entries compared to 2023.
According to 2024 statistics, visitors with paid entry accounted for 66% of the total, with foreign tourists making up 55% of the total, further noted by MMP, an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
Among the most visited cultural sites in 2024 are four monuments: Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon, which leads again with 946,014 entries, followed by Sagres Fortress with 443,691 visitors, Belém Tower with 387,379 entries, and the Dukes of Braganza Palace in Guimarães with 376,331 visitors.
Among the sites listed as World Heritage – aside from Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower – the Batalha Monastery stands out with 354,905 visitors, the Convent of Christ in Tomar with 349,401, and the National Palace of Mafra, which received 216,097 entries in 2024.
In terms of museums, the National Tile Museum in Lisbon excelled by welcoming 297,203 visitors last year, along with the National Coach Museum/Royal Riding School in Lisbon, which had 219,506 entries.
