Portugal’s history is marked by its momentous voyages during the Age of Exploration. This storied seafaring past is embodied in the 16th-century Tower of Belem, a top tourist attraction outside the capital city of Lisbon that commemorates the historic 15th-century voyage to India by native son Vasco da Gama. Da Gama’s remains rest nearby in the Monastery of the Hieronymites, which contains the country’s lauded Maritime Museum where you can view models of marine vessels and naval uniforms. The monastery and tower are designated a World Heritage Site — each structure exemplifying Manueline architecture, the country’s short-lived signature style that incorporated maritime motifs like shells, ropes and anchors into a late Gothic schema.
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