PORTUGAL
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Lisbon
Belém is synonymous with Portugal's golden Age of Discovery. It's from the shores of this Lisbon suburb that intrepid navigators set sail in the 15th and 16th centuries on long and perilous voyages to chart unknown waters and map new territories. One such mariner, Vasco da Gama, discovered the sea route to India in 1498 and to honor his achievement, King Manuel I commissioned a monument that became a lasting symbol of the country's astonishing era of conquest and expansion.
Oceanário de Lisboa, Lisbon
Arguably Portugal's most popular and family-friendly visitor attraction, Lisbon's oceanarium is brilliantly conceived to highlight the world's diverse ocean habitats. This is one of Europe's best and largest oceanariums, containing a vast array of fish and marine animals. Four separate sea- and landscapes recreate the ecosystems of the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Antarctic oceans. A huge central tank, visible from different levels, and many other finned wonders and denizens of the deep.
Palácio Nacional de Sintra, Lisbon Coast
Nestling in the lap of a wooded mountain range, Sintra's stunning location is reason enough to visit this charming, verdant town. Indeed, UNESCO acknowledges the destination as a World Heritage cultural landscape such is its beauty and the significance of the collection of historic visitor attractions clustered in and around the old town, Sintra Velha. A favorite summer retreat for the kings and queens of Portugal and an alluring destination for numerous writers and poets, Sintra exudes romance.
Torre de Belém, Lisbon
One of Portugal's best-loved historic monuments and a Lisbon icon, the Torre de Belém stands as a symbol of the Age of Discovery and the voyages of exploration undertaken in the 15th and 16th centuries.Completed in 1521 as a fortress to defend the approaches to the River Tagus, the tower is regarded as a masterpiece of military architecture. Designed in the Manueline style by Francisco de Arruda, the façade is a confection of beautifully carved stone, typified by maritime motifs such as twisted rope and the armillary sphere.