Aside form being home to imperial monuments and maritime wonders, Lisbon is also the entry point to several charming towns and sights. And like the rest of Western Europe, roads are organized and well-maintained, transportation is easy to find, and the spirit of adventure is high. * Cabo da Roca, apart from being one of the most dramatic looking coastlines I have ever seen, is more famously known as the westernmost point of Europe.

For Centuries, the Portuguese were the bravest explorers in all of Europe. Reaching the coasts of Africa, South America, South Asia, and even Japan, these explorers were fearless, to the point of being audacious! And being a nation of devout Catholics, Portugal would unsurprisingly have an Order whose sole task it was to pray and offer spiritual guidance for these brave souls. * At the center of this task of significant importance was the Monastery of Jeronimos.

Enduring for over six centuries, the Portuguese Empire was actually the first colonial empire of Europe, leading the continent's Age of Discovery. With superior cutting-edge maritime technology and having a who's-who of historical explorers and sailors, the Portuguese mapped out whole coasts of the Americas, Africa, and Asia, while its European rivals were still squabbling on the main land.  And Lisbon's Belem district, contains monuments and landmarks to this proud Portuguese legacy. * By far, the coolest monument in Belem is that of the Monument of the Discoveries; featuring some of the world's most important explorers and situated right on the port where ships used to depart for Africa, India, and the Orient.

At its height, the Portuguese Empire was one of the largest and most powerful empires in the world. Armed with superior seafaring technology and a lot of bravado, Portuguese explorers helped to establish the very first European colonies in South America, Africa, and Asia - directly starting the Age of Discovery and Colonialism . And at the heart of the Empire was the city of Lisbon . * Imagine yourself standing at the center of the world's most important city 600 years ago, think today's New York City. You would find yourself standing at the Praca do Comercio .