The Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon’s Belem district is the supreme masterpiece of Manueline architecture, the ornate Portuguese Gothic style that celebrates the nation’s Age of Discovery. Commissioned by King Manuel I in 1501 and funded by the wealth of the spice trade, the monastery took nearly a century to complete and served as the spiritual home of the Hieronymite monks who provided spiritual guidance to sailors departing on their perilous voyages. The south portal is a riot of carved limestone featuring maritime motifs, exotic vegetation, armillary spheres, and the cross of the Order of Christ, all woven together in a density of decoration that borders on the hallucinatory.

Inside, the cloisters are the undisputed highlight: a two-story masterwork of filigree stonework where every column, arch, and balustrade is carved with fantastical creatures, ropes, anchors, and organic forms inspired by the flora of newly discovered lands. The church nave, which can be entered for free through a separate door, features soaring net-ribbed vaulting supported by slender octagonal pillars that create the impression of a stone forest. Here you will find the ornate tombs of Vasco da Gama and the poet Luis de Camoes, two figures who defined Portugal’s golden age on sea and on the page.

Pro tip: Combine your visit with the nearby Pasteis de Belem bakery, where the original Portuguese custard tart has been made since 1837 using a secret recipe from the monastery’s monks. The line often stretches out the door, but it moves quickly and the tarts, served warm with a dusting of cinnamon, are worth every moment of the wait.