5 Best Sights in Lisbon, Portugal

If you see only one historic landmark in Belém, make it this magnificent monastery. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a supreme example of the Manueline style (named after King Dom Manuel I), which represented a marked departure from earlier Gothic architecture. Much of it is characterized by elaborate sculptural details, often with a maritime motif. João de Castilho was responsible for the southern portal, which forms the main entrance to the church: the figure on the central pillar is Henry the Navigator. Inside, the spacious interior contrasts with the riot of decoration on the six nave columns and complex latticework ceiling. This is the resting place of both explorer Vasco da Gama and national poet Luís de Camões. Don't miss the Gothic- and Renaissance-style double cloister, also designed to stunning effect by Castilho.

Lisbon's austere Romanesque cathedral was founded in 1150 to commemorate the defeat of the Moors three years earlier. To rub salt in the wound, the conquerors built the sanctuary on the spot where Moorish Lisbon's main mosque once stood. Note the fine rose window, and be sure to visit the 13th-century cloister and the treasure-filled sacristy, which contains the relics of the martyr St. Vincent, among other things. According to legend, the relics were carried from the Algarve to Lisbon in a ship piloted by ravens; the saint became Lisbon's official patron. The cathedral was originally built in the Romanesque style of the time but has undergone several rebuilds and refurbishments over the years, and today its rather eclectic architecture includes Gothic, baroque, and neoclassical adornments. Visitors are expected to dress respectfully.

A standout on Lisbon's skyline, this gleaming white basilica was built in the baroque and neoclassical styles. Its location at the top of one of Lisbon's seven hills makes for dramatic views from its rococo zimbório (dome). It was built at the end of the 18th century under the command of Queen Maria I (whose tomb lies within the building) to fulfill a religious promise she made while praying for a male heir. The interior is striking, too, with black-and-pink marble walls and floors and a famously elaborate nativity scene displayed year-round. Estrela is a short walk west of Largo do Rato, where the metro's Yellow Line terminates.

The Italianate facade of the twin-towered St. Vincent's Monastery heralds an airy church with a barrel-vault ceiling, the work of accomplished Italian architect Filippo Terzi (1520–97), finally completed in 1704. Its superbly tiled cloister depicts the fall of Lisbon to the Moors. The monastery also serves as the pantheon of the Bragança dynasty, which ruled Portugal from the restoration of independence from Spain in 1640 to the declaration of the republic in 1910. It's worth the admission fee to climb up to the rooftop terrace for a look over Alfama, the dome of the nearby Santa Engrácia, and the river. Guided tours of around 90 minutes run Tuesday to Sunday for a modest extra charge; be sure to reserve in advance.

Completed in 1574, this church and museum was one of the earliest Jesuit buildings in the world and today is home to one of Portugal's most comprehensive collections of religious art. While the exterior is somewhat plain and austere, the inside is dazzling, with abundant use of gold and marble. Eight side chapels have statuary and art dating from the early 17th century. The last chapel on the left before the altar is the extraordinary 18th-century Capela de São João Baptista (Chapel of St. John the Baptist), designed and built in Rome. The chapel was taken apart, shipped to Lisbon, and reassembled here in 1747.