Tower of Belém, at Restelo Beach, where the Portuguese enbarked in the famous long voyage to India, arriving in 1498. This tower dates from the 15th century, (1514) the peak of the Portuguese Discoveries.

The 14th, 15th and 16th Centuries was a decisive time that shaped what Portugal is today as a country and as a nation. The Portuguese discoveries began in 1415, with the purpose of conquering Ceuta, in the north coast of Africa, as a strategy to control whoever got in and out of the Mediterranean Sea, but also to expand the Christian faith and look out for precious metals, as Europe was running low on them. But they weren't alone. Spain, England and the Netherlands also wanted to conquer, and they did. But Spain and Portugal were the biggest empires in the whole world, and by 1494, they shared the globe.Then the Tordesilhas Treaty was signed which stated that all land found 370 leagues west from Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) islands would be property of the Castille Empire, and the East, the Portuguese Empire's. This made it easier for Vasco da Gama, our very praised sailor and explorer, to reach India by sea and establish trades with the country. 

With time, the Portuguese settled in the cities of Goa, Daman and Diu, and even some islands of Mumbai (now Bombay) were gifted to the Portuguese. There are still Portuguese Indians there that claim Portuguese heritage!

in 1500, Brazil was discovered "by accident" when Pedro Álvares Cabral was trying to sail to India.

The Portuguese were also the first Europeans to have contact with China, Japan and Indonesia, establishing trade among them.

By the end of the 15th Century, Portugal ruled over Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tangier, Agadir, Goa, Daman and Diu, a small part of Sri Lanka, Malacca, Macau, Moluccas, Timor Nagasaki and many more. They are all now independent but they still have small groups of Portuguese descendants that speak Portuguese. Specifically Angola, Mozambique, Brazil, Timor and Macau.

The last three gained independence in the 20th century with the end of the dictatorship we had from 1933 to 1974. (also more on that later!)