This paper discusses how, driven by a desire for spices, Portugal and, later, Spain, took the lead in launching voyages to discover a direct ocean route to the Indies and how the expeditions of Portugal and Spain opened a great period of exploration and eventually led to the colonization of America by Europeans. In particular, it looks at how the countries differed in terms of the lands discovered, the people involved in their discovery, and the intentions behind these voyages of discovery. It also shows how the main differences between Portugal’s and Spain’s Ages of Discovery are geographical, economic, and the approach taken towards the voyages.