The Bassein fort was constructed in 1532 by Bahadur Shah, the sultan of Gujarat. Bassein was an important ship-building centre in the 17th century, the Marathas defeated the Portuguese here in 1739. The Portuguese fort now stands in ruins amidst the dense palm grove. 10 km away is the former Konkan capital (1500 B.C. to 1300 A.D) now known as Nalasopara village.

Nalasopara is believed to have been the birth place of the Buddha in a previous incarnation. Many Buddhist relics have also been found here. The Vajreshwari temple, the Akloli hot springs, the Sadguru Nityanand maharaj samadhi mandir at Ganeshpuri, the Bhimeshwar temple and other ashrams are at a short distance away from Bassein.

There are quite a few interesting churches, too, in Bassein, poignant reminders of the Portugeuse past. The churches of Nalasopara are a reminder of the Portuguese.