What was Christopher Columbus looking for when he set sail in 1492?

When Christopher Columbus set sail in 1492, he was seeking a western route to Asia, specifically to access the lucrative spice trade. He believed that by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean, he could reach the East Indies more directly. Columbus was motivated by the promise of wealth and the spread of Christianity, as well as the potential for new trade routes. Instead of reaching Asia, he landed in the Bahamas, marking the beginning of European exploration in the Americas.