Last Updated on sixteenth February 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
Portugal is a wonderful nation in southwest Europe which is especially well-known for its vibrant structure, tasty mediterranean impressed delicacies, and pleasant climate. And so, if you happen to’re visiting the southwestern European nation and need to take a chunk of Portugal house with you, listed below are a number of the greatest souvenirs from Portugal you’ll need to buy throughout your journey!
Souvenirs from Portugal
Azulejos (tiles)
Scan by means of any picture album of Portugal and also you’ll quickly see that many cities everywhere in the nation are coated in lovely tiles, with the extra conventional ones being intricate designs of blue and white.
Some of probably the most well-known examples of azulejos in Portugal may be discovered within the National Palace of Sintra, which has over 136,000 tiles. You should buy your very personal tile to take house for adornment at one of many many tile outlets scattered throughout Portugal.
Barcelos Rooster
The nationwide image for Portugal is the rooster and so that you’ll usually come throughout depictions of the rooster when exploring the whole thing of the nation. As such, one of the crucial Portuguese-themed souvenirs you should buy throughout your journey is one thing with a rooster on it.
The commonest Barcelos Rooster memento (additionally recognized regionally because the Galo de Barcelos) is a painted ceramic statue, although numerous different objects are additionally bought which depict a rooster, together with fridge magnets, mugs, and stationery.
Cork merchandise
With roughly 55% of the world’s cork provide produced within the nation, Portugal stands as one of many largest cork producers globally, and extra particularly, the Alentejo area.
This makes Portugal a wonderful place to search out an in depth vary of cork-made merchandise reminiscent of luggage, wallets, and footwear, amongst different issues. If you’re in search of one thing smaller and moveable to slot in your suitcase, then a coin purse is one other widespread cork product you should purchase as a memento for a low price.
Ginja
Ginja (also referred to as Ginjinha) is a well-liked cherry liqueur from Portugal, and extra particularly Lisbon, that’s sometimes served in a small cup (with a cherry within the backside if you happen to so favor). You can discover this conventional drink in lots of bars and cafes, and in addition bottled to carry again house as a reminiscence of your journey.
Gold and silver filigree jewelry
Filigree jewelry is famend for its beautiful and complex designs, that includes delicate metalwork that creates beautiful patterns and textures. Portugal has a wealthy heritage of filigree craftsmanship, courting all the way in which again to no less than 2000 BCE (that is when the earliest examples found date from).
From necklaces, bracelets, earrings to rings, there’s a numerous choice of filigree jewelry obtainable to swimsuit all kinds and tastes. The space of the nation which is most-associated with these type of equipment is northern Portugal, reminiscent of in villages like Gondomar, Braga and Travassos.
Handmade lace
Handmade lace has been part of Portugal’s wealthy cultural heritage for hundreds of years, and is commonly used to create lovely tablecloths, doilies, and different ornamental objects.
The nation boasts a wide selection of retailers and markets the place you’ll find distinctive handmade lace merchandise, reflecting the nation’s conventional craftsmanship and inventive aptitude.
Madeira Embroidery
Known regionally as Bordado Madeira, embroidery is a standard craft that has been handed down for generations on the island of Madeira, although the wares are additionally bought throughout mainland Portugal. You can discover lovely embroidered objects reminiscent of tablecloths, handkerchiefs, and clothes.
Our Lady of Fatima statue
For those that are spiritual, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima is a well-liked memento from Portugal. The statue signifies the apparition of the Virgin Mary to a few shepherd youngsters on the Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917.
Many vacationers and pilgrims journey to the Sanctuary of Fatima, the location of the apparition, to pay their respects and purchase souvenirs reminiscent of replicas of Our Lady of Fatima. These statues can fluctuate in dimension and design.
Paupério Cookies
For over a century, Paupério Cookies have been a beloved Portuguese delicacy and at the moment are the most effective candy treats to purchase as a memento out of your journey.
Founded in 1874, this family-owned enterprise has been producing these conventional cookies utilizing solely the best substances. With an array of flavours, reminiscent of cinnamon, lemon, and chocolate, Paupério Cookies are crisp and lightweight.
Pastel de Nata
Sweet, creamy, and sufficiently small to be devoured in a single single indulgent mouthful, the pastel de nata is as emblematic of Lisbon as its many steep hills and standing because the capital of Portugal. Today, pastel de natas are bought throughout Portugal.
Many locals decide to devour their pastéis very first thing within the morning along with a shot of espresso (generally known as bica  -pronounced beeca- in Portuguese). This makes for the proper breakfast, although there is no such thing as a rule as to one of the best time of the day to eat one of many little custard egg tarts!
Though pasteis de natas (the plural time period for pastel de nata) are most likely greatest consumed as quickly after buy as you may eat them, they make for a fantastic memento if you happen to’re seeking to carry again
Port Wine
Produced within the Douro Valley area of northern Portugal for the reason that 1700s, Port wine is a candy wine that’s the excellent reward to carry house for the oenophile in your life. Port is often a bit stronger than your regular wine, with an alcoholic content material of between 19 and 22 %.
Port gained recognition within the nineteenth century, and as we speak is often served along with dessert. You can buy port bottles in numerous completely different sizes, although the most typical is a 75cl bottle.
Portuguese cheese
Cheese won’t essentially be one of the best memento from Portugal, relying on potential restrictions on bringing dairy merchandise again to your property nation (and relying on how the cheese you purchase has been packaged).
With this being stated, if you happen to’re in a position to, there are a wide selection of mouthwatering cheese from Portugal, all of that are price sampling. Azeitão, Queijo da Serra, and Castelo Branco notably stand out.
Azeitão is a creamy, smooth cheese crafted from sheep’s milk and sometimes relished as a candy dessert when accompanied by honey. Queijo da Serra is a pungent, strong cheese, produced from uncooked sheep’s milk. Castelo Branco is a semi-hard cheese, often served along with bread and wine.
Portuguese hand-painted ceramics
Though not maybe the very first thing that springs to thoughts once you’re fascinated with bringing house a memento from Portugal, the nation has an extended and storied historical past of making lovely ceramics.
One of the preferred ceramic cities in Portugal is  Caldas da Rainha, which is positioned to the north of its capital metropolis of Lisbon. The space surrounding the city is thought for the abundance of clay in its soil and the ensuing pottery designs are flowers, countryside scenes, and sea-forward patterns.
The city of Bisalhães in northern Portugal is thought for its conventional black pottery, which is made utilizing historical methods. You can discover quite a lot of black pottery souvenirs in native outlets.
The Algarve can be well-known for its ceramic making historical past and also you’ll see loads of outlets promoting all method of pots, tableware, and ornament when driving alongside the Algarve. We notably loved perusing the outlets in Porches and acquired a serving dish for my sister’s Christmas current there!
Peri peri sizzling sauce
Originating from Portuguese-African delicacies, peri peri sauce (also referred to as Piri-piri or peli-peli) is a fiery and zesty condiment that mixes chilli peppers (the African Bird’s eye chilli), garlic, vinegar, and different spices.
It’s famed for its daring spiciness and is used to marinate or dip grilled meats, greens, and seafood. Though you can also make it at house, you too can purchase a bottle whereas in Portugal to carry house and recreate your entire favorite Portuguese dishes after you’ve left Portugal.
Portuguese olive oil
It’s believed that olive timber have been grown in Portugal for no less than 3000 years and there at the moment are 361,483 hectares of olive groves scattered throughout the southern European nation.
Thick, golden, and green-tined, Portuguese olive oil is essentially produced across the Alentejo area and are produced utilizing a mixture of completely different olive varieties. Over 50,000 tonnes of olive oil is produced on an annual foundation
Salt from Portugal
Dating again to Roman instances, Portugal has a wealthy heritage of salt manufacturing. The nation’s salt pans, or salinas as they’re recognized in Portuguese, are principally located alongside the southern coast.
The Algarve area, particularly, is famend for its hand-harvested sea salt, produced by means of conventional strategies. Portuguese salt is taken into account a high-end product, ceaselessly utilized in native delicacies reminiscent of codfish and grilled sardines. Tourists can buy a variety of artisanal Portuguese salt souvenirs, together with infused and flavoured salts.
Sardine themed merchandise
Portugal is the biggest canned sardine producer on the earth, with over 13,000 tons of sardines canned within the nation every year. You can discover quite a lot of sardine-themed souvenirs in Portugal, from tins of sardines to sardine coated mugs, and even sardine-shaped keychains.
One of the preferred sardine merchandise is sardine paté, which is referred to regionally as paté de sardinha. Other widespread tinned fish varieties embody mackerel, octopus, and tuna.
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Sophie Nadeau loves canine, books, journey, pizza, and historical past. A fan of all issues France associated, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the subsequent sundown shot or consuming one thing candy. She at present splits her time between Paris and London. Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.