What to bring from Portugal: tips for tourists

Portugal is a charming European country with a rich history, original culture, picturesque landscapes and an extremely hospitable people. Everyone who goes on a tourist trip, wants to share a piece of his impressions with loved ones. The best way is to make a gift that personifies this country and conveys its atmosphere. If you are wondering what to bring from Portugal, this article will help to get some ideas.

Cork items

Contrary to popular belief cork oak is used not only for the production of bottle closures. This is an unsurpassed material from which various unique souvenirs, accessories and garments are made. The most common of these are all kinds of wallets, handbags, purses, glasses or mobile phones, cosmetic bags, hot dishes, hats and shoes. Also in souvenir shops you can find lighters, ballpoint pens, covers for notebooks, keyrings, business cards, cards, magnets and even jewelry. The list can be continued indefinitely, as products made from cork are not just original souvenirs, but quite practical things.

This excellent material has a number of features, such as repelling moisture, waterproofness, lightness, environmental friendliness, resistance to mechanical damage and ignition. In addition, it is pleasant to the touch and has a long service life. Thanks to special processing technologies, cork oak serves as a raw material for creating very high-quality products.

A significant part of the total volume of such products, represented on the world market, is produced in Portugal. You can buy them in special shops, at exhibitions or fairs. The average price for small cork items, such as wallets or notebooks, varies from 5 to 10 euros.

Azulezhu

Ceramic tiles decorated with ornate tiles are extremely unusual. The appearance of the first blue-and-white painted walls is rooted in the depths of the Middle Ages, when the lands of Portugal were under the rule of the Moors (Arabs and Berbers). At that time, painters painted only decorative elements: ornaments, symbolic patterns and geometric figures, as the image of living beings is contrary to the norms of Islam. Later, the influence of Arab culture gradually lost its power, and the artists began to embody on the walls of buildings various mythological stories and episodes of historical events.

Despite the fact that Azulezhu is just a ceramic tile, in Portugal it has turned from ordinary facing material into real masterpieces of art. As a souvenir, you can buy a small clay or ceramic exquisitely painted tiles of a square shape in blue and blue tones.

Souvenirs with sea symbols

Decorative items of marine themes are widespread on the Iberian Peninsula. Here you will find figures of dolphins, sea knots in glazed frames, plates with the image of ships, miniature caravels, trays in the form of fish, shells and objects made of them. Such souvenirs from Portugal are very symbolic, because they combine a piece of the country's cultural heritage and the endless abyss of the ocean.

Rooster of Barcelos

The Portuguese rooster is considered one of the national symbols. He personifies justice, honesty and decency. There is a medieval legend according to which an unjustly condemned and sentenced to death penalty wanderer from Spain took advantage of the right to the last word and decided to prove his innocence in a very unusual way. Since all previous exhortations and attempts to justify themselves were unsuccessful, during the stay in the judge's house, the accused accused in desperation exclaimed that all the accusers will be comprehended by God's punishment. Then he pointed to a roasted cock on the dinner table and said that the injustice of the charge would be proved when the bird revived and croaks. None of the present did not pay much attention to his words. But when the prisoner was brought to the gallows, his prophecy came true, the roasted cock came to life and thereby saved the wanderer.

If you have not yet figured out what to bring from Portugal as a gift to your loved ones, select the original statuette of the above-mentioned cockerel. You can buy it at any souvenir shop or ceramic shop.

Ceramic tableware

In addition to tiles and figurines, the cockerel in souvenir shops has a variety of Portuguese ceramics: tea and coffee sets, figurines, plates. The dishes are made in different styles. Here you can find both plain simple products, and unusual salads in the form of a leaf of cabbage or pineapple. Very popular are all kinds of plates and trays, painted in the azulezhu style. Also there are dishes with the image of architectural constructions of different cities.

Embroidery

Textiles with decorative embroidery occupy not the last place in the list of the best souvenirs and will certainly be appreciated by art lovers. The needlewomen of Madeira Island decorate themselves with napkins, tablecloths, aprons, kitchen potholders and towels, putting on them images of national symbols and unusual ornaments.

Filigree Jewelry

Filigree - the art of creating exquisite jewelry made of the finest gold or silver wire. Local masters have largely succeeded in this business and create truly unique and unique works of art. Prices depend on the manufacturer and materials. Certainly, gold plated jewelry will be cheaper than gold.

Alcoholic beverages

Portuguese wines, whose names are known around the world, will be a wonderful gift.

Port wine is a fortified wine that is produced in the north-eastern part of the country. This name can only be drunk, prepared according to a certain technology from grapes harvested in the valley of the Douro River. In this area, more than 80 varieties of grapes are grown, but only a few are used to make port. Exposure lasts from two years to several decades. During this period, the wine is stored in oak barrels, special fermentation vats or bottles. Different varieties of grapes, maturing methods and aging conditions characterize the abundance of styles of port, each of which has its own unique features.

The palm of superiority for taste qualities belongs to the port of category Vintage. For the production of this wine, the selected grape of the best harvest is used. The vintage port is aged in oak barrels for two years, after which it is bottled, where it ripens for several more years, acquiring a subtle, unique aroma and mild taste.

Madera is a unique wine with strong characteristics, which is produced on the island of Madeira. For manufacturing, only four grape varieties are used: Cresial, Boal, Malvasia and Verdelho. There are many varieties of Madeira: from dry to dessert, from light amber to dark red. The technology of production involves heating in special furnaces to a certain temperature and aging in barrels, which gives the drink a unique fullness of taste.

Vinho Verde - vinyu-verde, which in Portuguese means "green wine". Its name is not due to color, but to a short period of aging. This white dry wine, which is produced from unripe grapes in the north of the country, in the province of Minho. Light, slightly sparkling drink with a fresh fragrance over the fortress does not exceed 9%. This unique green wine is preferably uncorked soon after the acquisition, until it has lost its freshness. The table is served chilled and is mainly used as an aperitif.

Exotic fruits

Cherimoya is one of the most delicious exotic fruits. The tender juicy pulp of a ripe fruit combines a whole gamut of delicious flavors. You can taste the taste of pineapple, strawberry, banana, papaya, mango and cream. In a frozen form, it resembles sherbet due to its consistency, due to what this fruit got the second name - "ice cream tree". However, it should be remembered that cherimoy seeds are poisonous. Used in a cut with a teaspoon. Also widely used in the manufacture of desserts, drinks and salads.

When buying fruit, it is advisable to give preference to hard, slightly immature fruit. Especially this applies to those residents of Russia who plan to bring the fruits intact and intact. After a flight Moscow - Lisbon takes more than five hours.

Bananas is a tropical fruit of a creeper known as a monster. It grows mainly on the island of Madeira. The locals call it Fruto delicioso, which in Portuguese means "exquisite taste". The aroma and taste qualities like a banana with pineapple.

Portuguese Products

Portuguese olive oil in its characteristics and taste is not inferior to the Spanish and Italian. This is an integral part of the national cuisine. Olive trees of different varieties are grown in six regions. Local residents add it to almost all dishes, using as a dressing for salads, for frying meat, vegetables and cooking other dishes. If you plan to purchase it as a presentation, it is recommended to choose a metal box. First, it will facilitate the transportation process, and secondly, such packages have a beautiful gift design.

There is an opinion that among Europeans the most coffee is consumed by the Portuguese. Almost every local resident drinks 4-5 cups of strong coffee every day. If you have not decided what to bring from Portugal, coffee is a great choice. In quality, it is not inferior to its Latin American counterparts. You can buy it in any supermarket. However, if you are in Lisbon, it's best to go to the Carioca store.

Seasonings are indispensable ingredients in Portuguese cuisine. It is all sorts of spices and spices that give national dishes sophistication and uniqueness. Therefore, if you want to recreate one of the culinary masterpieces at home and please them with your loved ones, you can not do without seasonings.

In addition to the above, seafood, canned fish, cheese, olives are also widely used. Prices here are average European, because the rest of Europe uses the same currency as Portugal (euro).

National sweets

Portugal is famous for its delicacies. The choice of sweets here is very huge. The most famous cakes are Pasteush de Belem and Pasteash de Nata. Also in the Portuguese cafe, known as "pastelaria", you can buy almond cookies, bolo de chalk (honey cake) and other sweets. The main ingredients from which most types of cookies and cakes are made are sugar, egg yolks and almonds. About transportation and safety of delicacies during the trip is not worth worrying, as for tourists cakes are packed in special cardboard packages.

Soap

Another interesting idea of what to bring from Portugal - handmade soap. It is not just a natural hygiene product with cosmetic and medicinal properties, but a real brand. Some companies are engaged in the manufacture of this product since the 19th century, bringing the production technology to perfection. In addition to the fact that a genuine Portuguese soap with natural oils has a delicate flower or fruity aroma, it is available in stylish packages. The gift sets can also include scented candles, oceanic salt, body scrubs, liquid soap, perfume water, shaving cream. It is desirable to buy such products in specialized stores.

Clothes and footwear

In this country, things are made of the highest quality. Many designer and branded products in quality are not inferior to their Italian and French counterparts. At the same time, prices in Portugal are more affordable than in other European countries. Here you can buy warm woolen sweaters and hats, leather bags, gloves, handmade shoes, hats, silk shawls with hand embroidery and much more.

General information

To all who are going on a trip, it is advisable to speak one of the languages spoken in the country: Portuguese, English or Spanish. There is also a regional language - Miranda, refers to the Romanesque branch, has the status of the second national language of a country such as Portugal. The euro is the main currency put into circulation in 2002, but there are also local banknotes called "Portuguese euro coins."

Those who are planning to find inexpensive tickets Moscow - Lisbon, should take care of this in advance. One of the best ways to save money is to choose connecting flights with a transfer in one of the European countries.

In addition to the above items and products, there are quite romantic and non-standard ideas. For example, in the westernmost point of Europe in Cabo da Roca (Cape Roca) you can get a personal certificate that you have visited the edge of the earth. To give an unambiguous answer to the question what to bring from Portugal is almost impossible. Each traveler will find something unusual and memorable for himself.