What to buy in Lisbon
When you can’t decide what to take home as a souvenir of your trip, remember the tried and true formula in Lisbon: food, drink and crafts.
Wine: white or red, though port is the best known. Produced in the Alto Duero region it is characterized by its sweetness and intense aroma. Red port wine is usually served with dessert, married with cheese or as a digestif. White is best appreciated as an aperitif. Widely used in haute cuisine and a good companion for hot chocolate, port is one of the most social drinks in the world.
“Vinhos verdes”, so called because of the green color of the vines, are fresh, light white wines, amber in color and produced in the Minho region in the northeast of the country. The best known is Alvarinho, similar to the Albariño of Galicia (Spain). It goes especially well with fish and shellfish.
Look out for it in specialist shops like the Galeria Wine Shop, Mercearia, Venha Vinho, Oficina do Vinho, Adivinho.
Ginjinha: cherry, sugar and cinnamon liqueur, originally from Lisbon and adored by the Portuguese as “grandmother’s magic cure-all”. It can be found in supermarkets, liquor stores and in the famous A Ginjinha bar, close to the Praça do Rossio.
Crafts: Portugal is also renowned for its handmade table linens and ceramics, although many of the items in shops today are touristy and over-priced. In the Baixa neighborhood, some traditional stores still exist where prices are more reasonable. One of the best is Arte da Terra, dedicated to the best in Portuguese crafts. Artists display their decorations, embroidery, dolls and more in such varied materials as wood, ceramic, iron, cork, fabric, stone…Every year it holds four or five exhibitions, notably Valentine’s Day in February (Lisbon is the city of lovers), Săo Antonio (June) and Christmas.
The Rooster of Barcelos: the traditional souvenir not only of Lisbon, but of all Portugal. In bright colors on a black background, it can be found decorating kitchen cloths, towels, aprons, as ornaments, keyrings, to predict the weather… something for all tastes and pockets.
Preserves: a city bathed by the Atlantic, fish preserves are typical all across the country, so a canned souvenir from the ocean makes excellent sense. In the center of the capital, Conserveira de Lisbon (from 1930) delights everyone who visits it. Cans of tuna, sardines, mackerel, whole or in mousse, hand wrapped in a vintage design paper, make an original and tasteful gift.
Belém Pastries: it is best to get them on the last day as they will probably last three days if it’s not too hot. Whether they are from Belém or any other bakery, they are the perfect sweet gift.
“Vinhos verdes”, so called because of the green color of the vines, are fresh, light white wines, amber in color and produced in the Minho region in the northeast of the country. The best known is Alvarinho, similar to the Albariño of Galicia (Spain). It goes especially well with fish and shellfish.
Look out for it in specialist shops like the Galeria Wine Shop, Mercearia, Venha Vinho, Oficina do Vinho, Adivinho.
Ginjinha: cherry, sugar and cinnamon liqueur, originally from Lisbon and adored by the Portuguese as “grandmother’s magic cure-all”. It can be found in supermarkets, liquor stores and in the famous A Ginjinha bar, close to the Praça do Rossio.
Crafts: Portugal is also renowned for its handmade table linens and ceramics, although many of the items in shops today are touristy and over-priced. In the Baixa neighborhood, some traditional stores still exist where prices are more reasonable. One of the best is Arte da Terra, dedicated to the best in Portuguese crafts. Artists display their decorations, embroidery, dolls and more in such varied materials as wood, ceramic, iron, cork, fabric, stone…Every year it holds four or five exhibitions, notably Valentine’s Day in February (Lisbon is the city of lovers), Săo Antonio (June) and Christmas.
The Rooster of Barcelos: the traditional souvenir not only of Lisbon, but of all Portugal. In bright colors on a black background, it can be found decorating kitchen cloths, towels, aprons, as ornaments, keyrings, to predict the weather… something for all tastes and pockets.
Preserves: a city bathed by the Atlantic, fish preserves are typical all across the country, so a canned souvenir from the ocean makes excellent sense. In the center of the capital, Conserveira de Lisbon (from 1930) delights everyone who visits it. Cans of tuna, sardines, mackerel, whole or in mousse, hand wrapped in a vintage design paper, make an original and tasteful gift.
Belém Pastries: it is best to get them on the last day as they will probably last three days if it’s not too hot. Whether they are from Belém or any other bakery, they are the perfect sweet gift.
Good Luck Rooster
The legend of the Rooster of Barcelos tells of a Galician pilgrim walking from Barcelos to Santiago de Compostela, who was accused of being a thief and condemned to death. As a last wish, he asked to see the judge, who was eating a roasted cock, and told him that, as proof of his innocence, the animal would begin to crow. The judge ignored his plea and when the prisoner was about to be hanged, the cock stood up and crowed. The judge ran to the gallows and found the pilgrim still alive, thanks to a poorly tied knot.Canning becomes fashionable
In the Can the Can restaurant, admired by the Portuguese preserves industry, canned foods are given gourmet treatment on the menu and also used as decoration: a chandelier made of hundreds of cans presides over the venue.Top 5 Hotels
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