Local Culture in Portugal

04/01/2016

Discovering the Best of Local Culture in Portugal

Eight centuries of history are not easily grasped, but a carefully designed itinerary to discover the most captivating aspects of local culture in Portugal can be a good start.

The fascinating faces of Local Culture in Portugal

Somewhere between well-preserved tradition and trendy contemporariness, local culture in Portugal can be captivating. In Lisbon’s urban context, but also in the capital’s dazzling surroundings, like Azeitão, Sintra, or the fishing village of Ericeira, and in the rural atmosphere of Alentejo, there is more than one reason to dwell into the fascinating aspects of the lively, ever-evolving Portuguese local culture

Highlights of Local Culture in Portugal around Lisbon

The cosmopolitan city of Lisbon attracts more and more visitors, but its less known, un-spoilt surroundings can be a truly exciting discovery as well. Cheese making in Azeitão or fishing with the locals in Cascais are just some of the experiences awaiting the curious traveller. Thanks to the incredibly welcoming character of the Portuguese people, visitors wanting to know more about local culture in Portugal will feel like locals and experience some memorable moments, indulging in a gastronomic tour to sample the traditional flavors that make Portuguese local culture so unique, tasting some superb wines and learning about the wine making process with the producers, and discovering the richness of Portuguese arts and crafts in traditional pottery and azulejos workshops, among many other incredible experiences to live and understand the spirit of local culture in Portugal.

Authentic Alentejo: discovering Local Culture in Portugal among the fields

In Alentejo, one of the most beautiful and singular regions in Portugal, the authentic taste of the South of Portugal can be grasped in unbelievably beautiful local culture tours. In a series of handpicked Portuguese local culture experiences, the absorbed cultural traveller can discover all about the ancient art of tapestry in Arraiolos, observe the vernacular cork harvest in the Montado (cork forest), learn about the secrets of local gastronomy in a hands-on cooking class and enjoy a breathtaking birds-eye view of the quaint little villages in an incredible balloon flight experience over the plains of Alentejo.

The Mediterranean Scents of the Algarve: Local Culture in the South of Portugal

Beyond the white-sand beaches and warm waters of the Algarve, there is a very rich and diverse local culture waiting to be unveiled in the southern region of Portugal. Travellers wanting to feel the flavor of true local culture in Portugal simply shouldn’t miss the Algarve, a place filled with history and an unmistakable flair of the Mediterranean, most evident in the white washed houses of its villages. Tavira, one of the region’s oldest towns, bears the traces of ancient civilizations, among which the Moorish tradition is perhaps the strongest.  It is a privileged place to get in touch with local culture in Portugal, be it by admiring its unique architecture, embodied in the singularly shaped roofs of Tavira (know as “telhados de tesouro”) or by delving into the fascinating process of cork production, by visiting a quinta in the lovely countryside.