Traditional arts & crafts are a thriving business in the whole of Portugal.

Arts & Crafts

Ceramic tiles (azulejos = azoolayjews) are produced everywhere, with
differing designs from area to area. Many of the more modern houses built
this century are covered with these ornately designed tiles. Many of them
are still painted by hand in small co-operatives subsidised and encouraged
by government funding in trying to reduce unemployment.
Every Portuguese lady has been taught from birth how to produce the
most beautiful and ornate embroidery as well as delicate crochet work.
In the Serra da Estrela mountains, besides the delicious mountain cheeses,
hams, sausages, honey and liqueur, the women still handknit the most
wonderful aran type cardigans from the wool spun from the shearings of
the moutain sheep.
Similar fantastic crafted typical regional products are the sheepskin
jackets, hat, mitts and slippers. Driving through the mountains are
many craft shops and where one finds colourful ceramics depicting
country scenes, leatherware, carved wooden items and the amazing
fur rugs which hang outside the shop fronts for sale.
Woodcarving is a passtime which the shepherds and "men of the fields"
still resort to, to pass he day - the results of which are quite startling.
Animal shapes are perfectly carved from olive branches, often in
the making of walking sticks.


Languages spoken: English / Portuguese / Dutch

A personal experience