The culture, life and traditions of each country are vividly presented by the authentic souvenirs offered to tourists. Portugal is no exception in this case. Staying in this picturesque country, tourists are dazzled by a huge number of quality goods and beautiful souvenirs, skillfully made by craftsmen. We will tell you what to bring from Portugal as a gift to family and friends, so that souvenirs and other gifts will serve as an original and pleasant reminder of the country.
Cockerel Barcelos
The main Portuguese souvenir is the famous Barcelos cockerel. It is named after the small town of Barcelos, where, according to legend, the voice of a roasted rooster prevented the reprisals against an innocent person accused of theft. Since then, the cockerel personifies justice and has become the national symbol of Portugal. There are countless souvenirs depicting the legendary rooster.
These are picturesque ceramic and glass cockerels of various sizes, as well as their balsa cousins. Among Barcelosi there are many soft and plastic toys, fridge magnets, postcards. Any city will surprise you with a large assortment of souvenir household items decorated with Barcelos: plates and cups, wine glasses, pot holders and tea towels. The listed products can be easily found in all souvenir shops.
Azulejo
Traveling around Portugal, everywhere you will find palaces, train stations, various buildings decorated with azulejo tiles both on the facades and in the interior of the premises. Rectangular and square ceramic tiles painted in white and blue colors are a special feature and "highlight" of the Portuguese architectural style. You can buy a few tiles you like for decorating rooms in an apartment or in the country.
You can find rare azulejo tiles at a bargain price at a flea market. Apart from tiles, other souvenirs are also decorated in azulejo styles in the country. You will see it on kitchen accessories, women's jewelry, fridge magnets, bags. A selection of extraordinarily picturesque original caskets in azulejos motifs for prices ranging from 15 € to 30 € awaits you in the vicinity of Lisbon at the Queluz Palace and Pena Castle in Sintra.
Ceramics
The production of decorative items from ceramics has long been a priority of national crafts here. In every souvenir shop, the shelves are adorned with artfully crafted crockery, astonishing both in shape and decorative painting. Here you will see a tureen in the form of a cabbage head, a saucepan that copies a pumpkin, jugs in the form of a fish, salad bowls entwined with vegetable stucco, dishes in the form of curly leaves, a lot of plates of different sizes in the form of sardines and cups of various configurations.
Usually such intricate dishes are made by hand. The small town of Caldas da Rinha is famous for its manufacture. Such original products are not cheap. For example, medium-sized plates will cost from 15 €, tureens from 40 €, and exclusive works will cost 100 € per item. Considering that the dishes are fragile, ask the seller to wrap them in bubble wrap. We found good reviews for the range of handcrafted pottery in the Lisbon shop, next to the Mercado de Santa Clara flea market.
Balsa wood products
Portugal is the only country in the world where the production of all kinds of marketable and souvenir products from cork oaks, called cortis, is developed. Buying any piece of cortis will become an exclusive present. In all souvenir shops, a wide range of such products is striking: original bags, hats, cases for smartphones, cases for glasses, business card holders, various furniture and kitchen accessories.
A large selection of cork umbrellas and jewelry will surprise you, wedding dresses and evening dresses made of cortis will amaze you. Practicality and hypoallergenicity of consumer goods and souvenirs made of cork wood, their beautiful appearance contribute to the increased demand of tourists. To make the best choice of such a presentation, go to the specialized shops of Lisbon, Pelcor and Cork & Co. Accessories made of cork cost from 10 €, you can pick up phone cases for 20 €, but author's works like a wallet and a clutch will cost up to 40 €.
Leather products
High-quality leather goods, distinguished by their fashionable design and the price corresponding to their quality, are one of the country's brands. Tourists prioritize local footwear in the diverse palette of leather goods. Most of the footwear and accessories factories are located in the urban areas of Porto. Most of the shops owned by shoe companies are also located there. They present a wide range of both well-known branded models and accessories, as well as high quality budget samples at a price, produced by local firms Guimaraes and Seaside.
You will want to buy more than one pair of shoes from these manufacturers by visiting their branded stores in Lisbon. When you are looking for an exclusive pair of shoes, look at the Eureka brand. Her shoes are hand-sewn in classic and contemporary styles. The price of one pair will start from 100 €. Having bought shoes, take care of purchasing accessories, also made by the hands of craftsmen and distinguished by excellent quality: women's handbags, wallets, wallets, belts and gloves.
Jewelry
Silver and gold are used to create jewelry made using the filigree technique. You will be amazed by the precious masterpieces that showcase the highest craftsmanship of the Portuguese jewelers. Earrings, pendants, brooches and bracelets amaze with openwork patterns skillfully woven from thin gold and silver wires, which are not inferior in thickness to threads. Lace pendants, precious metal necklaces depicting marine and plant motifs already make up the jewelry collections of many celebrities in the world.
Traditional jewelry will be a pleasant reminder of Portugal: earrings, pendants and brooches, called "Heart of Viana" in the form of a lace heart with a flower surrounded by flames. There will be a huge number of jewelry options in each jualaria branded jewelry store, costing from 50 €. It should be noted that Portuguese gold is distinguished in Europe by the highest purity - a rare 800-proof.
Sports Accessories
Portugal is a football country, so most of the sports accessories here are dedicated to the football theme. Not a single football fan leaves here without an interesting souvenir. Your friends - football fans will also like such presents. The selection of printed T-shirts and cups with the emblems of famous football clubs, balls autographed by football stars and beer mugs will turn the head of any football fan.
In any town you will find a souvenir shop, fan shops and boutiques near football stadiums, where you can buy large posters with portraits and autographs of outstanding football players Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho. Admirers of Benfica and Porto will love the paraphernalia in the colors of famous clubs, represented by T-shirts, scarves, caps, flags, watches. Benfica's signature fan boutique in Lisbon even offers champagne and candy sets in the club's colors. Such sports accessories will delight any man and boy.
Clothing
Clothing made by Portuguese designers and renowned brands offered by boutiques have long gained popularity all over the world. The excellent quality and relevance of the models arouses the interest of tourists, which is why Portuguese outfits are bought as a gift. The latest models of women's clothing, produced under the Lanidor brand, sold in boutiques of the LA Woman network, are in high demand.
Don't miss out on another well-known brand of clothing for ladies - Ana Sousa. Choosing branded men's clothing is preferable to the Giovanni Galli brand.Their stores offer a selection of trendy suits, club jackets, pullovers and a wide range of shirts. T-shirts with prints of the country's tourist symbols - the Lisbon tram and the Belém tower - can become an original present.
Wine
Portugal is famous for its original wine, which is produced in the grape regions of the country: the Douro river valley, Alentejo and Setubale. Upon arrival, you can treat your family and friends with a glass of invigorating fruit wine - pink or green, reminiscent of the taste of apples or citrus fruits. Choosing green wine, you can give preference to the brands: Verde Branco, Gazela Vinho Verde, Quinta de Azevedo Vinho Verde, which have been included in the rating of hundreds of the best world wines many times.
The price of a bottle of such wine with a capacity of 0.75 liters will be 3-4 €. The green wine Alvarinho is also popular and costs from 5 € to 15 €. The “DOC” or “DOCG” badges on the bottle label will help you avoid mistakes in the choice of wine, denoting high quality. Good wine is sold everywhere here: in branded wine cellars, shops and supermarkets of the Lidl, Mini Precio and Continente chains.
Port wine
The Portuguese port, famous all over the world, is a bright representative of sweet fortified wines. The wine that has become the country's trademark is called “Vinho do Porto”, which means “Wine from Porto”. It is produced in the city of Porto from grapes harvested on a plantation spread over the Douro plain. In specialized stores and supermarkets, on the shelves, you will see a solid assortment of collection, dessert, young and old brands of port of various strengths and aging periods.
The increased demand for red sweet port testifies to its high quality. Any local wine connoisseur will recommend a port with the name "Doly", "Taylor", "Ruby" with a bottle price of 5 €. But the best choice will be the exclusive Tawny port, aged in an oak barrel for at least 10 years. The cost of such a port will vary from 15 € to 20 €.
For a gift, it is most convenient to buy a set of Graham’s and Dow’s ports for 13 €. It is attractive in wooden packaging with 3-4 50 ml bottles of wine. The largest wine cellar Sandeman, where you can taste and buy various brands of the famous fortified drink in a cozy tasting room, is located in Porto.
Madeira
Madeira (or Madeira) is a wine named after the region - the island of Madeira, where its production originated. According to taste and color, it can be white, pink, red, dry and sweet with an alcohol content of 18 to 23%. All Madeira brands share a common technology for making wine with a caramel flavor with a smoky aftertaste. It is made from only four varieties of "noble" grapes, differing in sugar content. The grape varieties also give the name to the wine.
According to its aging, Madera is sold: 3 years (finest), 5 years (reserve), 10 years (special reserve), 15 years (extra reserve). The grape variety, coupled with aging, determine the price of the wine, starting at 13 €. Found on sale Madeira brand Solera, representing a blend of the harvest of several years with different periods of aging in barrels. Also on sale is the less strong Madera - Rainwater, made from Tinto Negro grapes.
Liquor
Lovers of sweet alcoholic beverages are advised to grab a bottle of the traditional cherry liqueur called Ginjinha in Portugal. Its technology includes infusion of brandy with sugar and the addition of a few pitted cherries. The cherry liqueur bottles are sold in their original packaging, complemented by a glass of chocolate serving as a snack. Gift liquor price from 5 €. It is sold both in 0.7-liter bottles and in smaller gift bottles.
It is possible to taste Jinjinu at a local market for 1 € per glass. In addition to cherry liqueur, noteworthy is Beirau liqueur, strength 22%, infused with aromatic herbs and seeds, including cinnamon, lavender, eucalyptus. This authentic drink is over 200 years old. The recipe for its preparation is patented and kept in the strictest confidence. For 5 € you will enjoy savoring Beirau liqueur. The drink is drunk with ice, without additives, and is used in cooking.
Bacallau
A distinctive edible gift that you will not try anywhere else will be a grocery. This is a dried salted cod carcass. Despite the fact that such fish is not found off the coast of the country, it is delivered here fresh or frozen from Norway and is made according to a special recipe at local enterprises. Fresh cod is almost never on sale here. In the store you will see mostly grocery carcasses, which are usually sold whole.
After payment, at your request, the carcass will be cut into pieces on a special device. On sale it is possible to meet and cut into 2 types of "bakaliau". Pieces of fish near the ridge are called Lombush, the rest is called Pochtash. You will not confuse the “bacallau” fish with anything: it is similar in shape to a kite and has a specific smell. The Portuguese prepare several dishes from the "bacalhau" and use it with green wine.
Olives and olive oil
In Portugal, there is a cult of olive oil and olives, which are added to a huge number of national dishes. Olive groves, where more than 30 varieties of olives are grown, occupy large areas in the ecologically clean area of the Douro Valley. From each variety of olives, oil of a special taste of high quality is created at a price cheaper than its Italian and Spanish counterparts. Benefit from the preferences of local residents buying oils from Oliveira de serra, Gallo and Dom Borba.
From the varieties on sale, it is better to choose the highest quality and all-natural Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Azeite Virgem Extra or a mixture of natural and refined Azeite oil. On average, the price of a 0.5l bottle depends on the brand and grade of oil, ranging from € 3 to € 5. For export, it is preferable to buy olive oil packaged in tin bottles. They perfectly preserve a pleasant aroma and taste.
Coffee
It is estimated that the Portuguese population leads Europe in coffee consumption, drinking 3-4 cups daily. While in the country, you will not resist the temptation to taste different varieties of this drink. Coffee is prepared here incredibly tasty and strong, after enjoying which you will want to bring it as a gift to familiar coffee lovers. The local population is in demand for coffee produced by Nicola, Camelo, Sical and Biondi, but the most popular brand is Nicola e Delta.
In Lisbon, go to the Carioca Specialty Shop, which only sells a wide variety of ground coffees and whole beans. The price of a pack of 200 grams will range from 2 € to 5 €. Please note that the high cost does not always affect the original and unique taste of the drink. It is better to buy coffee in a store by trying the drink in a cafe and checking the brand of coffee from the waiter. Before a pack of coffee, it will not hurt to buy coffee accessories for a gift: a couple of coffee cups, a Turk or a coffee grinder.
Cheese
Cheese lovers can fully enjoy the taste of a variety of cheese delicacies. The product for their production is sheep, goat and cow milk. There are a lot of brands and technologies for the production of this dairy product. It is better to buy cheeses after a small tasting, for which you can order a “cheese plate” on the market and mark the samples that you like.
Surely here for the first time you will taste sheep's cheese with a liquid consistency inside and with an outer crust. Its name is Queijo Serra da Estrela. Noteworthy cheeses: Queijo do Pico and Queijo de São Jorge, which are prepared using cow's milk. The Queijo de São Jorge cheese ripens under the caves created by the volcanic eruption.
Bring the original Queijo de Cabra Transmontano from the cheeses, the raw material of which is goat's milk. Queijo Fresco cream cheese has amazing taste, Curado is different in astringency. A unique cheese made by mixing different types of milk - Mistura. The cost of cheeses in the store and in the market starts at 2 € per 1 kg.Cheese marked on the D.O.P. label, indicating the territory and the exact recipe of production, will cost more - from 11-12 € per kg.
Sweets
National sweets and various fruits, which are abundant in the country, will be a good gift for those with a sweet tooth. The famous custard pâté pastries, which taste like crème brulee, the national Portuguese dessert. Pashteis is officially recognized by the world as the gastronomic miracle of Portugal. The cost of gift wrapping in places close to tourist sites will be about 6 €, at a distance from the center you can buy pashteish for 4.5 €.
The most famous pastry shop where the famous dessert is made is the Fabrica de Pasteis de Belem, which has been operating since 1837. This dessert is not subject to long-term storage, so you need to buy it on the day of departure in order to pamper your loved ones with exclusive cakes. Ovos moles biscuits with their shape copying a shell with an amazing sugar and protein filling will become an original gift.
Other ingredients in cookie fillings include almonds, chocolate, coconut, and seasonal fruits. It also produces original fruit marmalade according to a special recipe, which will be a good present. A popular and useful sweet gift is gift wrapping with assorted fruits and nuts, nuts and exotic fruit preserves.
Canned food
A huge assortment of canned fish can be called one of the country's attractions. Canned seafood is striking in its variety. Here you will find products from many types of fish and exotic seafood. They are prepared using olive oil, tomatoes and a selection of local spices. Canned sardines have become the country's trademark.
In the metropolitan brand store Conserveira de Lisboa, choose canned sardines prepared according to special old recipes in tomato and spicy sauces, olive oil or in your own juice. Sold in original souvenir packaging, they cost 7-8 €. A regular can of canned sardines, tuna and octopus can be purchased at every grocery store for € 1.50.
Jamon
The name of the Portuguese jamon is "prezuntu". In terms of quality, this product is not worse than a similar Spanish ham. Prezuntu is a type of ham made from the tenderloin of a black pig that eats at least 5 kg of acorns per day. Ham made from such raw materials has a tart taste of meat and a breathtaking smell that awakens the appetite.
In this part of Pirineus, 2 main types of prezunt are made. "Presunto de Barrancos" is home to the southeastern region of Barrancos, near the Spanish border, and "Presunto de Chaves" is produced in the northern regions of Portugal. Both varieties of prezuntu are protected by geographic status and are protected by European patent law.
Some of the best varieties of melt-in-your-mouth ham are jamon from the town of Chaves in the northern region of the country and pata negra, produced in the Alentujo region in the south. The price of the prezunt depends on the aging period of the product, which lasts from 15 to 60 months. The longer the ham has been aged, the more expensive its cost will be. The average price of a 200 gram pack starts at 6 €. Prezunta is added to a wide variety of dishes, but experience the amazing taste of this ham with traditional Portuguese port.
Soap
An advertisement for Portuguese soap in one of the programs was made by the famous TV presenter Oprah Unfrey, telling how she adores it. Indeed, the soaps produced here are worthy of all praise for their cosmetic properties comparable to nourishing creams. Consisting only of natural ingredients, it attracts with excellent quality. In cosmetics stores, the head will go round from the assortment and aroma of soaps: with essential oils, the addition of flower and fruit extracts.
Stylish packaging makes it a great souvenir. Gift sets are complemented with perfumes, creams or other pleasant bonuses. The price of a bar of soap usually depends on the manufacturer's brand. Available brands of the company "Castelbel" will cost from 1 € to 2 €. The Claus Porto brand will cost 10 €. The cost of the gift set will be in the range of 6 € to 30 €. Considering that many Hollywood stars use Portuguese soap, it will be a wonderful gift for family and friends.
