History, culture, traditions
Eight centuries of history, a language spoken on four continents, fado, saudade and a generous table.
History of Portugal
Portugal's history in brief: Lusitanians and Romans, Arab rule, the birth of the kingdom under Afonso Henriques, the discoveries and the empire…
Historical timeline
The key dates of Portuguese history, from the Roman province of Lusitania to independence, from the discoveries to union with Spain, from the…
Modern history
Portugal in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries: the First Republic, Salazar and the Estado Novo, the Carnation Revolution, the democratic…
Portuguese empire
The history of the Portuguese empire: Henry the Navigator's navigation techniques, the exploration of Africa, the route to India, Goa, Malacca and…
The Portuguese language
The origins and history of Portuguese: from the Latin of Lusitania to medieval Galician-Portuguese, Arabic influences, its spread with the empire…
Portuguese literature
The history and key figures of Portuguese literature: medieval cancioneiros, Fernão Lopes, Gil Vicente, Camões and The Lusiads, Garrett's…
Traditions
Portuguese traditions: colourful fishermen's houses, azulejos, windmills, the popular saints' festivals, romarias, the Barcelos rooster, Portuguese…
Religion
Religion in Portugal: Catholicism and its history, the Fátima sanctuary, St Anthony and popular festivals, the cult of the Holy Spirit in the Azores…
Fado
Fado, the song of Lisbon and UNESCO heritage: its origins, Maria Severa and Amália Rodrigues, Coimbra fado, the Portuguese guitar, fado vadio, great…
Saudade
What saudade is, the untranslatable Portuguese word between longing and hope: the origin of the term, its links with the voyages and the country's…
Portuguese music
Portuguese music beyond fado: folk music and cante alentejano, traditional instruments, the songs of the Carnation Revolution and Zeca Afonso…
Azulejos
The history of Portuguese azulejos: Arab and Sevillian origins, sixteenth-century maiolica, seventeenth-century polychrome carpets…
Calçada portuguesa
The history of calçada portuguesa, the mosaic paving of white limestone and black basalt: its origins in São Jorge castle, the waves of Rossio, the…
Architecture
The history of Portuguese architecture: Romanesque and Gothic, the Manueline style, the Pombaline rebuilding of Lisbon after the earthquake, the…
Cinema
The history of Portuguese cinema: the comedies of the 1930s and 1940s, Manoel de Oliveira, Cinema Novo, João César Monteiro, Pedro Costa, Miguel…
Football
Football in Portugal: the "big three" Benfica, Porto and Sporting and their rivalries, European cups, Eusébio, Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo and José…
Cuisine
Portuguese food: soups such as caldo verde, bacalhau in countless recipes, sardines, octopus, cataplana, arroz de marisco, Bairrada suckling pig…
Sweets
Portuguese sweets region by region: pastéis de nata and de Belém, Sintra's queijadas and travesseiros, Aveiro's ovos moles, pão de ló, toucinho do…
Portuguese wines
A guide to Portuguese wine: the wine regions from Vinho Verde to the Alentejo, the UNESCO-listed Douro and Pico, native grapes such as Touriga…
Port wine
All about port, the fortified wine of the Douro valley: its history and links with English merchants, the 1756 demarcated region, production and…
Madeira wine
Madeira, the fortified wine that can age for more than a century: its history linked to ships bound for the Indies, the estufagem and canteiro…
Crafts
Portugal's traditional crafts: the history of azulejos and the National Museum in Lisbon, the Barcelos rooster and its legend, Vista Alegre…
Lusitano horse
The Lusitano, an ancient Iberian breed and symbol of Portugal: origins, characteristics, its bond with the rider, the Alter Real stud, Lisbon's…
Bullfighting
The tourada, Portuguese bullfighting: how it differs from the Spanish kind, the cavaleiro on horseback, the forcados' pega, the history of the ban on…
Christmas
How Christmas is celebrated in Portugal: the Christmas Eve consoada with bacalhau, the Missa do Galo, bolo rei and Christmas sweets, Pai Natal and…
New Year
Where and how to celebrate New Year in Portugal: the party in Lisbon's Praça do Comércio and on Porto's Avenida dos Aliados, Funchal's famous…
Carnival
Portugal's best carnivals: Torres Vedras's satire with matrafonas and cabeçudos, the parades of Ovar and Loulé, the UNESCO-listed caretos of Podence…
Lisbon festivals
Lisbon's calendar of festivals and events month by month: carnival, marathons, ModaLisboa, IndieLisboa, 25 April, the Saint Anthony festivities with…