I always like to bring home something special from each trip (or several something specials). When I think of Portugal, I think of pottery and ceramics. Other than that, what are your favourite things to buy?
We go to Italy fairly often and I always bring home silk scarves, unframed art, and leather goods. All of these are lightweight and easy to pack. Looking for Portuguese items that are also lightweight.
Cork products are light weight and found all over the country. Wallets, handbags, trivets and placemats are attractive and very Portuguese. Try to buy at nicer stores to get better lasting products.
I like the little cork purse I bought in Portugal, which I use at home to carry my phone around. It's one of my most practical souvenirs.
My new phone is bigger...I guess I need to go back and get a bigger cork purse!!
When we went to Portugal in addition to ceramic figurines we bought azulejos tiles as well as linens . Certainly those were lightweight.
FYI if you’re going to buy ceramics we found that the best quality made in Portugal ceramics were in Coimbra. We purchased the tradtional Rooster of Barcelos figurine as well as others.
Oh, thanks everyone! I like every single one of your suggestions.
Question about azulejos . . . does anyone have any suggestions on how to best display them? They're so gorgeous -- I don't want to just make them a dust collector. I see getting several and using command strips to hang them on a wall. Has anyone done anything clever with them?
Thanks for all your great ideas.
Kathrynj - you remind me that my daughter brought me a great pencil case made of cork from her month in Portugal. And I need both trivets and placemats, so that's perfect.
BTW - we are meeting friends in Cascais for two nights ;-) It sounds gorgeous
PT is also famous for textiles. I bought lots of great towels, coasters, and placemats during my trip. Make sure that they are indeed made in PT.
I put my azulejos in my etagere. You could get a shadow box and put the azulejos in there and then hang it on the wall.
Cork products are unusual and practical. I still rue the loss of a small purse I bought at a cork factory outside Evora (the best prices in Portugal) and somehow managed to lose in Jerusalem. It seems that many things usually made in leather can be made of cork including sandals and clothing. I bought a beautiful cotton tablecloth that I use often.
