What to bring from Portugal as a gift – 20 best souvenirs

The culture, life and traditions of each country are vividly represented by authentic souvenirs offered to tourists. Portugal is no exception in this case. Staying in this picturesque country, tourists run up their eyes from 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 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 massacre of an innocent man accused of theft. Since then, the cockerel represents justice and has become the national symbol of Portugal. Souvenirs depicting the legendary rooster are countless.

These are picturesque ceramic and glass cockerels of various sizes, as well as their counterparts made of cork wood. Among the Barcelos there are many soft and plastic toys, fridge magnets, postcards. Any city will surprise you with a large assortment of souvenir items decorated with Barcelos: plates and cups, wine glasses, potholders and kitchen towels. These products can be easily found in all souvenir shops.

Azuleju

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 a country house.

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Rare azulejo tiles at a bargain price can be found at a flea market. In azulejo styles, other souvenirs are decorated in addition to tiles in the country. You will see it on kitchen accessories, women's jewelry, fridge magnets, bags. A selection of extraordinarily picturesque original caskets in azulejo motifs at prices ranging from 15€ to 30€ awaits you in the vicinity of Lisbon at Queluz Palace and Pena Castle in Sintra.

Ceramic products

The production of decorative items from ceramics here has long been a priority for national crafts. In each souvenir shop, the shelves are decorated with skillfully made dishes, amazing both in shape and decorative painting. Here you will see a tureen in the form of a cabbage head, a saucepan imitating a pumpkin, jugs in the form of a fish, salad bowls entwined with vegetable stucco, dishes in the form of figured leaves, a lot of plates of various 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 production. 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. Given that the dishes are fragile, ask the seller to wrap it in bubble wrap. We found good reviews about the assortment of handmade ceramic dishes about the Lisbon shop, next to which the Mercado de Santa Clara flea market is located.

Cork products

The only country in the world where the production of all kinds of commercial and souvenir products from cork oaks, called cortis, is developed, is Portugal. Buying any piece of cortis will be an exclusive present. In all souvenir shops, an extensive assortment of such products is striking: original bags, hats, smartphone cases, glasses cases, business card holders, various furniture and kitchen accessories.

Leather products

High-quality leather products, distinguished by their fashionable design and price corresponding to their quality, are one of the country's brands. In a diverse palette of leather products, tourists give priority to local shoes. Most of the footwear and accessories companies are located in the urban areas of Porto. Most of the shops belonging to shoe companies are also located there. They offer an extensive range of both well-known branded models and accessories, as well as high-quality budget-priced samples 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're looking for an exclusive pair of shoes, look to the Eureka brand. Her classic and contemporary style shoes are hand-sewn. The price of one pair will start from 100 €. Having bought shoes, take care of purchasing accessories, also made by craftsmen and of excellent quality: women's handbags, wallets, purses, 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 demonstrate the highest craftsmanship of Portuguese jewelers. Earrings, pendants, brooches and bracelets amaze with openwork patterns skillfully woven from thin gold and silver wires, as thick as threads. Lace pendants, precious metal necklaces depicting marine and plant motifs already make up the jewelry collections of many celebrities in the world.

A pleasant reminder of Portugal will be traditional jewelry: earrings, pendants and brooches, called the “Heart of Viana” in the form of a lace heart with a flower surrounded by flames. A huge number of jewelry options will be in each branded jewelry store “zhualaria” costing from 50 €. It should be noted that Portuguese gold is distinguished in Europe by the highest purity – a rare 800th sample.

Sports accessories

Portugal is a football country, so most of the sports accessories here are dedicated to football. Not a single football fan leaves here without an interesting souvenir. Such gifts will also appeal to your friends – football lovers. A selection of printed T-shirts and cups with 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 prominent football players Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho. Fans of Benfica and Porto will love the merchandise 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 please any man and boy.

Cloth

Clothing made by Portuguese designers and well-known brands offered by boutiques have long gained popularity all over the world. The excellent quality and relevance of the models arouse 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 LA Woman boutiques, 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 choice of trendy suits, club jackets, pullovers and a wide range of shirts. An original present can be T-shirts with prints of the country's tourist symbols – the Lisbon tram and Belen Tower.

Wine

Portugal is famous for its original wine, which is produced in the country's vineyards: the Douro River Valley, Alentejo and Setúbal. Upon arrival, you can treat relatives and friends with a glass of invigorating fruit wine – pink or green, reminiscent of the taste of apples or citrus fruits. When choosing green wine, you can give preference to the following brands: Verde Branco, Gazela Vinho Verde, Quinta de Azevedo Vinho Verde, which have repeatedly been included in the ranking of hundreds of the world's best wines.

The price of a bottle of such wine with a capacity of 0.75 liters will be 3-4 €. Alvarinho green wine is also popular, costing from 5 € to 15 €. The “DOC” or “DOCG” icons on the bottle label, which indicate high quality, will help you avoid mistakes in choosing wine. Good wine is sold everywhere here: in branded wine cellars, shops and supermarkets of the Lidl, Mini Precio and Continente chains.

Port wine

Portuguese port, famous all over the world, is a bright representative of sweet fortified wines. The wine that has become the hallmark of the country 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 wine of various strengths and aging periods.

The increased demand for red sweet port indicates its high quality. Any local wine connoisseur will advise you on port wine called “Doly”, “Taylor”, “Ruby” with a bottle price of 5 €. But the best choice would be the exclusive Tawny port, aged in oak barrels 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 port wine for 13€. It is attractive in a wooden package with 3-4 bottles of 50 ml wine. The largest wine cellar Sandeman, where in a cozy tasting room you can try and buy various brands of the famous fortified drink, 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 a strength of 18 to 23%. All Madeira brands have a common technology for making wine that is distinguished by a caramel flavor with a smoky flavor. It is made from only four varieties of “noble” grapes, differing in sugar content. The grape varieties give the wine its name.

By its exposure, Madeira is sold: 3 years (finest), 5 years (reserve), 10 years (special reserve), 15 years (extra reserve). The grape variety, together with aging, determines the price of wine, starting from 13 €. It is found in the sale of Madera brand Solera, representing a blend of a crop of several years with different aging periods in barrels. A less strong Madera is also sold – Rainwater, made from Tinto Negro grapes.

Liquor

Fans of sweet alcoholic drinks are advised to grab a bottle of traditional cherry liqueur in Portugal, called Ginjinha. His technique involves infusing brandy with sugar and adding a few pitted cherries. Cherry liqueur bottles are sold in their original packaging, complete with a glass of chocolate serving as a snack. The price of gift liquor is from 5€. It is sold both in 0.7 liter bottles and in smaller gift bottles.

It is possible to taste Zhinzhinya at the local market for 1 € per glass. In addition to cherry liqueur, Beirau liqueur deserves attention, with a strength of 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 Beirau liqueur. The drink is drunk with ice, without additives and used in cooking.

Bacalhau

An original edible gift that you will not try anywhere else will be bacalhau. This is a carcass of dried salted cod. Despite the fact that such fish is not found off the coast of the country, it is brought here fresh or frozen from Norway and made according to a special recipe at local enterprises. There is practically no fresh cod for sale here. In the store you will see mostly bacalhau 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 “bacalhau”. Pieces of fish near the ridge are called – lombush, the rest is called – poshtash. You can't confuse the “bacalhau” fish with anything: it is similar in shape to a kite and has a specific smell. The Portuguese prepare several dishes from “bacalhau” and drink it with green wine.

Olives and olive oil

In Portugal, there is a cult of olive oil and olives, added to a huge number of national dishes. Plantations of olive groves, where more than 30 varieties of olives are grown, occupy large areas in an ecologically clean region of the Douro Valley. From each variety of olives, an oil of a special taste of high quality is created at a price cheaper than Italian and Spanish counterparts. Take advantage of the preferences of the locals who buy oils from Oliveira de serra, Gallo and Dom Borba.

From the varieties on sale, it is better to choose the highest quality and completely 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 type of oil, amounting to 3 € – 5 €. For export, it is preferable to buy olive oil packaged in tin bottles. They perfectly retain a pleasant aroma and taste.

Coffee

It is estimated that the Portuguese population leads Europe in coffee consumption, drinking 3-4 cups daily. Staying in the country, you will not resist the temptation to try the taste of different varieties of this drink. Coffee here is prepared incredibly tasty and strong, after enjoying it you will want to bring it as a gift to your friends coffee lovers. Coffee from Nicola, Camelo, Sical and Biondi is in demand among the local population, but the most popular brand is Nicola e Delta.

In Lisbon, go to the specialty store “Carioca”, which sells only numerous varieties of ground and bean coffee. The price of a pack of 200 grams will be 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, after tasting a drink in a cafe and specifying the brand of coffee with the waiter. Before a pack of coffee, it doesn’t hurt to buy coffee accessories for a gift: a couple of coffee cups, a cezve 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 manufacturing technologies for this dairy product. Buying cheeses is best done 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 try 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, for the preparation of which cow's milk is used. Queijo de São Jorge matures under the vaults of caves formed by a volcanic eruption.

For cheeses made from goat's milk, bring the original Queijo de Cabra Transmontano as a gift. Queijo Fresco cream cheese has amazing taste qualities, Curado is distinguished by astringency. A unique cheese made by mixing different types of milk is Mistura. The cost of cheeses in the store and on the market starts from 2 € per 1 kg. Cheeses marked with “DOP” on the label, indicating the territory and the exact recipe of production, will cost more – from 11-12 € per kg.

Sweets

National sweets and a variety of fruits, which are abundant in the country, will be a good gift for those with a sweet tooth. The famous custard-flavored pâtéis, reminiscent of creme brulee, is the Portuguese national dessert. Pasteis 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 pasta for 4.5 €.

The most famous confectionery where the famous dessert is made is 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. An original gift will be the Ovos moles biscuits with their shape copying a shell with an amazing sugar-protein filling.

Another ingredient in cookie fillings can be almonds, chocolate, coconut and seasonal fruits. Here they also make original fruit marmalade according to a special recipe, which will be a good present. A popular and useful sweet gift is a gift package with assorted fruits and nuts, nuts and jam from exotic fruits.

canned food

A huge assortment of canned fish can be called one of the attractions of the country. Canned seafood is striking in variety. Here you will find products from numerous species of fish and exotic seafood. Olive oil, tomatoes and local spices are used in their preparation. Canned sardines have become the hallmark of the country.

In the capital's Conserveira de Lisboa brand store, choose canned sardines prepared according to special old recipes in tomato and spicy sauces, olive oil or in their 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 1.5€.

The same

The name of the Portuguese jamon is “prezuntu”. In terms of quality, this product is no worse than a similar Spanish jamon. Prezuntu is a type of ham made from the tenderloin of a black pig that eats at least 5 kg of acorns a day. Ham from such raw materials has a tart taste of meat and a breathtaking smell that awakens the appetite.

In this part of the Pyrenees, 2 main types of prezuntu are made. Presunto de Barrancos is from the southeastern region of Barrancos, near the Spanish border, while Presunto de Chaves is produced in the northern regions of Portugal. Both varieties of prezuntu are protected by geographical status and protected by European patent law.

Some of the best varieties of melt-in-your-mouth ham are considered to be: jamon from the city of Chaves in the northern region of the country and the pata negra variety produced in the Alentujo region in the south. The price of prezuntu is dependent on the aging time of the product, which lasts from 15 to 60 months. The longer the jamon is aged, the more expensive its cost will be. The average price of a package of 200 grams of prezunt starts from 6€. Prezunta is added to a wide variety of dishes, but feel the amazing taste of this ham when consumed with traditional Portuguese port wine.

Soap

An advertisement for Portuguese soap in one of the programs was made by the famous TV presenter Oprah Unfrey, who told how she loves it. Indeed, the soaps produced here are worthy of all praise because of their cosmetic properties, comparable to nourishing creams. Consisting only of natural ingredients, it attracts with excellent quality. In cosmetics stores, the head will spin from the assortment and aroma of soap: with essential oils, the addition of flower and fruit extracts.

The presence of stylish packaging makes it an excellent souvenir. Gift sets are complemented with perfumes, creams or other nice bonuses. The price of a bar of soap, as a rule, depends on the brand of the manufacturer. Available brands of the company “Castelbel”, will cost from 1 € to 2 €. The Claus Porto brand will pull on 10 €. The cost of the gift set will be between 6€ and 30€. Considering that many Hollywood stars use Portuguese soap, it will be a wonderful gift for relatives and friends.