Our top favourite things to eat whilst in Portugal

Portugal as a travel destination has been growing in popularity in recent years and rightfully so. Flanked by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, this travel destination is the perfect choice for avid foodies. Here are our top favourite things to eat whilst in Portugal.

PASTÉIS DE NATA: In Portugal it's not just socially acceptable to devour sugary pastries for breakfast, it's actually expected. You can savour these little beauties everywhere in Portugal for breakfast, as a snack or dessert. Be careful, they are quite addictive.

BOLINHO DE BACALHAU: Delicious fish cake with salted codfish as main ingredient. Also try the croquettas version. Excellent as a snack or accompanied with a glass of beautiful Douro wine.

SARDINES: Barbecued, salted, grilled or even mashed up in butter you will be amazed at the incredible number of options when it comes to enjoying sardines in Portugal.

CATAPLANA: A delicious stew based on seafood or a combo of clams and pork prepared in a cataplana pot, hence the name of the dish. It’s rich and full of flavour.

CHOURIÇO: A distant cousin of the Spanish Chorizo, this lovely pork sausage has many varieties depending on the region you visit and is fabulous to nibble on with a glass of Douro wine.

BIFANA: A Lisboan sandwich with thinly sliced pork that's been slowly cooked in white wine, garlic, and spices.

TRAVESSEIROS DE SINTRA: A fluffy puff pastry shaped like a pillow, sprinkled with sugar on the outside and filled with velvety egg and almond cream on the inside.

FRANCESINHA: This sandwich, originally from Porto, is not for the faint of heart. It contains sausage, roast meat or ham in the centre topped with melted cheese and a special tomato sauce infused with beer.

POLVO: Octopus is very popular and it comes in many variations throughout the country. Served cold or warm, we guarantee that olive oil and garlic are at least 2 of the base ingredients.

All this delicious food needs to be accompanied by quality wine. You’re in luck as one of the oldest and most alluring wine regions in the world is to be found in Portugal. The Douro Valley, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001, is a stunning region in the north of Portugal where the mighty Rio Douro meanders through the landscape. Although parts of the region do produce excellent regular white and red wines, the region’s true recognition comes from the different styles of fortified wine or port wine that are produced here. These are some of the recommended wines to try:

• Quinta de la Rosa 10 Year Tawny
• Quinta da Raza, Alvarinho-Trajadura 2021
• Quinta da Raza, Dom Diogo Padeiro 2021
• Real Cave Do Cedro, Aleixo Grande Reserva 1997

All perfect excuses to make Portugal your next travel destination. Your suitcase is waiting…