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A Vida Portuguesa
Type: Food / Gourmet Stores, Furniture / Home Decor, Gift Stores, Local Picks, Specialty Shops
10Best Says
If you're after an original souvenir of Portugal, this absorbing handicraft-hardware store is probably where you'll find it. Items on sale here are represented by brands that have been manufactured in... Read More
If you're after an original souvenir of Portugal, this absorbing handicraft-hardware store is probably where you'll find it. Items on sale here are represented by brands that have been manufactured in the country for generations, and the inventory lists some of the nation's most cherished merchandise.There are fragrant soaps from Brito/Claus Porto (Oprah raved about them on her show) displayed in colorful and stylish retro wrapping paper, and Benamor Cream boxed in similarly eye-catching designs. For the kitchen, look out for the aromatic vinegars from Moura Alves and gourmet sea salt (Flor de Sal) from the Algarve. There are also toiletries, stationery, books, toys and even jewelry, all uniquely Portuguese and with a provenance that stretches back centuries. And you might want to take home one of their iconic ceramic swallows, the birds made famous by Bordalo Pinheiro, the country's celebrated 19th-century artist and sculptor.
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EXPERT TIPS BY:
Paul Bernhardt
Lisbon Local Expert
- Best Shopping: "There is another branch of A Vida Portuguesa located in Lisbon's Intendente district. It's housed in the old Viúva Lamego tile factory."
- Christmas Shopping: "Look out for the special Christmas boxes where a selection of favorite products have been carefully wrapped as a Yuletide presentation gift."
- Recommended as Best Shopping Because: The goods on sale here are from genuine Portuguese manufacturers, and the store is helping to maintain a proud cultural and commercial homestyle tradition.
- Best for Christmas Shopping Because: Ably promoting homegrown Portuguese art, craft and enterprise, A Vida Portuguesa evokes a yesteryear Portugal and a retro shopping experience.
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