On vacation in Portugal? Discover the country through its gastronomy! – North and Center
5 de August, 2020
If the flavor of life depends on who seasons it, places also take on a special shine depending on who populates them! Do you still have doubts that gastronomy mirrors the inhabitants of different regions? This article will remove them all!
In such a special summer, why not be a tourist in your own country and have a fantastic vacation in Portugal? Yes, we’re small, but we hold many surprises and, above all, a huge diversity of landscapes and, of course, food!
From north to south, inland or by the sea, and even in our wonderful archipelagos, you’ll find the most particular flavors and traditional dishes that make you eat and cry for more. If you’re spending your vacations in Portugal this summer, we bring you our guide to the Lusitanian palate, so you can discover our country through its gastronomy and make the most of your Euroticket Refeição!
A tasty vacation week in Portugal:
- Costa Verde: the delicious north
The Costa Verde isn’t just full of incredible cities like Viana do Castelo and Braga. As soon as you take the first bite, you’re surprised by the most succulent wonders of Portuguese gastronomy! After all, who can stand the roast kid and lamprey from Monção, the hams from Melgaço and the Miquelina-style cod from Paredes de Coura? Not to mention the famous tripe from our beloved Porto and the desserts that seem to have been made by angels, such as Sonhos, São Gonçalo, Arroz Doce and Papos de Anjo themselves! In short, the Costa Verde really deserves a toast (with Port wine, of course) and definitely a visit! - From the Northeast to the Beiras: mountains of flavor
Green and cool in summer and painted white in the cold season, the mountains are the oldest inhabitants of the northern interior of Portugal. Between the continent’s highest peak and winding roads, we come to tastings of truly distinctive flavors. Let’s be honest, anyone can hit the road to try a good alheira, and Vila Real has another charm when you sit at the table eating a feijoada à transmontana! For fish fans, Sabugal has a special taste, were it not for its wonderful eels and trout. Between snowballs and extreme sports, anyone who climbs the Serra da Estrela won’t come down without a buttery Queijo da Serra and if you happen to pass through Sertã, the stop and the maranhos are a must! - Silver Coast: a relic on loan
With its harsh winds and damp ocean landscapes, the real chef on the Silver Coast is the sea. Fresh fish and freshly caught seafood are part of the gastronomy of this region which, even in winter, never loses its charm. After all, nothing warms the body (and soul) better than a good caldeirada! If you can’t do without the pleasures of meat, be sure to try Leitão da Bairrada and Galinha Guisada de Alcobaça. As you know, in Portugal we have food for all tastes and if there’s one flavor that pleases all palates, it’s our pastries! Pão de Ló from Alfeizerão, Arrufadas from Coimbra, pasteis de feijão from Torres Vedras, cavacas from Caldas da Rainha and Ovos Moles from Aveiro… well, the best thing is to take advantage of the fuel discount on your Euroticket Refeição to fill up your tank, because your vacation in Portugal isn’t half over yet! - Lisbon: girl and boy gastronomy
Because no one knows Portugal without visiting the capital, today we’re giving you a few more reasons to visit the surrounding area. If seafood is your thing, book a few extra days, because there are plenty of places ready to delight you! From Ericeira to Setúbal, when it comes to fish and seafood, it’s hard to choose: from mussels to oysters, succulent swordfish and the famous fried cuttlefish, your belly is too small for so much! The golden key to a meal in this region? We don’t know, too many options! After all, it’s hard to choose between the crunchy queijadas de Sintra, the filling torta de Azeitão and the forever incomparable Pasteis de Belém!
Ready for the second round?
Well, let’s be honest, the country is only halfway through and our mouths are already watering! IF you’re on vacation in Portugal, get on the road to the north and start tasting. When you get to Lisbon, we’ll tell you the rest! After all, the world has more spice when there’s a next destination to discover! As for us? We look forward to continuing to unveil the rest of our Portugal through gastronomy! Stay tuned to the Edenred Blog, because next week we’ll taste the wonders of the south and the wonders of the islands. Until then, have a good trip! And don’t forget, with the discounts on your Euroticket Refeição there’s no escaping it!
Starting from July 2023, the Euroticket Refeição benefit has been renamed Edenred Refeição.