Cuisine
Food in Portugal - self-catering holidays in Portugal
Food is an integral part of life in Portugal, as you will soon discover during your self-catering holiday in Portugal. The typical Portuguese cuisine consists of rich and bold flavours, and showcases the best local ingredients which are available. With NOVASOL, you will have a choice of apartments and villas to rent in Portugal across the country's many diverse regions. Portugal boasts over 300 days of sunshine per year, so you can rest assured that no matter what time of year you decide to travel, you are almost guaranteed a sunny self-catering holiday in Southern Europe. Why not take a look at our range of holiday homes and start looking forward to a memorable holiday in the sun and tasting the fantastic Portuguese cuisine.
Typical Portuguese cuisine - dishes to try whilst self-catering Portugal
One of the most popular dishes that you are likely to encounter whilst self-catering Portugal must be the humble Caldo Verde; a tasty soup made up of potato, shredded kale and chunks of succulent chorizo. You will find this dish on many restaurant menus, particularly if renting our villas in Portugal during the cooler months. Many typical Portuguese dishes are linked to important events and festivities in the Portuguese cultural calendar and Caldo Verde is often served during the numerous celebrations of the country's Patron Saints.
Flavourful and fresh food to enjoy from your holiday home in Portugal
Whether you decide to prepare a meal in the kitchen of your holiday home in Portugal, or head out into the local town to find your favourite restaurant; we are sure that Portuguese food will surprise and delight you. During your stay in one of NOVASOL's holiday lettings in Portugal you will find that Portugal offers a wide variety of fresh and delicious produce; from home-grown fruit and vegetables which are full of vibrant flavour, to locally reared meats and regional cheeses, there is sure to be something for every taste!
Culture of food in Portugal - experience it during your stay in our Portuguese holiday villas
During your stay in one of our self-catering holiday homes in Portugal, you will be able to easily and affordably cook delicious meals with high- quality produce in the comfort of your own kitchen. However, you will find that the Portuguese eat out almost daily and that restaurants are open late and serve food throughout the day, many restaurants change their specials daily so as to showcase whatever fresh ingredients they have that day. When self-catering in Portugal, we would suggest ordering the 'Prato do Dia', the 'plate of the day'; this means you will receive the freshest and most authentic of dishes!
A seafood lovers' paradise - holiday villas in Portugal
Portugal has a long seafaring tradition and it is engrained in the country's culture, therefore seafood and fish feature heavily in Portuguese cuisine. For example, you will find sardines are widely available in restaurants and even on the streets at festivals - they are a must-try during your stay in one of our holiday villas in Portugal, simply grilled and accompanied with a slice of lemon. Of course, no talk of Portuguese cuisine would be complete without mention of the vast selection of cod dishes!
Portuguese cuisine - dishes and drinks
Cod is an extremely popular fish in Portugal and the Portuguese are among the best in Europe at preparing it, in fact there is an old saying that there are as many ways to prepare cod as there are Portuguese people! Arguably the most famous cod dish to sample whilst on a holiday villas in Portugal is 'Bacalhau a Bras'; a heart concoction of flaked salted cod, potatoes, onions, olives and plenty of fresh parsley. Another offering which you are likely to come across is the fiery spirit of Medronho - the Portuguese equivalent of Schnapps, it comes from a berry which grows naturally here and is very strong so we would suggest enjoying with caution!