Unique Hand Crafted Products from Portugal - Lisbon Historic Centre

Portugal offers a wide variety of handcrafted items in artists’ studios, factory showrooms, department and hardware stores in all the important cities. You can buy these items as souvenirs for your loved ones.

Pottery - Black pottery

You can buy exquisite handcrafted black pottery items from Molelos in northern Portugal. The artisans come from families that have been in this job for generations. They have worked on the tools that are as old as 150 years. They specialize in the old and traditional black pottery.

The pottery items are baked at 800 Celsius in kilns fired with resinous pine bark and branches. The black pottery comes with a silvery shine and smooth finish reminiscent of the Etruscan Bucchero Ware of the 7th to 5th century BC.

Some of the important black potter items are jars, flowerpots and oil lamps that are made in varying sizes.

Quartz Inlayed Handmade Pottery - Unglazed

The traditional quartz inlayed handmade pottery is produced in Nisa, in central Portugal. Some of the popular items in this genre are handcrafted unglazed pitchers and plates of different sizes and colors that can serve as beautiful decorative pieces. These items require lots of patience and practice and are created especially by women.

The quartz inlay pitcher is 10 inch tall. The plates are available in 10 and 12 inch diameters.  It should be noted that these items are only for decoration and cannot be used on dining tables.

Glazed Pottery

Glazed pottery is created with rich Portuguese clays in the early 15th century tradition and has become the hallmark of the country’s handcrafted art. Glazed pottery can be used both in the kitchen and as dinnerware in the dining room.

Some of the popular items are cookie jars, dessert plates, spoon rests, dinner plates in white and blue colors and soup bowls.

Tiles

Tiles of various sizes, colors and designs are very popular with the tourists. They are painted by experienced artists in attractive mural designs such as sun flowers, gardens and spring baskets. The spring basket mural is very suitable for kitchen above the stove or on the kitchen table.

Tiles are also designed with contemporary art in attractive colors such as solid red, greens, honey colors that cannot be easily replicated. These can be used in walls as well as tray displays.

Textiles and Embroidery

Traditional products in this category include linens, felt work, embroidery, jewelry and many other things. Several embroidered items in attractive designs and colors are available throughout Portugal. They include aprons, loom wool blankets, crochet socks, table skirts, needlepoint rugs, tapestries and so on.

Needlepoint rugs and tapestries are made from the finest quality pure wool, fast-color dyes and long lasting mesh. They are among the most favored items of purchase by the tourists as they are made by hand. They are considered the most beautiful creations and their artistry dates back to more than three centuries. They are used to decorate homes. About 80% of these items are widely exported to foreign countries.