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Anecdotes about Portugal

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Why do Portuguese cafés always serve such tiny espressos?

In Portugal, you don’t order “a coffee” — you ask for “uma bica”. This tiny word represents a national institution: a strong, aromatic espresso served in a small porcelain cup. For outsiders, it might look almost symbolic, but in Portugal, it’s not about size. It’s about rhythm and culture.

Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t just have a museum… he also has an airport named after him!

Yes, he never ceases to amaze us, that Cristiano! The beloved child of Madeira doesn’t just have a collection of Ballon d’Ors or a line of underwear (yes, the one with the 4K abs on giant billboards—don’t pretend you haven’t seen it!). He also has… an airport named after him. That’s right! Because in Portugal, when people love, they don’t hold back—especially when it comes to CR7.

Why Do the Portuguese Love Cod So Much When It Doesn’t Live in Their Seas?

Portugal is a country turned toward the sea. Its coastline stretches for more than 800 kilometers, and yet the most emblematic fish of its cuisine, bacalhau (salted and dried cod), does not live in Portuguese waters. A curiosity that intrigues travelers and fascinates food lovers alike.

How “Saudade” Became the Most Famous Untranslatable Word in the World ?

Ah, saudade… that word that drifts through the Portuguese air like a fado note, that slips into conversations without ever really being translated. If you live in Portugal, you’ve definitely heard it (maybe even felt it) without quite knowing how to explain it ! And if you haven’t yet, brace yourself : once you understand saudade, it never leaves you.

Why Do the Portuguese Love Cod So Much if It Doesn’t Live in Their Waters?

It is one of Portugal’s greatest culinary paradoxes: a country proud of having one of the largest maritime zones in Europe, with kilometers of Atlantic coastline and ancient fishing traditions, has made its national fish one that doesn’t even swim in its waters. Cod is absent from the Portuguese sea, yet omnipresent in the nation’s culture, gastronomy, and collective imagination.

The mystery of mosaic pavements, a Portuguese invention copied around the world

Ah… those Portuguese sidewalks! You know, the ones that make you walk with your head down in Lisbon or Porto, not because you’re lost in thought, but because they’re just so beautiful (and, let’s be honest, a bit dangerous if you’re wearing heels !). Those little black-and-white stones, sometimes arranged in spirals, sometimes in waves, and sometimes so slippery they deserve a warning sign that says, “Caution: hazardous masterpiece.” Yes, you know exactly what I’m talking about the calçada portuguesa, or Portuguese mosaic pavement.

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