Art&CraftDay

Wondering around I find myself stepping over columns of Lioz, a marble with pink or yellow veins in a rosetted pattern and try to imagine which fine palacio they had once belonged...

To one side are great kilns where they make bricks and roof tiles in the traditional style and where schools are encouraged to come and make their own objet d art out of clay. It is possible to arrange to paint your own tile here or make something out of clay at the weekends...

Inside the old building there are artists in a long studio faithfully recreating one of the handicrafts Portugal is famous for, Azuleijos, tile painting.

This art form requires not only talent but hours of calm patience. We browse our way through the shop which is more like a gallery and where you can buy anything from a single tile to an entire panel or even commission one to your own design.

Upstairs is a cafe and this seems like the perfect moment to order a galao, which is a tall glass of very milky coffee, much like the Italian latte.

In the direction of Azeitao we turn off to Vila Fresca de Azeitao and visit two more tile galleries.

The first is called S. Simao and the artists are more than happy for you to watch them busy at work.

The other is tucked down a road that runs alongside the Palace Bacalhoa here they are hand making tiles using ancient techniques from all over the country including the north of Portugal which makes a strongly decorated tile in relief.

Next door beckons and we cannot decide on whether to catch a snack in Sabores da Terra, a cafe and delicatessen, with the chance to taste a few wines, or to opt for a lunch at Pe de Vinho, a restaurant inside a long warehouse, the walls of which exhibit the work of local artists and photographers.

Well, having seen so much I dont need to tell you where we chose to finish our day....