Exploring Lisbon 🗺️

Newsletter #1

The PorTuguese PosTcard Newsletter:

Immerse yourself in the beauty of Portugal every week.

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Get ready to explore the heart and soul of Portugal’s capital, where centuries-old cultural traditions blend seamlessly with a vibrant contemporary lifestyle.

📌 Lisbon

(First segment)

History:

📍Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos Monastery) stands as a testament to Portugal's rich maritime history and its role in the Age of Discoveries, attracting visitors from around the world who come to admire its beauty and historical significance.

The Monastery was once a place of prayer and meditation for the monks of the Order of Saint Jerome, to provide spiritual guidance to sailors and pray for the king's soul.

This monument was built to commemorate Vasco da Gama’s successful voyage to India and it’s recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Culture:

🎼 At the heart of Lisbon's culture lies the melancholic strains of Fado music, a UNESCO listed intangible cultural heritage.

This deeply emotional genre, sung by a fadista (Fado singer) and accompanied by Portuguese guitar players, is often performed in intimate settings and tells tales of life, love, longing and loss, encapsulating the Portuguese concept of “saudade.”

With its mournful melodies, poignant lyrics and deeply rooted in the experiences of the sea, separation and a yearning for the unattainable, Fado is known as the saddest music in the world.

Culinary:

🥧 Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese Custards Tarts) often referred to simply as “natas”, are one of Portugal's most beloved culinary treasures. Originating from the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, Lisbon, in the 18th century, the recipe was a creation of Catholic monks looking to utilize leftover egg yolks, a byproduct of using egg whites to starch clothes.

When the Monastery closed, the recipe was sold to a nearby sugar refinery, which opened the Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém in 1837. To this day, they bake what are said to be the original "Pastéis de Belém," following the ancient recipe, which remains a closely guarded secret. 

The popularity of these tarts has spread worldwide, becoming a must-try delicacy for visitors to Portugal and a source of national pride.

Traveler’s guide:

🛫 Best Time to Visit is Spring and Fall, offering pleasant weather, fewer crowds, and lower prices. April to June and September to October are especially good.

In the Summer (July and August) is peak tourist season. Expect higher prices and crowds, but it's also when Lisbon is most vibrant.

Fascinating facts- Marly explains:

Reader’s Corner- Your Stories:

📝 Would you like to share your experience with our community? This is a dedicated space for you to do it! Selected stories will be featured in upcoming editions.

We really appreciate your opinion! Please give us your feedback, suggestions and contributions.

How to share your experience and/or opinion? Simply reply to this e-mail.

We believe that together, we can create a richer and more engaging newsletter!

💌 Make sure you don't miss next week's newsletter, as we further explore the captivating allure of Lisbon, promising even more wonders to enrich your discovery of this magical city.

Your Team,