Lisbon: Tracing the Roots of an Imperial CuisineLisbon: Tracing the Roots of an Imperial Cuisine

Today, we’ll explore the city’s backstreet eateries and food markets, searching for clues to its rich history. Our day begins at a classic pastry shop next-door to the 18th-century Estrela Basilica. As we munch the famous convent pastries, we’ll be transported to the era when Lisbon was at the epicenter of the spice trade. From there, we’ll head up to the Campo de Ourique district, a “city within a city,” where we’ll enjoy a series of traditional Portuguese bites around the bustling market. We’ll also descend into a bookseller’s secret basement, which stocked contraband literature during the 20th-century Salazar regime. For lunch, we’ll visit a neighborhood association with an intriguing political past, and have a chance to ask questions and rest our legs. In the afternoon, we’ll descend into the historic underground water tunnel network, which once brought water to the city’s fountains. Emerging above ground at a most unusual wine bar, we’ll cap off the day with a port wine tasting. Take the rest of the evening to rest and relax or explore further on our own.

This morning we’ll head south out of Lisbon to the center of Portugal’s fishing industry, Setubal. Known today for its lively fish market and tinned fish factories, the industry is rooted in Roman times, back when this area was the biggest producer of the garum, that funky fermented fish sauce beloved by the Romans. We’ll visit the fish market and have a refreshing local lunch of spanking-fresh fish. We’ll then take the ferry across the Sado estuary to the Troia Peninsula, where we’ll visit the Roman ruins with local archaeologists. We’ll learn about garum production and even have a taste of it during our picnic among the ruins. (By the way, there’s a good swimming spot right nearby—though there isn’t a changing room, you can definitely still bring a swimsuit and towel for a dip!) In the late afternoon we’ll head back to Lisbon, where you’ll have the evening free to rest, relax, and explore on your own.

Take a leisurely morning to relax or wander on your own. In the early afternoon, we’ll reconvene to try our hand at the crown jewel of the Portuguese pastry pantheon: the pastel de nata. We’ll test the nimbleness of our fingers during a hands-on workshop in a local bakery, then have the chance to sample our custard delicacies. We’ll enjoy a quick respite gathering for dinner at an upscale chef-driven restaurant where we will dine on some of Lisbon’s newer cuisine after a tram ride through the city.

You’ll have some time to sleep in or go for an early wander around the city on your own. Then we turn our focus to learning about the post-colonial communities of the former Portuguese empire. We'll visit a number of locations to understand (and taste!) how these communities - Angolan, Cape Verdean, and Macaunese - have influenced modern cuisine and culture in Lisbon. Dinner will be a multi-course Goan feast at Jesus é Goês. The ever-boisterous chef, Jesus, will guide our culinary experience, explaining how each dish embodies centuries of Portuguese-Goan relations.

Today we’ll board our vehicle and head about 45 minutes along the coast to the Colares region near Sintra, the westernmost point of Europe. We’ll start with a short easy hike on the Atlantic ocean ending at a cave where locals hunt for barnacles. For lunch, we will feast on seafood at a classic waterfront seafood restaurant with views over the Atlantic. Then in the afternoon, we’ll visit Viuva Gomes, a wonderful family-run winery. Here we visit the vineyards where the vines grow in sand and which survived the Phollexyra in the 19th century. At the winery, we’ll taste the wines and have a snack with the winemaker. We continue up to Sintra for an exclusive visit to the Pena Palace and its kitchens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. A sunset cocktail will round out our remarkable day and we return to Lisbon around 9:30 PM.