Portuguese gastronomy

European Wine City 2026 is the title given to highlight one region’s wine, culture and tourism in Europe for a full year. In 2026, the spotlight goes to a rural area in Portugal that is still very much off the mainstream tourist trail.

Portugal has taken the top spot in one of the wine world’s most closely watched rankings, with a Portuguese estate named the world’s best wine producer in 2025.

Portugal is a great destination for foodies, especially seafood lovers.

If you’ve already lived in Portugal for a while, you’ll know what we mean. If you’re getting ready to go there, be warned about what you might find – Portuguese people are really lovely but have some strange customs. Here, we run down the 10 strangest habits of the Portuguese. 1.

What better when relaxing in the Portuguese sun than a nice cold brew? The Portuguese take drinking at a casual level, often drinking beer from small bottles, ‘garrafas’, or draught beer by the half-pint or smaller, known as ‘imperial’ or ‘fino’.