When you step away from the typical tourist spots, you stop being a tourist and start becoming a traveler, an explorer, experiencing the true culture and traditions of a place. In the northeastern corner of Portugal, the Bragança region was once hard to access, but a new motorway now makes this intriguing area more reachable for visitors.
Previously isolated and now only a two-hour drive from Porto, Bragança has managed to preserve its unique heritage. This area, known as Trás-os-Montes, literally “behind the mountains,” is rich with authentic Portuguese culture, including its cuisine, crafts, and traditions.
Julieta Alves sits bent over her pottery wheel, skillfully shaping grey clay into traditional miniature pitchers called cantarinhas. After they harden slightly, she decorates each one with simple designs – leaves, flowers, and the word “Bragança” – so tourists remember where they purchased these unique souvenirs.
Julieta is the last potter in Pinela, a village 30 kilometers south of Bragança once known for its pottery. Industrialization has nearly wiped out the craft, leaving Julieta as the sole practitioner, unable to find an apprentice to carry on the tradition. Like many places around the world, the local youth prefer stable office jobs over the uncertainties of self-employment in crafts.
But as long as Julieta continues her work, there is hope.
Walking through the Artisan’s market at the annual Feira das Cantarinhas in Bragança, it’s clear many other artisans face similar challenges. These skilled craftsmen and women, despite their age and the hardships, proudly display their crafts. Across from Julieta, an elderly lady spins flax into yarn, weaving it into linen blankets and tablecloths. Nearby, another senior woman expertly weaves reeds into beautiful baskets.
Artisans are becoming increasingly rare in Europe, making their presence in Bragança a testament to the area’s living traditions. For any traveler seeking genuine Portuguese souvenirs, this market is a perfect destination.
The miniature cantarinhas of Bragança have a historical origin dating back to medieval times. The Feira das Cantarinhas, held at the beginning of May, originally sold early vegetables and seeds for planting and also marked the start of summer. Clay jugs, ideal for keeping water cool due to their evaporative cooling properties, were a popular item at the fair. These small pitchers, now symbolizing the market, continue to be available today.
Traditionally given by boys to girls as courtship tokens, cantarinhas now serve as symbols of affection and friendship. They come in various shapes and colors, but the most authentic pieces are those handcrafted by Julieta Alves.
The cantarinha is so integral to the region’s heritage that Hernani Dias, president of the Bragança Municipal Chamber, seeks its recognition as an Intangible National Heritage. While you can buy a cantarinha year-round in Bragança, the best time is during the Feira das Cantarinhas in early May. The town comes alive with festivities, offering homemade sausages, jams, sweets, liquors, cookies, and cakes.
Explore Bragança, set against the green landscape of the snow-covered Sierra de Montesinho and anchored by its medieval fortress, and discover an authentic slice of Portugal in Trás-os-Montes – behind the mountains.
Our visit to Bragança was organized by the Association of Commercial, Industrial, and Services of Bragança. Through their + Bragança project, they aim to showcase the region’s beauty and heritage to curious and mindful travelers.
In Bragança, we sought authenticity and found it in the local villages, the artisans’ crafts, and the region’s gastronomy.
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