After sunshine and football the humble tin of sardines must be next on the list of what’s special about Portugal.
The tiny, oily and delicious fish has been part of this country’s diet since Roman times and is stitched into its cultural and economic fabric.
This is the nation that perfected the art of canning too and – with tourists looking for something traditionally Portuguese to take home – you’ll find their packaging colourful and attention-grabbing.
They even have shops dedicated to the little fish and staff in uniform too!
With EU quotas affecting how much fish can be extracted from home waters, the Portuguese buy in from Morocco to meet demand.
Oh, did l forget to say, these small but mighty inhabitants of the sea are a healthy source of protein and minerals and tasty to boot!
