Infante Edward, 4th Duke of Guimarães

Getting around

Daily Travel Distances

A hurried travel party on horseback could cover approximately 40 kilometers per day, though this distance was significantly reduced if the animals used for traction were oxen.

What it cost

Higher Bread Costs in Cities

In urban centers like Lisbon, Funchal, and Algarve towns, the cost of daily bread was twice as high as it was in rural agricultural areas.

What people wore

Commoner Clothing in Everyday Life

Ordinary people wore dark-colored clothing made of coarse, patched fabrics. Men wore woolen tunics, coarse leggings, and felt or cloth hats.

Daily life

Lisbon homes organized around a courtyard

Many houses used a central open courtyard that brought light and air into the interior and connected rooms together.

Work

Limited annual working days

The average person worked about 240 days a year, with significant time reserved for religious and civic holidays when labor was prohibited.

Music

Music on board ship expeditions

Long-distance maritime expeditions, such as Pedro Álvares Cabral's 1500 voyage, included musicians playing instruments like trumpets, drums, flutes, and bagpipes.

At the table

Simple fare for ordinary Portuguese families

Ordinary families often ate light meals of fruit and bread, or pottages of cereals and vegetables, saving meat and sweets for festive days. In 1422, a local council purchased farteis, which were cakes made with flour, eggs, butter, and sometimes almonds, for community celebrations.