Infante João, Duke of Beja

What people wore

Inherited feast day suits for fishermen

Fishermen in the Beira Litoral region wore formal suits for feast days that were often passed down through generations, including coats and waistcoats from the 18th century, knee breeches, and silver shoe buckles. If they did not own these items, they would borrow them from friends or relatives.

Getting around

Travel by Mule and Horseback

In this period, most ordinary land travel relied on mules, horses, or litters, as there were almost no carriage roads and no public transportation outside of Lisbon and Porto. A league, the standard unit of distance, was typically defined as the distance a loaded mule could cover in one hour, though it varied significantly depending on the muleteer's desire to stop at taverns.

At the table

Staple foods of ordinary families

Ordinary families typically ate broa (corn bread), sardines, and soup made of vegetables, potatoes, and beans. Meat and fish were scarce, making sardines a staple for the poor, often rubbed against bread to add flavor.

Music

The origins of Fado

Fado emerged in 19th-century Lisbon as a spontaneous music form sung in taverns, streets, and homes, often associated with marginalized figures like sailors and coachmen. Performers often improvised poetry about love and daily life, sometimes accompanied by guitars.

Daily life

Small, multipurpose homes with central kitchens

Many popular homes were small, multipurpose spaces where a fireplace in the kitchen served as the central point for cooking, eating, and even sleeping. For the poorest families, dwellings often lacked basic furniture such as beds, relying on chests or arks instead.