Duarte, Duke of Coimbra

Music

The Widespread Vira Dance Tradition

The vira is a widespread and fast-paced couple dance that has dozens of regional variations. It remains a staple of social life, often performed to a song in strophic form that repeats melodic phrases until the dance concludes.

At the table

Meat as a rare festive luxury

Meat was considered a luxury, often reserved only for special feast days or holidays.

Daily life

Rural homes lacked basic utilities and infrastructure

In the 1970s, many rural homes lacked basic utilities like running water, electricity, and private bathrooms, forcing families to rely on public fountains and outdoor sanitation. Households commonly cooked over open hearths without chimneys, often using firewood or coal briquettes in clay-filled stoves.

What people wore

Pilgrims carried shoes to protect them

When traveling long distances for pilgrimages, people often walked barefoot or in wooden clogs, carrying their good shoes in their hands to protect them from the journey and only putting them on when reaching the sanctuary.

Getting around

Avoiding luggage fees on bus travel

In the late 20th century, passengers traveling by bus from the Guarda train station often saved money by asking others to claim their heavy bags as their own to avoid extra luggage fees.

Work

Rigid schedules for industrial workers

Factory workers and administrative staff faced rigid schedules, with over half of industrial workers arriving at their jobs by 8:00 AM. In contrast, agricultural workers were the earliest to start, with 15% already working by 7:00 AM.