Infante Francisco António, Prince of Beira

Music

Fandango as a popular tavern dance

The fandango was a popular dance of courtship and seduction, often performed in taverns by ordinary people to the sound of the viola. Dancers marked the beat with their feet and castanets, or by snapping their fingers if castanets were unavailable.

Daily life

Rural living and animal cohabitation

In rural homes, families sometimes lived in a single room where they slept and ate alongside their domestic animals.

What it cost

Ox meat prices in Porto

In Porto, the price of ox meat rose from 36 réis per arrátel in 1780 to 47 réis by 1783, eventually reaching 63 réis by 1798.

What people wore

Extending clothing life through repairs

To maintain appearance, clothing was often repaired with patches or worn items were turned inside out by tailors once they became frayed from use.

Getting around

Introduction of the Mala-posta Stagecoach

In 1798, a new public stagecoach service known as the mala-posta was established between Lisbon and Coimbra to improve travel for people and mail.

At the table

Poor families shared one sardine

For many poor families, a typical dinner consisted only of bread, potatoes, and a single sardine, with the mother often eating the head and dividing the rest among her children.