Anyone who lives in Portugal quickly discovers that there is a story behind many everyday things. A street name, a bowl of snails on the table, a special chimney on an old house... Some traditions are hundreds of years old, others are just part of Portuguese life today. Four of our favorites.

October 5 - Why is that street called that everywhere?

Ifyou drive through Portugal, you will find it everywhere: Rua 5 de Outubro, Avenida 5 de Outubro, Praça 5 de Outubro.

That date refers to October 5, 1910, the day on which the Portuguese monarchy fell and the republic was proclaimed. After a republican uprising in Lisbon, the República Portuguesa was officially proclaimed from the City Hall on the morning of October 5.

The last king, Manuel II, was only 20 years old at the time. He left for England, where he died in 1932 without children. The Portuguese royal family did not disappear completely: Dom Duarte Pio de Bragança is now considered the head of the Casa Real Portuguesa within the most important monarchist tradition.

Dia da Implantação da República is still an official national holiday. Especially in Lisbon there are official ceremonies and commemorations. For many Portuguese these days, however, it mainly means a day off.

So the next time you drive down an Avenida 5 de Outubro, you'll know why.

May 1 - Caracóis and a cold beer

May 1 - Dia do Trabalhador - is Portuguese Labor Day. But especially in the south of Portugal, there is another tradition: eating caracóis.

Families and friends get together, look for a café or terrace and order a bowl of small snails. This includes bread to dip in the spicy broth and of course a cerveja bem fresca.

Caracóis are the small snails that are usually cooked slowly with garlic, oregano, and bay leaf. Caracoletas are much larger and are often grilled.

In the past, caracóis were also collected themselves, especially after humid periods. However, they did not go straight from the garden into the pan: they were first kept apart for some time and then cleaned very thoroughly.

Do you see a sign with 'Há Caracóis' at a café in the Algarve from spring? Sit down, order a bowl and a cold beer. An afternoon hardly gets more Portuguese than that.

Christmas - it's all about Christmas Eve

In Catholic Portugal, December 24 is traditionally the most important family moment of Christmas. This evening is called A Noite da Consoada.

Families come together and the classic on the table is bacalhau com todos: salted cod with potatoes, vegetables, egg and olive oil. Depending on the region, octopus is also eaten.

This is followed by the sweet side of Portuguese Christmas, including Bolo-Rei, rabanadas, sonhos and filhoses.

Some families open their gifts after midnight, others on the morning of December 25. Catholic families can go to the Missa do Galo, the traditional midnight mass, at night.

The great thing about Portuguese Christmas? In the end, it's all about one thing: sitting together at the table with the whole family for hours.

The chaminé algarvia - a house with a story

Next time you drive through an old village in the Algarve, take a look up. On many traditional houses you can see beautifully decorated white chimneys: the famous chaminés algarvias.

Together with the coloured platibandas along the eaves and the flat açoteias, they are among the most recognisable elements of the Algarve's traditional architecture.

The chimney was not only functional. From about the 18th and 19th centuries, Algarvian chimneys became more and more richly decorated and could also tell something about the prosperity of the owner. A more intricate design required more craftsmanship and made the house more impressive.

The traditional açoteia, the flat roof terrace that is especially common in the east of the Algarve, also had a practical purpose. It was used, among other things, to dry fruit and as extra living space during warm months.

Actually, a house already told something about the people who lived there. And maybe it's not so different today.

A house is more than four walls

That is exactly what we at Westmark Real Estate love about real estate in Portugal.

A home is never just a number of square meters, bedrooms and bathrooms. Sometimes it is an ancient house with a chaminé algarvia. Sometimes a fisherman's house with an açoteia. Sometimes a modern villa with views over the Atlantic Ocean.

But behind every house is a story.

And whoever buys a property in Portugal, ends up buying a small piece of Portuguese life.

That is exactly the Portugal that we at Westmark like to show. 

UNIQUE HOMES. TRUSTED ADVICE

Want to learn more about typical Portuguese traditions? Also read the blog about the famous ́Pastel de Nata ́