Claudia Matias has joined Turismo de Portugal, India Office as a Director in January 2020. She has an experience of more than 20 years and is a representative expert and one of the most reliable marketing person in Portugal. We spoke to her about the culinary culture of Portugal and the bond that India and Portugal share and what we got was in an interview that would surely inspire any foodie to plan a trip to Portugal as soon as the travel ban is lifted.What are the five things you should not miss when in Portugal?Portugal is a country of beautiful contrasts, so selecting five its a challenge for a Portuguese soul. Portuguese are very passionate about their country, origins and achievements. Our historical background is amazing and that path made us a very friendly country, our people are natural-born hosts, we are storytellers and we take huge pleasure when we see visitors from other countries enjoying the secrets only locals can tell! I would say that the experience and what not to miss in Portugal can be many things, our, cuisine, nature, golden beaches with amazing sunsets, UNESCO heritage and history, monuments, medieval castles, cobblestone villages, captivating cities and the Portuguese, are the promise of an adventure that inspires a journey.
Why do you think it should be the most sought after travel destination in the post-COVID scenario?Portugal is already one of the most approached destinations by international travellers, with 4 of the 21 safest destinations for this summer with Madeira, Azores, Alentejo and Algarve being selected by the European Best Destinations for 2020 summer inside Europe. Three Portuguese beaches are among the 10 safest in Europe.
During the pandemic and confinement, we needed to take a break, the dream of the great days to come and face this together so we launched the #CantSkipHope movement that organically reached over 1.8 million people in over 90 countries. It is also translated in +12 languages, most of the translations were done by the users that wanted to share this inspirational message with the world.
According to Fowardkeys and the travel Outlook for Europe, Lisbon is one of the top 3 inbound destination cities for international travellers in October, November and December when examining tickets issued as of August 10. The Worlds Best Destination continues to be authentic, diverse, attractive, inclusive and safe. We maintain our purpose and undertaking, namely to welcome all our visitors and ensure that they can travel around the country safely and confidently. Its time to say #CantSkipHope... Start planning.
The Mediterranean Diet, classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, is part of the identity of the Portuguese gastronomy. It's based on plants, including vegetables, fruit, good quality bread and largely unprocessed cereals, dried and fresh vegetables (beans, chickpeas, broad beans, etc.), dried fruits and nuts (walnuts, almonds, chestnuts, raisins, etc.), but also the mentioned olive oil as the main source of fat, and fish at the expense of red meat.
Each dish is matched to the right wine and we love sharing wine with family and friends during long and joyful meals. The whole country produces wine among hundreds of native grapes, the less unknown ones are Tinta Barroca, Rabigato, Touriga Nacional, Baga, Alvarinho. Many of these grapes directly descend from pre-historic vine plants that developed in the country and have to endure thousands of years of human presence and climate changes. Don t forget that Rose is a Portuguese wine! Wine also pairs with cheese and we have wonderful mountain cheeses produced that the world has yet to discover. The creamy, oily or dry goat and sheep cheeses also make us bless the heavens. The Portuguese sweets are divine and full of heritage, like the nuns used to do in the old days while preparing their recipes of sugar, eggs and almond in the seclusion of their cloisters.
We celebrate the National Gastronomy Day in June and our cuisine lies in the human factor. Our chefs are increasingly talented and are winning more prizes, revolutionising the richness of Portuguese cuisine with their creativity, boldness and good taste. Currently, Portugal is proud to have a host of chefs who work at the highest levels of cuisine, using old-established recipes or more unusual methods that often enhance the flavour and quality of local products. Some come from our 12 tourism schools managed by Turismo de Portugal, and we just received the UNWTO TEDQUAL certification.
So, I must say that across Portugal and its islands you get different flavours and dishes, each region is a capital of food having everything to please even the most discerning palate because it is based on genuine quality products, cooked according to traditional recipes or the most innovative and unusual trends.
Do share some lesser-known facts about Portugal that people do not know?
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India and Portugal have a special culinary bond: Claudia Matias - Times of India
