AZULEJO TILES
Azeulejos are exquisitely hand painted ceramic plaques and tiles that are made all over Portugal with a long standing tradition continuing from the 17th century. These treasures are easy to transport as they are fairly light and fit easily into suitcases and carry-on luggage.

The tile-making tradition in Portugal dates back to when the Moors ruled the nation in the 14th and 15th centuries. In fact The technique for producing tiles was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors. It became an immensely popular craft by the 17th century by artists who flocked to Lisbon to sell their craft throughout Portugal, Spain and even Africa. During the 17th and 18th centuries, these workshops manufactured tiles almost exclusively out of Lisbon.

The São Roque Chapel in Lisbon and the exquisite Quinta da Bacalhoa estate that nestles in the remote Serra da Arrábida hills south of the capital, are able to boast the earliest examples of tiles made in Portugal.

At the end of the 17th century, a new way of painting tiles emerged. Blue and white tiles influenced by Dutch tile makers and Chinese porcelain manufacturers were prevalent until the middle of the 18th century. At this period, artists started to sign their work, signifying the growing importance of tile making at the time.