My main goal in Portugal and Spain was to complete the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, which translates to, "Path to Santiago". This ancient pilgrimage is characterized by many different paths originating from many places and traditions all ending in the Spainish city of Santiago de Compostela. People from all different walks of life have been making this journey for -- no joke -- 1000 years! This journey was well established in the pre-industrial era when, hard to believe, people walked everywhere! Generally towns and cities were established a day's walk from one another, which is 6 to 8 hours, so nobody, theoretically, should have had to go further than that in order to find a place to eat and to sleep. It is important to understand the long walk that encompasses each day to understand the significance of the food along the Camino!
Portugal has abundant and varied sea food. Generally breakfast and lunch are small meals while dinner consists of multiple courses. Breakfast starts with a strong cup of coffee and a dense aromatic pastry like a Pastel de nata or a Bola De Berlim. These are enjoyed at leisure. You buy your pastry at the confeitaria (patisserie/cake shop) and this always counted as my first stop in the morning.
