When diners sit at a table set with pottery inspired by Portugal’s iconic vintage Port, they encounter a sense of luxury before the first course arrives. Each piece of Casafina’s Casa Stone line is crafted through more than 50 meticulous steps in a northern Portugal workshop, with artisans hand-decorating seven distinct patterns. The Vintage Port collection is exclusive to Casafina and instantly elevates a table setting. A four-piece place setting ranges from $78 to $110. http://www.casafinagifts.com
Visitors to the Algarve often wish they could capture the region’s fresh, sea-salted air to bring home. Marisol Flos Salis offers an elegant solution: a delicate finishing salt skimmed from the surface of the Rio Formosa Nature Reserve salt marshes. The off-white, snowflake-like crystals are preserved in a ceramic crock designed to protect the unrefined salt; the lid doubles as a convenient serving dish. Harvested and processed using organic, artisanal methods, this salt is free of pesticides, herbicides and chemical additives. Prices range from $24.95 to $36.75. http://www.eco-natural.com/algarve_sea_salt/flos_salis.html
Viana do Castelo is renowned not only for its coastal scenery and hills but also for a long-standing embroidery tradition that dates back to when brides hand-stitched gowns and linens. Today’s artisans continue that heritage, creating linens embroidered by hand with classic motifs—brambles, hearts and flowers—in traditional blue, red and green threads. Depending on size and complexity, a single piece can take up to six months to complete. A handmade embroidered tablecloth, one meter square, is available from Portugal Shop for approximately $294. http://www.portugalshop.com
No visit to southern Portugal is truly complete without taking in the family vineyards that blend seamlessly into the countryside. In Alentejo, Cortes de Cima opens its white farmhouse to guests for estate tours and tastings. Each summer the winery stages a vineyard concert where classical arias and duets pair beautifully with the estate’s wines. A standout is the Touriga Nacional: a sweet, silky, intensely flavored red that spends 14 months aging in French oak, offering depth and elegance in every glass. Cortes de Cima Touriga Nacional is priced around $59.99. http://cortesdecima.com