Like every culture, the Portuguese are very proud of their antique places and traditions. Being one of the oldest countries in the world, we try to preserve some historical things, where you can taste and breathe old special atmospheres.

In Porto, there are still some places that literally take you back in history, showing us how things used to be. Related to these spots, my favorite category may well be the traditional local stores. There are a bunch of them spread throughout the city, but with a higher concentration in the center, where “Bolhão” market is the maximum exponent. “Pérola do Bolhão” is another beautiful example, not only for tourists, but also for locals who live nearby it. In this context, I present a local place where cheese lovers will lose their mind, like I always do!

Queijaria (cheese factory) Amaral is a local store which calls itself a “cheese deposit”. In here you can find almost every kind of authentic Portuguese cheese, but specially, the “Queijo da Serra” (which means cheese of the mountain), an unmissable piece of flavored culture. It is made with sheep milk from the heart of Portugal, more precisely from “Serra da Estrela”, the highest point of continental Portugal. To accompany the cheese, you can also find a wine selection, some homemade bread and jams, among others.

These stores are what help making Porto such a pleasant and special town, where you can find pieces from the past just around the corner!