Handicraft

Throughout the 40 parishes of the municipality of Sabugal, there is still a considerable number of artisans who dedicate themselves to the traditions of the past, producing different crafts.

In pink and blue, packed in boxes of pine wood, the soaps from Lomba gained a reputation. It was here that the largest handmade soap production of all the Beiras was developed, eventually giving rise to a medium-sized industry that produced bars of soap.

Today, this village also houses other woodworking craftsmen, particularly of the chestnut tree logs, which are transformed into small drinking bars with nice aesthetics and excellent quality.

The tradition is still the same, through the working hands of several artisans that give life to weaving and to the charming rags’ blankets.

Sabugal’s largest parish is Soito, where wrought iron, woodwork, embroidery, various garments, typical car bodies, and stone and sausage works are featured.

In Rapoula do Côa and Sobreira, the rags’ blankets are produced in the old manual looms where the linen still survives.

Sabugal is still a county of linens, lace, embroidery, 5 needles’ lace and artefacts made of granite, fabric painting and boats made of matches.

The county villages have distinctive handicraft traditions:

  • In Aldeia da Ponte the highlight goes to pottery, ceramics and iron;
  • Rendo produces wonderful pieces in wrought iron, wood carvings and rags’ blankets;
  • In Pouca Farinha, there are artisans that maintain the production of wicker chairs;
  • Fóios is a village whose expertise is related to the preservation of meats, hams, sausages and “buchos”;[1]
  • In Moita we can find stools and chairs made of wood;
  • Malcata produces high-quality honey, goat cheese and several articles made of wood;
  • Forcalhos still preserves bespoke tailoring while Sortelha still is the most positive handicraft reference in the whole county;
  • Sobreira works the linen and the rags’ blankets;
  • Ruivós produces manual agricultural implements and is a production centre for embroidery and cotton bedspreads;
  • Águas Belas presents miniatures of manual agricultural implements;
  • Aldeia Velha gives special attention to the traditional weavers;

The work in bracing is executed by several artisans and is the seal of quality of all the Sabugal’s craftsmanship. We can also add great motivation in the work of the Arraiolos’ carpets, the art of leather crafting, cheese and homemade bread.

[1] TN – Kind of sausage meat (The casing consists of a bladder or pork stomach stuffed with pieces of uncooked pork, disaggregating itself to the cut, tied at the ends with cotton threads.)