2 weeks Ago
For instance, here’s a quote from Isabella Rossellini: “I always have Parmigiano Reggiano, olive oil, and pasta at home. When people get sick, they want chicken soup. I want spaghetti with parmesan cheese, olive oil, and a bit of lemon zest.
It makes me feel better every time.” Now there’s a girl after my own heart (although she did mess up the balance with that citrus). Olive oil Since moving to Europe more than a decade ago, I’ve made a subtle shift in my diet away from butter toward olive oil (the pasta and cheese parts have remained intact).
But other than being familiar with terms like “cold-pressed” and “extra virgin,” I was not really knowledgeable about it. Not until I spent an extended period of time in the city of Oliveira do Hospital in the Coimbra District. Driving around one day, less than ten minutes from Oliveira, we came upon the village of Bobadela.
We pulled over on N230-6 because of the Roman ruins visible from the road. Besides a well-preserved grand arch, there was a fine amphitheatre and a 17th-century chapel. There, we also found the Centro Interpretativo de Bobadela Romana with an exhibition of photographs and illustrations, interactive multimedia equipment, and a documentary film, in addition to displays of archaeological pieces collected during the excavations.
Museum But that was just the start. We spotted a sign for the Museu do Azeite and drove up the road to check it out. What we saw when we arrived seemed totally incongruous, placed as it was in these simple hills: a broad, sloping, light olive green roof on an architecturally modern structure.
It was like seeing a variation of a Guggenheim building on a winding private road in Monchique. If we were surprised at the outside, we were amazed on the inside, beginning with the sight of an enormous olive tree in the lobby, positioned to demonstrate its use in the process of crushing olives in the production of oil. Instantly, we were enveloped in the past, in tradition, in history, and in fact, in a sense of the majesty of the origin of that slim and unassuming bottle nestled in my kitchen cupboard.
Credits: Supplied Image; Author: Tricia Pimental; Consisting of a number of adjoining buildings, the museum was the brainchild of entrepreneur António Manuel Dias, owner of Sociedade de Azeite Destilaria Dias Lda. In 1986, he began collecting information on the history of the making of olive oil, such an important agricultural product for Portugal. That history is depicted through the use of modern, well-lit, and creative displays, making the visit not only informative but immensely pleasurable.
There are also regional products for sale and workshops for all ages (make your own olive oil soap!) as well as guided tours and olive oil tastings, by appointment, for groups. Spectacular views We decided to lunch at the museum’s restaurant, Olea. Highly recommended not only for good food and wine, but also for its spectacular view of the Serra da Estrela mountains.
Choosing this location for the museum was truly brilliant. Thinking we had won the culture lottery, finding this tucked-away gem, we began heading back to Oliveira when we stopped again to take a peek at the municipal museum we had seen opposite the Roman amphitheatre. We had assumed it was a typical local museum, with historic photos of the past.
Lottery score number two. (Three, if you count the Roman ruins and Centro Interpretivo.) The Municipal Museum of António Simões Saraiva , a prolific and award-winning author, historian, educator, and former Mayor of Oliveira do Hospital, contains a multi-faceted collection of goodies that kept us enthralled for almost two hours.
Credits: Supplied Image; Author: Tricia Pimental; The interior of the building is larger than it looks, featuring rooms with different themes. I can justifiably say there is something for everyone here, including full-sized sculptures; a collection of model sailing ships; antique farm tools and cooking items; fully furnished dining and sitting rooms; chinoiserie; religious artifacts; period women’s fashions; and a doll collection. One highlight for me was the replica of the office of 17th-century soldier, writer, and poet Brás Garcia Mascarenhas , born less than 20 kilometres away in Avô.
If you’re considering a break this summer from the usual tourist hot spots, and this look at a small portion of central Portugal has piqued your interest, I have three recommendations for lodging in Oliveira do Hospital. When I was living there, I rented a local home for a month, but if I were to return, I’d surely pick one of the following. Remember—omne trium perfectum.
Native New Yorker Tricia Pimental left the US in 2012, later becoming International Living’s first Portugal Correspondent. The award-winning author and her husband, now Portuguese citizens, currently live in Coimbra..
