This past week was all about turns: a turn on the trail, a turn around town, and then a turn in the weather — from a bike ride on recently dried paths to a community walk and, finally, a museum visit to escape the rain.
Biking on a Saturday
After a week of go, go, go, I was looking forward to a down day. But Lucille deployed her signature form of coercion — “How about a bike ride?” — and there went my down day. Seventeen miles later, we had explored Santa Rita, ridden past orange groves, and stopped for lunch at Xicken, one of our favorites. Here’s how it went (video).
Community Walk on a Sunday
The 18th edition of MOVE Tavira was a solidarity walk aimed at raising awareness of colon and rectal cancer and collecting funds to support people with cancer. There were two route options, a 5K — really closer to 6K — and a 10K. We had planned to meet up with our friend Joan, but of course we ran into so many people along the way that the walk turned into a series of conversations. There were also storm troopers for reasons that were never entirely clear, so naturally the morning began with a photo op. When the path split, I took the shorter route, while Tom carried on running the longer one. Here’s a video of the event.
Avoiding the Rain
One of the most iconic aspects of Portugal is its tiles. They tell stories, carry history, and feel very much like the heartbeat of the country. When another day of rain presented itself, we turned ourselves toward the Palácio da Galeria to wander through that history.
On exhibition was Azulejos in Portugal: An Ongoing History, bringing together around 70 works from the National Tile Museum and tracing more than five centuries of tile-making, from the 16th century to today.
16th Century
Many of the earliest tiles in Portugal began in Seville, and you can see that influence clearly in this first section — bold patterns, rich color, and techniques rooted in Moorish design.
These first two are Painel de azulejos from Sevilla (c. 1503 and 1525-1550).
A tile with a monkey depicted comes Antwerp (1550). And here Lisboa emerges with Painel de azulejos de padrão (1580–1590).
17th Century
The 17th century is often called the century of patterns. Tiles covered entire walls in repeating designs — geometric, rhythmic, and made to fit seamlessly into church interiors. At the same time, figurative panels began to appear, telling religious and, later, more worldly stories.
I stopped immediately at a panel of letters (Painel de azulejos com inscrição, 1654, Lisboa) and tried to decipher them.
Transcription might be: “ESTA OBRA MANDOU FAZER DONA ANNA DE ALMEIDA SENDO AA BBᵃ NO ANNO DE 1654 E TENDO POR FEITOR FREI REMIO DE SIQEIRA”
The inscription gives a small but telling insight into how these works were created: Abadessa Dona Anna de Almeida (a female superior, typically within an abbey) commissioned and financed it, while Friar Remio de Siqueira oversaw the work on site. Details like this were commonly recorded in 17th-century Portuguese convents and churches, as a way of documenting the people behind these large decorative efforts.
Alongside these, figurative tiles — influenced by engravings and global trade — depicted saints, mythology, and scenes of daily life.
São João Evangelista na Ilha de Patmos (Lisboa, 1650–1675) depicts the apostle in exile, traditionally where he is believed to have written the Book of Revelation — showing how tiles were used to tell religious stories. One patterned panel (c. 1640, Lisboa) includes the inscription “IHS,” a Christogram representing the name of Jesus — even these repeating designs carried religious meaning.
These tile patterns (Painel de azulejos de padrão) from Lisboa date back to 1640-1680.
Tália e Melpómene, 1670–1675, Lisboa
Thalia and Melpomene — the Greek Muses of comedy and tragedy — appear here in a figurative panel, where tiles are used more like paintings than patterns. Their presence reflects a connection to education, the arts, and broader European cultural ideals, appealing to patrons who wanted to signal a certain sophistication.
18th Century
The 18th century is where Portuguese tilework becomes more expressive and theatrical. During the so-called Master Cycle, artists began signing their work and creating large, narrative panels designed specifically for the spaces they filled.
Under King João V, production expanded dramatically. Blue-and-white tiles became dominant, covering churches and palaces with scenes ranging from religious narratives to everyday life, often with a sense of movement and drama.
By mid-century, styles began to shift again, but the impact of this period remained — tiles were no longer just decorative surfaces, but immersive, storytelling environments.
19th Century
By the 19th century, tiles moved beyond palaces and churches and onto the streets. Entire building façades were covered in patterned tiles, giving Portuguese cities their distinctive color and texture.
Real Fábrica da Louça do Rato
Fábrica de Faianças das Caldas da Rainha
Rafael Bordallo Pinheiro
Advances in production made tiles more accessible, and different regions developed their own styles — from the smooth, colorful compositions of Lisbon to the more textured, high-relief tiles of the north.
1850–1875, Lisboa
Vila Nova de Gaia, Fábrica de Miragaia
By the end of the century, tiles were no longer just decorative — they had become part of everyday life and a defining feature of Portugal’s urban landscape.
20th Century
In the 20th century, Portuguese tilework balanced tradition and modernity. While historic styles continued, new artistic movements like Art Nouveau and Art Deco began to influence design and technique.
Fábrica de Loiça de Sacavém
Industrial methods expanded what was possible, but artists also pushed the medium in new directions, bringing tiles into modern artistic expression.
21st Century
The story of azulejos doesn’t end — it keeps taking new turns. As the centuries shift, so does the art form. Today, tiles move beyond churches and palaces into new spaces and new expressions, shaped by artists drawing from everything from street art to digital design.
This last photo is of a contemporary tile work blending traditional azulejo patterns with a photographic portrait.
The final placard in the exhibit invites us to take our turn — to notice, to appreciate, and to help preserve this immense heritage that makes Portugal feel like a living museum. It then sends you back out into Tavira to keep discovering, one tile at a time.
Recently Captured
Urbano Noturno e Caminhada
A view of Tavira’s old bridge from the bus station side, photographed on the evening of the Urbano Noturno e Caminhada event (here’s the video).
O meu pé
Aggravated by pickleball, or age — or maybe starting pickleball at my age? The CT images of my foot didn’t exactly settle the question. One reading suggested inflammation, possibly arthritis. Another doctor saw multiple tiny fractures and detached ligaments. Others saw no fractures at all. I’m seeing another doctor this week ahead of my upcoming trek — or van ride — in Italy.
More Portugal
Read more about daily life, the embarrassing moments, and the process for having a long stay in Portugal. If you are more of a picture person, follow me on Instagram.
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