[PT]Porto, Portugal
Why azulejo tiles come from Porto
The blue tiles on Porto's facades have been painted the same way since the 1700s. Here is what makes a real azulejo, and how to buy one from the people who still make them.
Walk through Porto and the city itself is the gallery: church facades, train stations and ordinary houses wear hand painted tiles that have survived three centuries of Atlantic weather. The tile is called azulejo, from the Arabic al-zulayj, the polished stone.
A real azulejo starts as tin glazed terracotta. The painter works in cobalt oxide, which fires from dull grey to the deep blue the city is known for, and each tile is fired twice: once for the body, once for the glaze. Ateliers in Porto still do every step by hand.
Because the craft is tied to the place, 1VIM marks these listings Only made here. When you buy one, the price you see includes shipping, import duties and taxes, so a tile from the Ribeira reaches your door with nothing more to pay.
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