Such is Portugal: in the heart of the Alentejo countryside, near Montemor-o-Novo, stands a church. Seen from the outside it is unremarkable, a small chapel with nothing to distinguish it (perhaps that is where its charm rests, being discreet and simple, as plain as it is sound).

Towards the end of the 18th century, the Marquis of Pombal sent naturalists on philosophical expeditions to the New World, where they visited Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde and Brazil. These studies were founded on the meticulous drawings of fauna, flora, people, and landscapes made during these trips, 1,200 of which make up a collection of illustrations currently housed at the Museu de História Natural (Natural History Museum)…

A century or so ago, a rather seductive substance appeared on the scene. Versatile, cheap and durable, plastic’s potential immortality has made it one of the biggest problems on a highway to climate hell, in the words of António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. We may have a love-hate relationship with the stuff, but can we live without it?

Looking back at us — In the summer of 1736, date unknown, the beneficiary Manuel Antunes, native of Barbacena, left home on his mule. On his way from Portas da Esquina to Horta dos Passarinhos, he came across a steep and stony slope, where his mule took fright for reasons unsure. Time and again, the cleric fell to the ground. Badly hurt and in great distress, he pleaded with the heavens, which came to his aid. In keeping with his promise, he had the crude cross in the fields of Torre das Arcas repaired.

What is knowledge? Where does it come from? How does it sprout and take shape in creativity, in human hands, in time, and flow into objects that whisper, all powerful? I had never seen this invisible thread of knowledge transmission at such close quarters until I found myself lost in conversation and total fascination at Manufactura das Tapeçarias de Portalegre (Portalegre Tapestries).

The true symbol of Portuguese identity is not the poet Camões, nor football, nor fado but none other than the humble cod (bacalhau). And it’s not unusual for those Portuguese abroad to miss their own family less than their favourite cod dishes, with 1,001 different recipes to choose from. The fish is also a big favourite for Christmas dinner, for rich and poor alike.

One of the great advocates of the Portuguese Overseas Expansion, the second Viscount of Santarém was a pioneer in the study of ancient maps. This atlas is one of the most remarkable compilations of these instruments of navigation and wonder.