Portugal and Spain

 

 

 

Bacalhau is perhaps one of the most famous parts of Portuguese cuisine. The direct translation for bacalhau is quite simply cod. It's the dried and salted kind you'll find all over Portugal. Rather than use fresh cod, the dried cod is soaked for a long time, then used in traditional dishes, such as Bacalhau à Brás.
 

Statue of John I, also called John of Aviz, King of Portugal from 1385 until his death in 1433. He is recognized chiefly for his role in Portugal's victory in a succession war with Castile, preserving his country's independence and establishing the Aviz (or Joanine) dynasty on the Portuguese throne. His long reign of 48 years, the most extensive of all Portuguese monarchs, saw the beginning of Portugal's overseas expansion. John's well-remembered reign in his country earned him the epithet of Fond Memory (de Boa Memória); he was also referred to as the Good (o Bom), sometimes the Great (o Grande), and more rarely, especially in Spain, as the Bastard (Bastardo).
 

 

 

Igreja de São Nicolau (Church of Saint Nicola) dates from the 12th century and is one of the oldest in Lisbon. Rebuilt following the 1755 earthquake, it was again restored in 2010.