When I travel, I enjoy getting away from the major tourist attractions, to visit small towns, and explore how people live. This summer I had the chance to visit the town of Ferreira do Zêzere, in Portugal. In fact, I spent two weeks in this lovely town, and had the opportunity to delve deeply into life there.
Ferreira do Zêzere is a small town in the center of Portugal. It was founded in the 13th century by Pedro Ferreira. Today, the area is home to Portugal’s second largest producer of eggs, and all of the support industries for those farms. This provides residents with steady jobs, and keeps the area’s economy bustling.
As always, I am fascinated by the architecture of a place. The ways in which a town develops and grows. How has housing changed over the years. I love the mix of old and new buildings.
Like many small towns, Ferreira do Zêzere has the usual mix of municipal buildings – city hall, theater, fire station. Unlike many small towns in the U.S., all of these were in outstanding shape, either recently built or renovated.
Being in Ferreira do Zêzere for two weeks allowed me to explore more than its buildings and homes. Over the next two weeks I will share some of the things that its residents do to pass the time.
