Traditional Portuguese tiles: D'Orey & Cardoso

One of the nicest things about Lisbon is the friendliness of the people living there. Wander into a neighbourhood cafe for a coffee and you'll be pulled into the conversation at the bar about the latest football match. Walk into a shop to buy some bread and you'll be told, in no uncertain terms, exactly what you should eat it with. So it was no surprise, when I walked into the antique tile (azulejo) shop D'Orey & Cardoso on Rua do Alecrim in Lisbon, to be greeted by the proprietor. After seeing me in the back room getting covered in cement dust as I dug frantically through boxes of antique tiles that had been pried from building set for demolition, he noted my interest in the deco tiles from an old pharmacy and set about telling me all about the history of the tiles. The shop was originally opened to sell off a large private family collection of tiles and now specialises in large antique tile patterns that are shipped all over the world. The staff could not be friendlier, even when it became apparent that I was more interested in the early 19th century tiles stacked in large piles up against the walls (which I wanted to use as coasters) than any of the larger works. If you're ever in Lisbon this is without a doubt the best place to visit to pick up a genuine antique tile or azulejo as a souvenir. They also stock a large range of antique ceramic pieces - I particularly liked the fig-shaped toothpick holder pictured below - you can easily imagine it sitting at on a large sideboard in a flagstoned dining room in a hunting lodge. Don't be afraid to ask about the history of what you're buying as most of the staff are family and passionate about the backgrounds of their wares. They can often tell you exactly where the building that the tiles came from stood, ensuring that you're aware that you've picked up a piece of old Lisbonite history to take home with you.