Morango Saloio Background

Morango Saloio opened in 1982 when the owner started her profession in the tourism sector as a travel agent in a hotel in the historic Sintra centre and decided to open a small space there selling regional Portuguese handicraft and other items.

The name Morango Saloio, which was the name given to this handicraft shop, has become a reference point in the area. It was inspired from the family, namely the godfather who was a typical figure wearing the traditional suit and sold strawberies in baskets on the roadside and would cry out “Sintra’s local strawberries for sale.”

The etnographic name of “saloio” was given to country folk who rode donkeys and would sell their agricultural produce in markets or at roadsides. This tradition still remains in the boroughs of Sintra and Mafra although the type of transport has changed. Today this illustration is maintained as the establishment’s brand and advertising.

In 1985 the Morango Saloio moved to Volta do Duche in the space adjoining the Fabrica das Queijadas da Sapa (cheese tart factory) where it remained until 2013 when it moved to the current location – a building with more than 100 years and located near to the Town Hall at the entrance to Sintra’s historic centre.