Transport, decorative and functional

As the basic raw material in the manufacture of many objects, wood continues to form part of Algarvian craftsmanship despite the changing times forcing them, on the whole, to replace original objects with miniature replicas.  Faithful to their tradition, craftsmen continue to build wooden carriages, crisscross chairs in Monchique and wooden spoons in Aljezur. 

Although wooden carriages continue to be used as a form of transport in the interior, people on the coast have found a new use for them: restoring and decorating them according to traditional practice for tourist tours of the region.

In Monchique, woodcrafts are one of the main attractions, and all around, there is evidence of the skill and ability of artisans in form of tables, benches, shepherd crooks, and other objects.   Nevertheless, the area is most famous for its crisscross chairs, a legacy of the Roman occupation.

In Aljezur, they make wooden cutlery, chests and board chairs with plaited straw.  Lagoa is rich in miniature fishing boats and animal drawn carts and wagons, carved by skilled craftsmen who copy examples from real life.