In May, four students and two teachers from the Sacred Heart Minor Seminary, Mr Andrea Camilleri and Mr Joseph Cordina, left for a week-long trip to Porto in Portugal as part of the Erasmus+ project.  

The programme prepared by the Portuguese team was packed with activities and excursions related to the ‘Young Historians’ theme of the project.  In fact, different historical sites were visited, including the famous Porto city hall, Porto Cathedral and Ribeira (the older town of Porto).  The team also had the opportunity to visit Guimaraes, a city in northern Portugal, locally known as ‘The Birthplace of Portugal’.

Our students were lucky enough to participate in a workshop at Cindor, a famous jewellery training centre.  Various moulding and refining techniques were explained, as the students worked hands-on at the centre, using the Filigree technique themselves – a local popular art form in jewellery making.  Other interesting sessions included ‘The Countries’ Puzzle’ and ‘The Singing/Dancing Tradition’ workshop, during which students were able to learn about the culture and history of the participants’ countries.

The Maltese team noticed that Porto and its landmarks were decorated with local handmade Portuguese tiles – a characteristic feature of the city.  Another feature which fascinated the team was the local cuisine, ranging from fish dishes such as the famous Bacalhau (codfish) to the delicious baked toast, filled with cheese and meat, called the Francesinha.

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