Our first stop was for morning coffee and pastry in Vendas Novas, a quiet town with an artillery museum (we arrived before opening time). Arraiolos is famous for its carpets. The modern, hand-embroidered “tapetes” in the town were of coarse design. However, when touring the Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa, we saw an intricate carpet from Arraiolos, predating the 17th century.