Join us in Portugal
High culture or low, or something in between, there’s something for everyone all year long in Portugal. Pagan rites, Holy Week happenings, foodie fests, big rock shows and more—the Portuguese love their parties, many of which you’ll find nowhere else in the world. Beyond the big events, almost every town has a saint day feast or a harvest festival, which can range from a stately procession to a multiday food and entertainment fest. Just make sure to check festival dates before you plan your itinerary, so you’re not left off the guest list.
Festival de Sintra – May or June
Experience classical music and dance to it the way it was meant to be enjoyed, in the mountain town of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring Romantic-era architecture. A pride of Sintra, the two-week festival has been performed for more than 50 years and is still going strong.
Festa de São Gonçalo and São Antonio – June
On the subject of unusual fertility rituals, take the Festa de São Gonçalo in Amarante, a bit inland from Porto. Here, young lovers trade phallic-shaped cakes as tokens of their affection. Make sure to follow up the cake with a trip to the church honoring São Gonçalo, where, legend has it, if you touch the saint’s tomb, a speedy marriage will follow. Lisbon throws one of its biggest parties for the feast day of its native Saint Anthony of Padua on June 12-13, with parades, processions, paper flowers, garlands, music, dance and roasted sardines.
Noite Branca – End of August
It’s hard to say goodbye to summer, especially in the Algarve. But one celebration, Noite Branca, held in Loulé, aims to close out the season with a huge free night party in the central business district—and everyone’s invited, as long as they wear white. Not to be outdone, the northern city of Braga does a 48-hour(!) White Night party in mid-September.
