Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Portugal
- Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the festival dates on the festival's website or with a local tourist information office. For more information about these and other events, visit the official tourism site for Portugal.
- This list includes major festivals in major cities, plus national holidays observed throughout Portugal. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays — keep it in mind when planning your itinerary. Note that this isn't a complete list; holidays can strike without warning.
- See upcoming holidays and festivals across Europe
2021
March 28–April 4: Holy Week (Semana Santa; religious processions, especially in Braga and Óbidos)
April 2–4: Easter weekend (Good Friday through Easter Sunday; closures)
April 25: Dia da Liberdade (Freedom Day; parades, fireworks; closures)
May 1: May Day/Labor Day (closures)
Early May: Queima das Fitas, Coimbra ("burning of the ribbons": colorful graduation processions and festivities)
May 13: Major pilgrimage to Fátima (Peregrinação de Fátima; also minor pilgrimages on the 13th of each month until October)
June–October (likely): International Garden Festival, Ponte de Lima (north of Porto)
Throughout June: Festas de Lisboa, Lisbon (series of festivals with celebrations peaking on June 13)
June 3: Corpus Christi (Dia de Corpo de Deus; religious processions; closures)
Early June (likely): National Agriculture Festival, Santarém (dancing, bullfights, bull-running)
June 5–November 5 (likely): Sandcity, Algarve (sand sculpture showcase with live music, theater, dance and circus arts)
June 10: Dia de Camões (Portuguese National Day; street parties and parades; closures)
June 12–13: Dia de Santo António (St. Anthony's Day ), Lisbon (processions and dancing; closures in the city)
June 20 (likely): Arraial Pride, Lisbon (LGBT pride festivities)
June 23–24: Festa de São João (St. John's Day festival), Porto (street parties, fireworks, all-night concert, bonfire-jumping, everyone hitting each other with small novelty hammers, regatta; festivities start ramping up several weeks prior)
June 29: Dia de São Pedro (St. Peter's Day), Évora and Sintra (dancing, processions)
July 3–25: AgitÁgueda, Águeda (between Coimbra and Porto; street music and other performances)
July 9–24 (likely): Festival ao Largo, Lisboa (symphony, ballet, theater performances)
July 22–29: Boom Festival, Idanha-a-Nova (Burning Man-like arts festival east of Coimbra)
August 3–7: Sudoeste Festival, Zambujeira do Mar (rock festival)
August 5–7: Madeira Wine Rally (scenic car race)
August 5–September 12 (likely): Feira de São Mateus, Viseu (southeast of Porto; historic fair)
August 15: Assumption Day (Assunção de Nossa Senhora; religious processions, closures)
August 21–September 6: Indie Lisboa International Independent Film Festival
August 26–28: EDP Vilar de Mouros Festival (giant rock festival near the northern Spanish border)
August 29–September 12: Madeira Wine Festival
September 8–17: Our Lady of Nazaré Festival (procession in Sítio on September 8, concerts, folk dancing, bullfights, fairs)
Mid-September–mid-October (likely): Festival de Sintra (classical music and opera)
October 5: Republic Day (closures)
October 13: Major pilgrimage to Fátima (Peregrinação de Fátima)
October 17: Lisbon Marathon
November 1: All Saints' Day (Dia de Todos-os-Santos; closures)
December: Vila Natal, Óbidos (Christmas lights, ice rink, performances); various Christmas markets (most notably several in Lisbon and a Germanic one at the Algarve's Vila Vita Parc resort in Porches)
December 1: Restoration of Independence Day (Restauração da Independência; parade on Lisbon's Avenida da Liberdade, closures)
December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Imaculada Conceição, closures)
December 24: Christmas Eve (Véspera de Natal, midnight mass then feast)
December 25: Christmas Day (Natal, closures)
December 31: New Year's Eve (Noite de Ano Novo, fireworks, banging of pots and pans)
2022
January 1: New Year's Day (closures)
January 6: Epiphany (Dia de Reis; bands of carolers go from house to house)
February–March: Carnival (a.k.a. Entrudo, particularly vibrant in Lisbon and Algarve towns, some closures on March 5 for Shrove Tuesday)
February 23–March 6 (likely): Fantasporto International Film Festival, Porto
March 19: St. Joseph's Day (Dia de São José), Santarém
Early April (likely): Peixe em Lisboa (a.k.a. "Lisbon Fish & Flavors," gourmet seafood festival)
April 10–17: Holy Week (Semana Santa; religious processions, especially in Braga and Óbidos)
April 15–17: Easter weekend (Good Friday through Easter Sunday; closures)
April 22–May 1 (likely): Óbidos International Chocolate Festival
April 25: Liberty Day (parades, fireworks; closures)
Early May (likely): Indie Lisboa International Independent Film Festival
May 1: May Day/Labor Day (closures)
Early May: Queima das Fitas, Coimbra ("burning of the ribbons": colorful graduation processions and festivities)
May 13: Major pilgrimage to Fátima (Peregrinação de Fátima; also minor pilgrimages on the 13th of each month until October)
Throughout June: Festas de Lisboa, Lisbon (series of festivals with celebrations peaking on June 13)
Early June (likely): National Agriculture Festival, Santarém (dancing, bullfights, bull-running)
June–October (likely): International Garden Festival, Ponte de Lima (north of Porto)
June 4–November 4 (likely): Sandcity, Algarve (sand sculpture showcase with live music, theater, dance and circus arts)
June 9–11 (likely): Nos Primavera Sound, Porto (indie music festival)
June 10: Dia de Camões (Portuguese National Day; street parties and parades; closures)
June 12–13: Dia de Santo António (St. Anthony's Day ), Lisbon (processions and dancing; closures in the city)
June 16: Corpus Christi (Dia de Corpo de Deus; religious processions; closures)
June 18–19 & 25–26: Rock in Rio, Lisbon (outdoor rock concerts)
June 19 (likely): Arraial Pride, Lisbon (LGBT pride festivities)
June 23–24: Festa de São João (St. John's Day festival), Porto (street parties, fireworks, all-night concert, bonfire-jumping, everyone hitting each other with small novelty hammers, regatta; festivities start ramping up several weeks prior)
June 29: Dia de São Pedro (St. Peter's Day), Évora and Sintra (dancing, processions)