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
2015
January 1: New Year’s Day (closures)
January 6: Epiphany (Dia de Reis; bands of carolers go from house to house)
February: Carnaval (a.k.a. Entrudo, particularly vibrant in Lisbon and Algarve towns, some closures on February 17 for Shrove Tuesday)
February 27–March 7: Fantasporto International Film Festival, Porto
March 19: St. Joseph’s Day (Dia de São José), Santarém
March 22: Lisbon Half Marathon
Late March: Óbidos International Chocolate Festival
March 29–April 4: Holy Week (Semana Santa, religious processions, especially in Óbidos and Porto)
April 3–5: Easter weekend (Good Friday through Easter Sunday; closures)
April 9–19: Lisbon Fish & Flavors (a.k.a. Peixe em Lisboa, gourmet seafood festival)
April 23–May 3: Indie Lisboa International Independent Film Festival
April 24–26: Music Days in Belém (classical music marathon)
April 25: Liberty Day (parades, fireworks; closures)
May 1: May Day/Labor Day (closures)
Early May: Queima das Fitas, Coimbra (“burning of the ribbons”: graduation festivities)
May/June: Estoril Jazz (nine-day jazz festival near Lisbon)
May 13: Major pilgrimage to Fátima (Peregrinação de Fátima)
May 23–27: Lisbon leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014–2015 international regatta
Late May: Rock in Rio–Lisbon (gigantic five-day rock festival)
Throughout June: Festas de Lisboa, Lisbon (series of festivals with celebrations peaking on St. Anthony’s Day)
June: Serralves em festa, Porto (40-hour-long contemporary arts festival)
June 4–6: Nos Primavera Sound, Porto (indie music festival)
June 5–14 (likely): National Agriculture Festival, Santarém (dancing, bullfights, bull-running)
June 10: Portuguese National Day (Dia de Camões; closures)
June 12–13: St. Anthony’s Day (Dia de Santo António), Lisbon (processions and dancing)
June 13: Minor pilgrimage to Fátima
June 23–24: St. John’s Day (Dia de São João), Porto (fireworks, dancing)
June 29: St. Peter’s Day (Dia de São Pedro), Évora (dancing, processions)
Late June: Arraial Pride, Lisbon (LGBT pride festivities)
Late June–early July: Festival de Sintra (classical music and opera)
July 4–13: Festa dos Tabuleiros (“Festival of the Trays”), Tomar (huge procession of young girls balancing trays of bread that takes place every four years)
July 13: Minor pilgrimage to Fátima
August 5–9: Sudoeste Festival, Zambujeira do Mar (four-day rock festival)
Early August: Boom Festival, Idanha-a-Nova (Burning Man-like arts festival)
August 13: Minor pilgrimage to Fátima
August 15: Assumption Day (religious festival; closures)
August 19: Minor pilgrimage to Fátima
September 13: Minor pilgrimage to Fátima
Mid-September: Our Lady of Nazaré Festival (procession, concerts, folk dancing, bullfights, fairs)
October 13: Major pilgrimage to Fátima (Peregrinação de Fátima)
December: Vila Natal, Óbidos (Christmas lights, ice rink, performances)
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)