Traditional holidays in Portugal

Carnival in Lisbon isn’t a single huge Rio‑style parade. It’s more a patchwork of street bands, neighbourhood parties and a few big anchor events.

Carnival in Portugal 2026 promises a vibrant celebration full of colour, music, and festive traditions.

The Algarve keeps coming up whenever people talk about the best coastal places to move to in Portugal, and it’s not hard to see why.

A true postcard image, the traditional houses of Santana in Madeira are one of the island’s most recognisable symbols.

National holidays are only half the story in Portugal. The real curveballs for work, school and travel plans are often the regional and municipal holidays – the days when one city is completely shut while the next town over is business as usual.

Portugal has a knack for turning public holidays into proper occasions, with everything from quiet family lunches to all‑night street parties.

New Year’s Eve in Portugal, or Réveillon, is one long slow build.

If you spend December in Lisbon or Porto, you’ll notice people quietly clutching strips of coloured paper, comparing numbers in cafés and kiosks. That’s the Lotaria Clássica de Natal, Portugal’s Classic Christmas Lottery, and it’s much more than a quick flutter.

Portugal transforms into a festive wonderland during the Christmas season, offering a rich mix of cultural traditions, regional customs, and delicious food.

8th December is a nationwide public holiday in Portugal, and it tends to kick-start the festive season.

Christmas in Portugal runs from the Consoada supper on 24th December through family lunches to Twelfth Night.

The Christmas lights in Cascais 2025 turn the old fishing town into a seaside winter fixture on Portugal’s festive map. The town boasts a lively Christmas Village with an ice rink and markets by the water.

The famous Christmas lights in Obidos turn the town into a gentle fairytale each evening, with the medieval walls lit for Vila Natal.

Portugal does the festive season with a cosy, neighbourhood feel: twinkly squares, proper artisan stalls, and plenty of warming snacks. You'll get cork crafts, ceramics and textiles alongside seasonal favourites like bolo-rei, roasted chestnuts and cups of ginjinha.

Madeira is already humming with festive buzz as Funchal's Christmas lights go up. Crews started stringing up the illuminations in early October, so by the time December arrives, the centre feels like a living postcard.

Portugal's northwest city is leaning into the season with a warm glow and a proper sense of occasion this year.

The 1st of December is a national public holiday in Portugal, officially called Restoration of Independence Day.

If you’re hunting for things to do this Halloween in Portugal, think candlelit traditions and cheeky night-outs side by side.

Portugal increasingly embraces Halloween with costumes, parties and themed attractions—especially in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve—while traditional observances like All Saints’ Day and Pão‑por‑Deus remain central to the season.

Commemorating the 1910 revolution that ended the monarchy, Portugal’s Republic Day sits at the heart of the national calendar.

Getting to grips with Portuguese wine is a fantastic way to understand the country itself. And while many people first think of Port from the terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley, that’s only scratching the surface.

If you're living in Portugal or planning a move, knowing when the school holidays fall makes life a fair bit easier. The Portuguese academic year typically runs from September to June, with breaks dotted throughout for Christmas, Easter, summer, and a handful of shorter interruptions.

June is without a doubt the prime month for popular festivities in Portugal. It marks the height of celebration and a festive spirit that spreads across the country – from major cities to the smallest villages.

When summer rolls around and the jacarandas are blooming, Portugal gets ready to mark one of its most treasured occasions.

There’s something about June by the Portuguese seaside that feels a bit magical—late sunsets, salt air, and the sound of neighbours setting up tables right out on the street.