Latest news and stories about social activities in Portugal for expats and residents.
Groups of readers gather to read in silence: they want to regain reading habits, find out what others are reading, or disconnect from the digital world. There are more than ten silent book clubs in the country.
I am one of those people who tries every sport, regardless of difficulty or affinity. But today I want to go further and write about what seems to me to be the most impactful discipline from a personal, but above all, social point of view. I am talking about running. It is a challenge, a beginning, an overcoming, a socialisation. It is a versatile discipline on all levels. There is something especially curious about running: it brings together people who would probably never meet anywhere else. A CEO who runs before work, a student who needs to switch off from university, someone who decided to change their life after the age of forty. On the road or in the park, for a few kilometres, everyone has exactly the same goal: to enjoy themselves and feel that they are doing something that adds value on a personal level. And few sports say so much about a society. Running is ease. It does not require a stadium, a team, or even great technique; it only requires willpower. Perhaps that is why it has ceased to be just physical exercise to become a social phenomenon that grows year after year. Just look at the number of people who signed up for the last Lisbon Marathon, for example. More specifically, there is something deeply democratic about this sport. At the starting line, different goals, stories, and ages mix. There are those who want to break a personal record, those who just want to prove to themselves that they can reach the end, and those who want to go with friends and toast with a beer at the finish line. But running is also a personal space. It is not just physical exercise, but a rare moment of the day when the pace slows down and thoughts are organised. Let no one doubt that this is why running easily transcends the logic of performance. It is this mixture of arguments and benefits that makes running, in my view, the most complete sport in the world. That is why you see so many people running. Because it is simple, because it is accessible, and because, in a way, it gives people back something rare: the feeling of personal progress and socialisation. Ultimately, when thousands of people occupy the streets to run, as happens in the big races across our country, we are not just seeing a sporting event. We are seeing a society in motion. And that, in itself, says a lot. Race suggestions: In the coming months, there are some interesting events, if you feel prepared, of course: April 12 - Lisbon Eco Marathon; May 24 - Douro Vinhateiro Half-Marathon.
Home Community 2026 Alvor Crown Green Bowls Tournaments 2026 Alvor Crown Green Bowls Tournaments Alvor Bowls Club has just completed a hectic two weeks of crown green bowling tournaments. The bowlers in both weeks enjoyed great bowling and plenty of socialising in decent weather.
Running clubs have been growing in Portugal as a way to meet people. Some are dedicated to young people up to 35 years old and can gather hundreds of runners. We attended a race in Porto.
