Latest news and stories about traditions in Portugal for expats and residents.
I continue to keep in my memory the street parties with the band playing at night, by the light of kerosene lamps or the weak electric bulbs powered by a generator.
Teivas belonged to the Romans, before the Goths, Arabs, and us Christians. Its Cavalhadas, inspired by the Saint John festivities in Brazil, include an allegorical procession and culminate in the Morgadinha Dance.
The small village of Salir in inland Loulé will once again celebrate one of the Algarve’s most traditional events, the Festa da Espiga, from May 14 to May 16. The The post Authentic Algarve traditions take centre stage in Salir appeared first on Portugal Resident.
The author evokes memories of Easter in the Northeast of Beira, known as Beira Alta Transmontana: the blooming rose bushes, the new clothes, the compass, the 'afolar' offerings, and the letters from emigrants.
The festival takes place every four years, subject to popular approval. The people have voted and the event, which involves thousands of volunteers, is confirmed for the next edition.
The mix of 'pagan' and 'Christian' traditions that results in Entrudo, an 'explosion of joy'. The parade, the prizes, and the secrets shared with everyone, as well as parts of a donkey's body.
The Lazarim room is highlighted at the Iberian Mask Interpretive Centre. Masks in different stages of construction and the costumes that accompany them during Carnival and Shrove Sunday. By the way, what is it?
A day at the Iberian Mask Interpretive Centre. The costume that accompanies the mask, with its different colours and representations. The traditions that invoke death and the devil.
FEATURE REPORT || In Castro Laboreiro, transhumance still takes place between the winter settlement of Cainheiras and the summer settlement of Padressouro, with a mother and daughter moving their home, animals, and the season up the mountain. But this is also a story of resistance, memory, and a very unique way of being in the world. A story of freedom. The report is by journalist Tiago Palma, with cinematography by Lucénio Carvalho and editing by João Pedro Ferreira.
Registration has been completed for tangible heritage status, and a candidacy is being prepared for UNESCO. This includes the map of the Peninsula illustrating mask traditions at the Iberian Mask Interpretive Centre.
I grew up thinking that the compasso was part of the natural order of Easter.
By gathering recipes, as well as customs and traditions, gastronomic charters serve as a vehicle for preserving cultural identity at the table. In Portugal, the oldest is the Alentejo charter, and the next one will be the Saloia.
The curious ritual of the imposition of the hat during the May pilgrimage to the hermitage of Saint Torcato in Cabeça Gorda (Cabaços), intended to cure headaches, which includes a print of the Saint in blue ink.
A CMTV reporting team followed the Sintra biker Easter visit this Sunday, where Father Avelino carried the cross of Christ on the so-called 'freedom motorcycle'.
Portugal celebrates Easter with traditions that vary from the north to the south of the country. However, there are common traits: religious celebrations, family gatherings, and gastronomy. The tradition of the parish priest's visit is an example that has endured through time and generations.
Last Friday, I joined over twenty Brazilian women visiting the city of Fátima. The group, composed of embroiderers from various Brazilian states, travelled to Portugal and France on a tour called 'The Embroidery Route'. The itinerary was organised by a travel agency in collaboration with an embroidery teacher—my former boss and her daughter. It was a moment to reconnect with dear friends, celebrate Easter, and receive the affection so craved by an immigrant living abroad. I met women with diverse backgrounds, all united by their love for embroidery. One explained that both her grandmothers were crocheters, which inspired her to develop the same manual skill. Upon retiring after three decades as a preschool teacher, she found inspiration in Chilean 'arpilleras'. This type of embroidery on jute emerged during the repression of the military dictatorship in Chile, where women used it as a form of resistance in neighbourhood workshops, prisons, and detention centres to express their feelings, demands, and denunciations. Another member, a public school History and Geography teacher, shared that after retiring, she took off her watch and decided to live life at her own pace. She began embroidering her life onto fabric, documenting travels and long encounters with literature. She revealed she had once corresponded with Rubem Alves, praising the writer for his contributions to education and his unique use of language. In conversation with the group, the teacher discussed embroidery as a language that transcends generations, noting that every country has its own unique designs, stitches, and threads—a cultural richness that tells many stories. She also mentioned how the trip was designed to promote experiences and contact with traditions, viewing embroidery as an intertwining of wisdom and legacies. One of the travellers, an expert in Castelo Branco embroidery, held a workshop for the women. This Portuguese style uses silk threads and specific imagery, such as birds, the tree of life, carnations, lilies, pomegranates, and hearts. These themes have influenced architecture, fashion, stamps, furniture, and even the design of coins, continuing to stitch together the stories of Portuguese and Brazilian women. As life is embroidered, stitch by stitch, the trip to Fátima strengthened a spirit of gratitude, awakened memories, and brought a new perspective to those who had already visited the site. Some lit candles, others performed penances on their knees, and we, as a group, delivered letters to Our Lady in a communication that transcends borders. Being in places that gather spirituality, each in its own way, reminds us that life is here and now. It is necessary to keep this notion of finitude and scale in sight to stay grounded in reality. We are part of the whole, yet we are also just a part. In Aljustrel, the village where the three little shepherds lived, we met the niece of Jacinta and Francisco, also named Jacinta in honour of her aunt. The 83-year-old lady posed for photos and received hugs and compliments from the embroiderers. She responded to the group with a serenity that contrasted with the Brazilian euphoria, saying that everyone has their own story and that the scented rosaries sold there were authentic: 'We die, and the scent remains.'
From the hyperactive bunny to the chick that symbolises new life, we dive into the legends and traditions that associate certain animals with the Easter season.
The men of the compass wear women's scarves on their heads and are accompanied by a violin orchestra. It takes place in Ponte de Lima, in the village of Vitorino das Donas.
It sounds like a childhood question, but the answer is a mix of astronomy, tradition, and even an “algorithm”. Along the way, a trip to Valencia where Portuguese is being learned (and there are more and more fans).
Home Algarve One of Portugal’s most unique Easter traditions One of Portugal’s most unique Easter traditions Check out the video!
As Pope Francis used to say, we must use and abuse two small words: Thank you and Sorry.
Just as the death and resurrection of Christ were to save us, the pedestalized object also saves us from a world of instant messages, without a time limit, and without true content.
More than seven hundred participants and a crowd in the streets. The Procession of the Burial of the Lord is the most solemn and moving event of Holy Week in Braga.
If there is one holiday in the year associated with chocolate, it is Easter. Whether gourmet, artisanal, or innovative, and in all sizes, it has been weeks of peak production.
Zelensky accuses Moscow of increasing attacks during Easter. Iran has opened the Strait of Hormuz, but only to ships carrying essential goods. Back home, are the Portuguese still shopping for Easter?
Home Algarve Giant Easter Folar in Quarteira, Algarve Giant Easter Folar in Quarteira, Algarve Check out the video! By Tereza Pedro, in Algarve · 9 hours ago · 0 Comments Giant Easter Folar in Quarteira, Algarve - YouTube Tap to unmute Giant Easter Folar in Quarteira, Algarve The Portugal News !
From folar to sunset at the convent, featuring Portuguese music, scenes of an emperor, and an exhibition at the Museum of Convergences.
Pedro Coutinho, parish priest of the Church of Carnaxide, appeared on 'Olá, Bom Dia!' to discuss the traditions of this season, such as Good Friday, which he considers to be 'a day of mourning'.
Tiago, owner of 'Bolos do Folheta' in Póvoa de Varzim, went on the show 'Olá, Bom dia!' to showcase the traditional sweets he makes for sale in his shop.
Three days, a stone oven, and decades of knowledge passed between hands. The tradition of the Transmontano folar resists — and rejuvenates — every Easter in a village in Montalegre.
