Portugal

da Liberdade, and there is plenty of
singing, dancing, drinking of wine, and
eating of grilled sardines. On June 23
and 24, for the Feast of St. John the
Baptist, bonfires brighten the night and
participants jump over them. The night
of the final celebration is the Feast of St.
Peter on June 29. The Lisbon tourist
office (& 21/031-27-00; www.visit
lisboa.com) supplies details about
where some of the events are staged,
although much of the action is spontaneous.
Mid-June to June 30.
Festas do São Pedro, Montijo, near
Lisbon. This festival honoring St. Peter
has been held since medieval times. The
final day features a blessing of the boats
and a colorful procession. Grilled sardines
are the main item on the menu.
Bull breeders bring their beasts into
town and release them through the
streets to chase foolish young men, who
are often permanently injured or killed.
There are also bullfights. On the final
night, participants observe the pagan
rite of setting a skiff afire and offering it
as a sacrifice to the river Tagus. Call
& 21/031-27-00 for more information.
Late June.
JULY
Colete Encarnado (Red Waistcoat),
Vila Franca de Xira, north of Lisbon on
the river Tagus. Like the more famous
feria in Pamplona, Spain, this festival
involves bulls running through narrow
streets, followed by sensational bullfights
in what aficionados consider the
best bullring in Portugal. Fandango
dancing and rodeo-style competition
among the Ribatejo campinos (cowboys)
mark the event. For more information,
call & 26/328-56-00 (http://colete
encarnado.no.sapo.pt). First or second
Sunday in July.
Estoril Festival. Outside Lisbon at the
seaside resort of Estoril, this festival of
classical music occupies two concert
halls that were built for the 500th anniversary
of Columbus’s first voyage to
the New World. For information, write
Associação Internacional de Música
da Costa do Estoril, Galerias Estoril,
Rua de Lisboa, 5 Lj. 12, 2765-240
Estoril (& 21/468-51-99; fax 21/468-
56-07; www.estorilfestival.net). Early
July to first week in August (dates vary).
AUGUST
Feast of Our Lady of Monte, Madeira.
On Assumption Eve and Day (Aug
14–15), the island’s most important
religious festival begins with devout
worship and climaxes in an outburst of
fun. Music, dancing, eating, and general
drinking and carousing last until
dawn. For more information, call & 29/
121-19-00.
Festas da Senhora da Agonia, Viana
do Castelo, at the mouth of the river
Lima, north of Porto. The most spectacular
festival in the north honors Our
Lady of Suffering. A replica of the Virgin
is carried through the streets over
carpets of flowers. The bishop directs a
procession of fishers to the sea to bless
the boats. Float-filled parades mark the
5-day-and-night event as a time of revelry
and celebration. A blaze of fireworks
ends the festival. Call the tourist
office (& 25/883-91-50) for exact
dates, which vary from year to year.
Reserve hotel rooms well in advance or
be prepared to stay in a neighboring
town. Mid-August.
SEPTEMBER
Romaria da Nossa Senhora de Nazaré,
Nazaré, Portugal’s most famed fishing
village. The event (Our Lady of Nazaré
Festival) includes folk dancing, singing,
and bullfights. The big attraction is the
procession carrying the image of Nossa
Senhora de Nazaré down to the sea. For
more information, call & 26/255-00-
10. Early to mid-September.
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PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO PORTUGAL 3
PORTUGAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS