Holidays, fairs, festivals in the Algarve
In the first lines of my letter, I hasten to express admiration for the fact that Portugal is rapidly gaining popularity among Russian tourists. There is no need to explain to anyone that this is not a third world country, but a perfectly preserved corner of originality and great hospitality of a small but proud people. But if the question "what to see in Portugal? " Answers can be found everywhere, then the question "what to do? " Often hangs dead in the air. Yes, Palacio de Pena and Mosteiro dos Jeronimos are great, but even they are just immovable monuments, communication with which gets boring already on the 2nd day. The azure waves of the surf can get boring on the 3rd day, and the great variety of fish on the 5th. What to do to prevent this from happening? Abundantly intersperse "great and eternal" fleeting and changeable!! ! For this purpose, young people most often go to discos and disco bars, but there are many other ways to diversify pastime.
In the Algarve, for example, almost the entire summer season is quite densely packed with cultural events, most of which are briefly described in the monthly Algarve brochure. This brochure is distributed free of charge in the tourism sector and can be found at the reception desk of almost any Algarve hotel or tourist information office. Some of the events described in it have long become traditional and are held annually. Based on them, you can even plan your vacation, and you will be surprised to find that Portugal is good not only from June to September. Omitting the well-known Christmas, Easter, Halloween, I will name a few of these well-established events:
Carnival in the Algarve usually takes place in the third decade of February. During the week, children's costume processions take place in different cities, but this spectacle is most vividly presented in the city of Loule.
And although it is difficult for him to compare in scope and passions with the Brazilian one, they prepare for it thoroughly: elegant carriages and huge dolls, naked dancers and clowns ...The carnival lasts 3-4 days, and the last is considered an official holiday. However, I advise you to visit this event on the first day, when the participants of the performances are still full of enthusiasm.
The stage of the Formula-1 World Cup on scooters takes place annually in the waters of the Arade River in Portimã o. Races are held on Saturday and Sunday at the beginning of May and gather thousands of people on the city embankment, turning the riverbed into a natural stadium. Almost no year is complete without exciting and tragic moments with departures from the track, coups and even collisions. These competitions are included in the Algarve Tourism Development Program.
Europe's largest motorcycle convention in Faro.
It takes place in mid-July in a forest park near Faro International Airport, and is timed to coincide with the end of the week - from Friday to Sunday. Most bikers stay in tents directly in the forest park, which is turned into a camping area for a while. What kind of units and their owners you will not see here: from amusing 50 cm mokiks (competition of the smallest motorcycles) to menacingly growling three-wheeled giants; from racers dressed in overalls to gray hairy fat men completely tattooed ...Catering points, sanitary zones are organized at the venue of the event, various competitions and a concert program are held. Ticket entry for everyone.
The sardine festival traditionally took place in Portimã o at the beginning of August on the territory of the exhibition and fair park.
Market vendors opened their stalls, children crowded around the rides, and the smell of roasting sardines wafted all over the area, in eating which they even compete for a while. The concert program, which changed every evening, ended with a show of light and musical fountains with fireworks. In recent years, due to the active reconstruction of the city, Sardinia has changed the scenario and venues, so it is difficult to say what form the festival will take this year.
FATASIL - one might say, the Portuguese analogue of VDNKh. The largest annual fair in Portugal, where industrial, cooperative, agricultural, commercial enterprises, private entrepreneurs and artisans present their products and services. It usually takes place over 10 days in the second half of August in Lagoa, and is the most crowded event of the season.
Here you can get acquainted with the presented products, make business contacts, go shopping, or just have a good time. Every day, various demonstration performances and a concert program. As a rule, when buying a ticket here, you get a discount coupon at Slide & Splash. Even if you are not a fan of large crowds, it is worth visiting Fatasil once. It is here that you will get a deeper understanding of the culture and life of the Portuguese, you will be able to purchase original art products and taste delicacies that are not often found in ordinary stores.
In recent years, it has become a good tradition to hold "Days of the Middle Ages" in the Algarve. In Castro Marim - a village on the border with Spain - the old castle for a few days turns into a typical medieval city with tents, craft workshops, taverns and even money changers.
Dressed in appropriate clothes, knights, wandering artists, Moorish nobles and numerous working people walk along the cobblestone pavements. Sheep are spinning on skewers, the hammer is banging in the forge and the local currency “Real” is ringing on the counters. Various performances and jousting tournaments are played out every day, and there is a brisk trade. Medieval Days in Castro Marim are held in late August - early September, but this event has become so popular that for the last two years it has also been held in mid-July on the streets of the ancient Arab city of Silves.
For the past two years, in Silves, at the "English Factory" (Fabrica do Ingles), a rather interesting cultural program has been organized during the summer period. In 2005 throughout August, the ensemble "Pipes and Buckets" gave concerts. As musical instruments, the original band used garbage cans, water pipes, buckets, etc.
In 2006, full-sized dinosaurs and lizards greeted the audience, and world-famous guest performers from Ireland famously tapped "step" for three hours every evening. Let's hope that the organizers will not disappoint us this year either.
In addition to the above organized events throughout the season, in almost every town in crowded places, the public is entertained by amateur Bolivian groups that play music and dance in the style of Indian motifs with appropriate entourage, itinerant jugglers and Africans with their traditional drums and wooden handicrafts.
Less famous, but sometimes more fun events are announced monthly.
Do not be lazy to leave the walls of a cozy hotel more often, going to distant villages! Even if the announced event does not seem very exciting to you, visit it.
Months and years later, palaces and cathedrals will look good only in photographs, which are usually flaunted in front of relatives and acquaintances, and your own soul will always be warmed by a modest, but not fading light of memories of the "stupid trick" experienced.
With best wishes for an active and varied holiday in Portugal,
Igor Pitovsky