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As summer brings heat to Lisbon, so starts its annual month of celebration of Saints. St Anthony (Santo Antonio), often revered as the true patron saint of Lisbon, gives his name to this June event, which combines religious celebration with extensive amounts of non-religious activities and lots of sardines with wine.
Portugal St Anthony Day Lisbon events -traditions
The Santo Antonio Festival is quite a protracted affair and for the whole of June, there are concerts, theatre, puppetry, vendors, sports, and exhibitions all over the city, including fado musicians in the trams. However, the main focus is on more traditional festivities in the oldest Lisbon neighborhoods (bairros) where the streets and squares are decorated with colorful decorations, paper flowers, and streamers. You will smell sardines as they are grilled by households, restaurants, and bars. Lots of Portuguese citizens and visitors eat out in the street creating a party for all the family, with music and folk dancing to accompany them.
Lisbon June 2023 Saint Anthony Day
The Biggest Celebration in Portugal
What is Saint Anthony's Day?
The Santo Antonio (Saint Anthony) Festival is the most important annual fiesta in Lisbon.
This historic event celebrates Saint Anthony, the patron saint of Lisbon, of marriages, and of lost things.
Who was Saint Anthony?
Considering that Saint Anthony is the patron saint of marriage, you’ll get a glimpse of newly married couples who are celebrated during the event too!
Your experience at the Santo Antonio Festival
The highlight of the Santo Antonio Festival is the procession along Avenida da Liberdade. Locals wear incredible, elaborate costumes with colorful gems, feathers, rhinestones, and masks. Dancers, and musicians all add to the electrifying atmosphere on the streets.
What to Eat during the Saint Anthony Celebration in Lisbon
There will be lots of delicious treats to eat like grilled sardines, beef sandwiches (bifanas), Portuguese cabbage soup (Calde Verde), sangria, wine, and beer will give you the energy to party until the sun comes up.
Restaurant Recommendations in Lisbon
Restaurante Pinóquio
Pinóquio
Praça dos Restauradores 79 80, 1250-188 Lisbon 21 346 5106 https://g.co/kgs/oKPT24
Restaurante Zé dos Cornos, grilled fish and meat ( Iberian pork included):
Beco dos Surradores 5, 1100-591 Lisboa. They don't do reservations, first come first served.
Ze is fabulous! They opened up a second restaurant; Ze De Mouraria 2 nearby! Double check the hours for both for a dinner reservation as it looks like ze 2 is open for dinner and ze 1 just for lunch. Here are some additional restaurant recs - pinoquio is listed as well
How to eat on a budget in Lisbon
We eat lunch or dinner at the Continente grocery store
They have 3-4 plates of the day @$5 euros
The dish could be cod and potato with nata ( cream sauce)
Chicken and rice, Fish and potatoes
Pasta, Other
They have a small cafe with cooked meals, coffee, bread, sweets
They usually have soup and salad too
2 adults can eat for under $10 euros
Best views of the Santo Antonio Festival in Lisbon
The Santo Antonio Festival takes place on the historic streets of Alfama, Bica, Bairro Alto, Castelo, and Madragoa.
How to Get Around During the Saint Anthony Festival in Lisbon
The streets of Lisbon will be filled with locals and residents on June 12 and June 13, so it can be difficult to get around unless you walk. Before and after the festival, you can choose from Lisbon’s many choices of public transportation including the tram, train, buses, metro, taxi, tuk-tuks, bicycle, ferry, and funicular are all great ways to see the city.
Lisbon highlights
The most beautiful city Lisbon
isThe scenery of Lisbon, Portugal is calming, the whole city gives people a leisurely feeling, a must-see attraction; Lisbon Commercial Plaza is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe,
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Portugal St Anthony Day Lisbon events -traditions in Portugal
What to see in Lisbon
St. George Castle is vast and charming. The streets of Alfama are paved with cobblestones and can be slippery. Although it is very steep, it is very worthwhile.
The Jeronimos Monastery (Jeronimos Monastery) is a beautiful monastery,
One of the must-see attractions in Lisbon in the Belem district. It is located in the coastal area of Lisbon. The tower has a history of the navigators and travels of Portuguese sailors
no credit cards are accepted, and the ticket is 6 Euros.
São Jorge Castle is a very worthwhile attraction.
Bairro Alto is one of the oldest areas in Lisbon. The buildings are historic and remarkable
There are lots of bars and restaurants in the upper city. We enjoy the fado music and dinner.
Are their tour guides in Lisbon?
We enjoyed a tuk-tuk tour of the city
And a tour of Benfica stadium
So much to see and do.
One trip, one week, or one month is not enough
Boa Viagem
One of the most beautiful squares in Europe, Praça do Comércio opens out onto the river Tagus. Under its arches, you'll find market stalls, restaurants, The Wines of Portugal, and the Beer Museum, and make sure to visit the oldest restaurant in Lisbon, Martinho Da Arcada which was established in 1782. It seems like this area of the city never sleeps. It is alive during the day and lit up at night.
Portugal St Anthony Day Lisbon events -traditions in Portugal
WATERFRONT in Downtown Lisbon
If you are looking for a great dining experience in Belem, then Portvgalia is for you. They've been serving the Lisbon locals for over 90 years and their specialties are a local steak dish and exceptional seafood. Prices can be on the high side but the dining is superb and the food is delicious. If visiting Lisbon for the first time, then the district of Belem will definitely be on your agenda. The statue Discoveries next to the restaurants is my favorite statue in Portugal. It was inaugurated in 1960. It stands @ 170 feet tall. It celebrates Henry the Navigator and all the discoveries Portugal enjoyed.
Day trips from Lisbon
Lisbon to Fatima A 1 Highway has tolls
Fatima can be a day trip from Lisbon or a stop-by on the way to Porto.
Leaving Lisbon head north on A1 toward Porto.
Exit at Fatima approximately 1 ½ from Lisbon.
You can take lots of day trips from Lisbon. It depends on your interests. I prefer Nazare, Fatima, Tomar, Berlengas, Cascais, and Obidos. You can drive to Porto and stop at a few of these cities. You could stay a few days in Coimbra or Nazare and see Central Portugal from there.
In Porto, you can do day trips to Braga, Douro wine valley, Aveiro, and Murtosa.
It seems easy to me to travel to Portugal because of the size of the country. It is about the size of New Jersey.
Where to park in Fatima
Park behind the Basilica near Lot #7. The parking is free and there is some shady areas in Lot #7. There are public bathrooms behind the Basilica between the parking lot and the Church. The bathrooms are not always clean nor do they always have toilet tissue. The walk is long but on a wide sidewalk. Enter the Church and pray. Take lots of photos. Be prepared to walk down steep steps or go to the side of the Church and walk down the long slope toward the shops and the small church.
Where is Fatima?
You will hear people speaking various languages. The feeling of pure joy tingles through your body as you see people crawling on their knees toward the small Church and circling the Chapel, praying in the Chapel, meditating, lighting candles, and enjoying the peace of the area.
Why are people crawling into the lot and around the Chapel? People make promises to the Lady of Fatima for help with their loved ones, their own health, or care for a family member. The person then walks from their town in Portugal to Fatima. It could take days or weeks to complete this pilgrimage. Then, when they enter the large lot in front of the Basilica, they begin the craw into the lot on the tile path and crawl around the Chapel.
Across the huge lot, you can see the new Church. The new Church is basic and modern. Enter the new Church on the side of the building. There is a gold textured mural behind the altar with a large statue of Christ on the Cross. For the daily mass, an endless procession of priests enters on the right side of the building walking down the aisle on the right toward the altar. The altar servers cared large photos of Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia. When the choir sang, the pipe organ joined in. The sound of the music and singing was like a feather falling from the sky. The large pipes on the wall vibrated in elegance. The seats were set up like a theater. The building felt cold and damp. The architecture was modern and plain. The interior of the Church was disappointing. The mass was wonderful and the choir was breathtaking but the building is too blah. There were no books or pamphlets to pick up.
An interesting fact about the Chapel in Fatima
In the Chapel of the Apparitions, there is a statue of the Lady of Fatima with a gold crown. Built into the crown is the bullet removed from Pope John Paul ll after an attempted assassination.
On the 13th of each month, thousands of people flock to Fatima to celebrate, pray and ask for help with a loved one. From May to October 13th, larger crowds gather in Fatima to pray and celebrate the visions of the Virgin to the three shepherds.
The large Basilica was built in 1928 and renovated several times over the years. The large Church is dominated by a tower rising 70 meters high. The ornate Church is absolutely adorned w
Day Trip to Fatima
Lisbon Sunset Tours- Sunset Sailing Tour- 90-Minute Amphibious Tour on the water
The Oceanário is amazing to visit! It is the largest indoor aquarium in Europe.
The aquarium was built for the Expo in 1998.
We visited then and loved it.
Portugal St Anthony Day Lisbon events -traditions in Portugal
Very common question.....where to watch the sunset in Lisbon? Go to Belem, spend the afternoon there, and watch the sunset along the water by Torre de Belem
Car Rental Lisbon Area
Portugal St Anthony Day Lisbon events -traditions
SINTRA is a city near the heart of Lisbon- Outside the city
Sintra is a town of palaces, castles, summer retreats, lush gardens, and forested walks. Located only 25 kilometers from Lisbon this entire area is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The best way to visit Sintra is to either book a guided tour or take the 40-minute train ride from Lisbon to the town center. The train departs from Rossio station in Lisbon ($5 euros) However, a guided tour will give you more opportunity to see the locals and more sites within Sintra. Sintra is picturesque and unique. The colors and the historic buildings leave a stamp on your soul.
When you are there, make sure to try the traditional cakes from Sintra, they’re called Queijadas. They are made in a 160-year-old bakery called Casa Piriquita which is located in the town center.
Portugal St Anthony Day Lisbon events -traditions
The Pena Palace is the most traveled palace in all of Portugal. The lines are usually long. By your tickets ahead of time.
At Quinta da Regaleira you can view a wonderful home with amusing gardens that are relaxing and charming.
The National Palace Sintra The National Palace at Sintra is the best-preserved medieval royal residence in Portugal, The white chimneys which protrude from the kitchens make for iconic photo opportunities. The Palace has been inhabited since the 15th century.
Lisbon Itinerary
Portugal St Anthony Day Lisbon events -traditions in Portugal
If I had one week to spend in Lisbon
Day 1
Downtown, lunch, waterfront, Belem
Day 2
Sintra go early it gets busy- take the train or a guide- parking is limited
Pena Palace ($14.00 euros), Castle Mouros ($8.00 euros), lunch
take the tour bus and visit around the town ($6.90)
train fare ($4.50)
start the day EARLY
FYI the hills are steep
dinner in Lisbon downtown
Day 3
Cascais
sit on the beach, enjoy the old town, cliffs, and Estoril, walk around dinner in downtown Lisbon
DAY 4
day trip to Berlengas, Obidos
DAY 5
Day trip Fatima and Tomar
eat in Fatima- way more choices
DAY 6
Sailing tour of Lisbon
Day 7
tuk tuk guide, Lisbon
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copyright May 2022
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