Carnaval em Portugal

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Carnaval Portugal 2025 with stunning outfits, parades, and dates

Are you ready for some samba music, traditional drums, costumed revellers, lots of dancing, and dressing up? Carnaval in Portugal is a fun event not to miss! But where is Carnival celebrated in Portugal? 

It’s mostly in cities like Torres Vedras and Loulé! And while it might not be as fabulous as the Brazilian Carnival, if you’re holidaying in the country, the Carnival festivities are incredible to witness.

Being from the north of the Netherlands, I did not grow up with Carnaval, but since living in Portugal, I try to visit new places each year to celebrate. My favourite so far is Torres Vedras, which I will discuss here, and there are many more. If you like dance, music, and festivities, keep reading!

Discover Carnaval in Portugal

  • What to see? Carnival festivities include sparkling outfits, a carnival parade and many other fun carnival celebrations!
  • Costs? Most things are free. If you are celebrating the carnival in Torres Vedras this year, the entrance fee is € 8,00 per person for one day or € 16,00 per person for all four days.
  • Where? In different cities in Portugal. The best Carnivals are celebrated in Torres Vedras, Ovar, Funchal, and Loulé. This year, Carnaval is at the beginning of March.
  • Worth it? Worth it? The celebrations might not be as impressive as in Brazil, but if you happen to be in the country, be sure to join!

The origin of the Carnival celebration

The origin of Carnival in Portugal is like that of many other countries in the world. It first started in Europe, in Italy, to be precise, but it spread quickly to other countries such as Spain and Portugal.

Carnaval has Catholic roots as in 590 AD, the Catholic Church acknowledged it, and it’s a time of celebration and indulgence. It’s the last opportunity to go wild before Lent, a time of fasting and sacrifice.

During Lent, Catholics would abstain from eating meat. This is where the word Carnevale comes from, which means as much as putting away the meat. Carnaval was a time for renewal and awakening. The Portuguese name at the time was Entrudo, which means to enter. You’ll still see this word used today.

Carnaval Portugal

The fun annual event always takes place at the beginning of the year (depending on the religious calendar) and is celebrated in many countries worldwide. The Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Santa Cruz, Tenerife (Spain) hold some of the world’s most famous celebrations.

Although the tradition has often changed over the years, we can still enjoy a colourful festival with masks, costumes, music, and allegorical floats (the cars or trucks with a platform used during the parade). After the wild party, the 40-day-long fast (the period of Lent) will start.

Tip!

In the village of Podence, you can experience the Carnival of Podence. The small town is located in the northern region of the country and is a unique place to visit to see traditional celebrations and Portuguese Carnival.

The masked Caretos are a tradition in the village, and the Caretos of Podence have been on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2019! It used to be predominantly men, but now you see girls and women dressed up as Caretos.

The Caretos are considered demonic figures and behave mischievously. The Carnival costumes are made from red, yellow and green fabric, and the masked revellers hold a stick in their hands.

After the cold winter months, spring is just around the corner, a symbol of fertility and new beginnings. Want to learn more about this phenomenon? Visit the Museu do Careto! The museum is dedicated entirely to the tradition of the Caretos of Podence and ancient traditions.

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Dates to remember for Portugal Carnaval 2025

  • Carnaval Tuesday, March 4th 2025: Shrove Tuesday or Carnival Tuesday is the last day before the fasting period of Lent. It’s also known as Mardi Gras (in New Orleans), Fat Tuesday, or Pancake Day. It is always 47 days before Easter Sunday.
  • Wednesday, March 5th 2025: Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.
Carnaval Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal: 18 May 2019: Jarramplas at the Iberian Mask Festival Parade in Lisbon

Handy tip: Prepare Ahead!

Book your hotel in Portugal well in advance, as it gets busy! → Check availability

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Lisbon Carnival celebrations

The Lisbon Carnaval is one of the biggest celebrations in the Portuguese capital. Head over to the Príncipe Real Garden, where you can follow the parade towards Cais do Sodré and enjoy the carnival parties. If you’re in Lisbon in March, you should definitely join the events!

Image of the Lisbon Carnaval, with many people walking the streets during the parade. The sun is shining and some people are dressed up.
Colombina Clandestina

The streets of Graça will turn pink with music, samba dancers, elaborate costumes, and colour by Colombina Clandestina. Don’t forget to dress up and move along with upbeat samba music. This parade will take place on March 1st 2025, and times will be shared on their Instagram page soon.

Lisboa Carnaval pages to keep an eye out for:

When more events and parties are published, I will update the article again 🙂 Most events will occur between February 28th and the 6th of March in Lisbon.

🏨 Check the availability of hotels in Lisbon during Carnaval below!

Carnaval in Torres Vedras – February 28th until March 5th, 2025

The city of Torres Vedras is located about an hour north of Lisbon. This celebration is known as the most Portuguese Carnival and has strong traditional components! So, if you’re close to the Portuguese capital, the celebration is worth checking out. There will be a big party where you can dance and join parties.

The allegorical floats represent current affairs satirically, and you’ll see matrafonas (cross-dressing men in ridiculous costumes) and cabeçudos. These are dolls with giant heads made from paper pulp up to 4 meters tall! They’re accompanied by Zés-Pereiras (drumming groups) and bagpipes.

The Torres Vedras Carnival will take place from February 28th until March 5th. Please note that you’ll need a day pass to enter the festival. Click here for more information about the party.

Stay the night and book your hotel during Carnival! There is limited availability, so book on time!

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Carnaval in Ovar – February 8th until March 4th 2025

If you’re in central Portugal, Ovar is the place to be. You’ll be enjoying parades, music and lots of dancing! Ovar is located in the Aveiro District, just south of Porto. The Carnival in Ovar, the largest festival in the area, attracts thousands of visitors annually. And they know how to stretch it as the festivities occur over three weeks! The most memorable days are:

  • Children’s Carnaval – the second Sunday before Carnival
  • Carnaval Thursday – with a Quim Barreiros concert
  • Friday night – known as Noche de Farrapada or Rags Night
  • Carnaval Saturday – with Samba school parade
  • Carnaval Sunday – with Corso Carnavalesco
  • Carnival Monday – with Magic
  • Shrove Tuesday – with the main parade

Book your accommodation ahead of time for Carnaval Portugal:

Carnaval in Madeira – February 26th until March 9th, 2025

In the city of Funchal, they also know how to throw a party! For two weeks, you can discover Madeira during the Carnival season. Several towns on the island will have a small carnival parade, but the big party is in the capital, Funchal. The main festivities start on Wednesday before Shrove on Tuesday.

Carnaval Portugal carnival Portugal

Carnival ends at Enterro do Osso, which is on Saturday after Carnival on Tuesday. On Saturday during Carnival Weekend, you can visit the parade on the streets of Funchal. It’s a show full of light, colour, and sparkling outfits. Cortejo Trapalhão is the parade in the afternoon where comedy and satire are a central part of the outfits.

Check hotels in Funchal:

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Carnaval in Loulé, March 1st until the 4th, 2025

The Carnival of Loulé in the Algarve region is one of the Municipality’s most popular and symbolic events. Avenida José da Costa Mealha is the decor for the well-loved parade. The Carnaval in Loulé is said to be the oldest in the country! For those close to the Algarve, the Carnival in Loulé is well worth your time.

Carnival Loule 2025 is from the 1st until the 4th of March at Avenida José da Costa Mealha.

Carnaval Portugal
Loulé – February 2020: Colorful Carnival Parade festival participants in Loulé, Portugal.

Hotels nearby Loulé:

FAQ

Where can I celebrate the Portuguese Carnival?

You can celebrate Carnival in Portugal in multiple cities. The most important are Torres Vedras, Ovar, Funchal, and Loulé.

Is Carnival celebrated in Portugal?

Carnival in Portugal is celebrated in cities like Torres Vedras and Loulé! It might not be as abundant as Carnival in Brazil. Still, you can join some parties and traditional events in the country.

When is Carnival in Portugal 2025

Each city and town might have its own celebrations on specific dates, but the general dates for carnival in Portugal are: Carnaval Tuesday is on March 4th 2025, and Ash Wednesday is the day after, on March 5th 2025.

Final thoughts: Should I visit Carnival in Portugal?

The answer is an absolute yes! Portugal Carnival is a time to celebrate with the locals, dress up, and dance to the music. Many local traditions are only celebrated here. So, even though it might not be as spectacular as Carnival in Brazil, if you are in Europe, make sure to witness the celebrations!

It’s also a busy time, and hotels fill up quickly. It’s a good idea to make your reservations in time. Also, if you want to enjoy a good night’s sleep, avoid sleeping in the areas of parades and festivities. It’s an experience you will remember and a beautiful time of year to visit the country.

Some images used in this blog post are sourced and licenced from Adobe Stock.

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