Enjoy Portugal’s autumn festivals and events!

1. Wine Festival in Madeira- 31 August- 17 September 2023
During the first two weeks of September, which also happens to be the island’s harvest, Madeira conducts its annual Wine Festival.
The Wine Festival is a crucial event in both culture and ethnography in Madeira’s history as it honors the renowned syrup made in this archipelago and commemorates the grape harvest at the end of the summer.
There are a lot of amazing activities during the festival, as locals and tourists mix in a wonderful celebration of the island’s famed and priceless wine.
This wonderful event definitely cannot be missed!

2. Chefs on Fire- 8-10 September 2023
The crowning achievement of Portugal’s gastronomic celebrations is Chefs on Fire in Fiartil, Estoril.
Some of Portugal’s most renowned and Michelin-starred chefs prepare a feast using only fire in a stunning park, surrounded by tall pine trees.
Along with a lineup of fantastic bands and musicians, chefs and food vary daily.

3. Feira de Santa Iria- October 2023
The Algarve city of Faro celebrates St. Irene with a grand event every October. It is a nine-day festival of food, handicrafts and amusement rides that is reported to have been around since 1596.
The Faro Fair is held in the Largo de San Francisco, which is nestled between the estuary, the Vila Adentro’s medieval wall and one of its main gates, the Arco de Repouso.
Come and enjoy it, you won’t be disappointed!

4. Hot Air Balloon Festival- November 2023
About eight villages are the focus of a spectacle of hot air balloons during this nine-day festival in November in Alentejo.
The Festival Internacional Bales de Ar Quente (FIBAQ), which draws balloons from Portugal, Spain, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and other countries, is not only visually stunning as all the balloons ascend at once, but it also frequently gives free small flights in exchange for donations to charity.

5. Saint Martin’s Day- 11th November 2023
On November 11, people commemorate Saint Martin’s Day. In order to help a beggar stay warm, Saint Martin, a Roman soldier, split his cloak in two. As a result, the sun came out and warmed the beggar.
Warm winter days at the start of November are hence referred to as Saint Martin’s Summer. The first wine of the season is ready at this time and the chestnuts begin to ripen.
The Portuguese commemorate this day, known as Magusto, with bonfires, gatherings, lots of chestnuts and meals cooked with them and água-pé, a weak wine created from diluted leftovers.
In Portugal, the northern regions of Trás-os-Montes, Beira Baixa (particularly Alcains), Goleg and Penafiel host the most enduring Saint Martin’s Day celebrations.

Enjoy Portugal‘s autumn festivals and events with your family and friends, always counting on Low Cost Transfers‘ taxi services for easy and high quality rides for splendid and unforgettable adventures and memories!