Santo Antonio Festival in Lisbon (June)

Every June, Lisbon throws its biggest party: the Festas de Lisboa, in honour of Saint Anthony. The old neighbourhoods fill with street parties, grilled sardines, paper garlands and music, and the night of 12 June is one of the best nights of the year to be in Lisbon. Here’s how to enjoy it.

Quick answer: the big night is 12 June, going into the 13th, Saint Anthony’s day. Watch the Marchas Populares parade on Avenida da Liberdade, then join the arraiais (street parties) in Alfama, Mouraria, Graça and Bica for sardines on bread, beer and dancing until dawn. Book accommodation early.

Why go

For one night the whole city is out on the street. Grandmothers dance with students, every small square has a grill, and the smell of sardines drifts up the hills. It’s loud, crowded and friendly, and it shows a side of Lisbon you won’t see the rest of the year.

Who was Saint Anthony?

Saint Anthony was born in Lisbon in the 1190s, near where the cathedral stands, and died in Padua in Italy in 1231. Most of the world calls him Saint Anthony of Padua, but Lisbon claims him as its own. He is the city’s best-loved saint and is known as a matchmaker, which is why the festival is full of love tokens and weddings. The 13th of June is a public holiday in Lisbon, so many shops and offices close.

What happens

• Arraiais: street parties throughout June, especially in the old quarters, with grills, bars, music and dancing. They get busiest on Friday and Saturday nights and peak on 12 June.
• Marchas Populares: neighbourhoods compete in a costumed parade along Avenida da Liberdade on the evening of 12 June. It usually starts around 8pm and goes on for hours, with each group singing and dancing its routine for a jury.
• Sardines: grilled sardines on bread are the taste of the festival. June is the start of sardine season. See Portuguese sardines.
• Other food: bifanas, caldo verde soup and cold beer or sangria from the stalls. See the bifana and prego.
• Manjericos: small pots of basil with paper flowers and a short poem, given as tokens of love. Smell the basil by rubbing it with your hand, not your nose.
• Saint Anthony’s weddings: a group wedding for couples, held on 12 June with a civil ceremony and a church service at Lisbon Cathedral. The couples then lead the parade on the Avenida.

Where to go

• Alfama: the most famous and crowded. See Alfama.
• Mouraria and Graça: lively and slightly more local. See Mouraria and Graça.
• Bica and Bairro Alto: steep streets packed with people. See Bairro Alto.
• Castelo: the streets around the castle walls, with views across the city.

A plan for 12 June

• Early evening: eat sardines at an arraial before the crowds arrive.
• 8pm onwards: find a spot on Avenida da Liberdade for the Marchas. Arrive early for a good view, or watch an hour and move on.
• Late night: walk up to Alfama or Mouraria. The arraiais run until the early hours.

If you miss 12 June, the street parties carry on most nights in June. Smaller crowds can be a better way to enjoy them.

Tips

• Crowds: very busy on 12 June, especially in Alfama’s narrow lanes. Watch your belongings. See is Portugal safe?
• Transport: in recent years the metro has run until about 3am on the main night, but Avenida station can close during the parade. Expect packed trains and road closures, and check Metro de Lisboa before you go. See Lisbon public transport.
• Book early: hotels fill up and prices rise. See the best hotels in Lisbon.
• Cash: handy for the street stalls.
• Shoes: the cobbles get slippery with spilled beer. Wear trainers, not sandals.

More: the Portugal festivals calendar, Portugal in June and São João in Porto.

Prices and details change, so please double-check before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the groups.