São João’s festival takes place every year on the night of 23 June and is one of the biggest events in Porto’s cultural calendar. This festival has been rooted in Porto’s traditions since the 19th century. Its roots are in an ancient pagan courtship ritual, granting it the nickname of the festival of lovers. True to its origins, it retains various courtship rituals today, including the practice of hitting each other with a plastic or inflatable hammer or a garland of garlic flowers!
Each of Porto’s neighbourhoods is decorated with colourful displays, competing against each other to win the prize that is awarded for the best decorated street.
From the afternoon onwards, the streets are filled with people, dancing to live music, eating freshly grilled sardines and meat treats from the barbecue and sipping ice cool bottles of local beer, wine and delicious port wine of course.
At midnight there is a huge firework display over the Douro River after which partygoers will continue to party until the early hours of the morning. It is know as the longest night in Porto. I remember lighting bonfires at the beach with my friends to keep warm and in the morning going for breakfast at the local bakery before heading home for some sleep. That’s when I was a lot younger and childless of course.
We didn’t go to the Porto’s downtown for the evening celebrations this year but I though you might like to have a little sneak preview of what happens there so I’m sharing this video from Visit Portugal YouTube channel.
Love, P
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24 comments
Beautiful photos, I can almost feel the festive atmosphere and smell grilled sardines in the air! It’s funny how St. John’s Eve is (or used to be) celebrated in most countries, in one way or another. In Denmark, where we lived for three years, people light up bonfires all along the coast.
#PointShoot
What a beautiful, colourful festival!! #pointshoot
Gorgeous captures what a fun sounding festival. I like the idea of being hit with a plastic hammer. Thank you for linking up to #PointShoot
Really lovely photos! I never heard of this holiday, and it looks quite fun! #PointShoot
Thank you so much. It is lots of fun
Can I come to the party next year please? It all looks fab! #pointshoot
This looks lovely! So bright and colourful – love it #stayclassymama
The many bright colours look beautiful. It must have been a lot of fun. #stayclassymama
Oh WOW, this looks beautiful and so much fun!!!
#StayClassyMama
Wow! Suddenly it’s holiday here 🙂 Thank you for sharing such wonderful photos. Summer!!!!
It looks amazing, I love all the colours. I might look into holidaying here this tie next year, we never go away and I’d love to come to this!
#stayclassymama
Love the pics – it looks so colourful and…well, festive! #stayclassymama
Oooh your photos are fab! This sounds like a fun celebration! #stayclassymama
It looks like a great festival. So bright and colourful. #stayclassymama
Wow this looks amazing! I’d absolutely love to be there one year, I can feel the atmosphere!! #stayclassymama
wow looks amazing and great fun, would love to do this with the family when the boys are a little older #stayclassymama
Beautiful photos as always. I love the colours. Pen x #stayclassymama
Love the vibrant colours and the sense of community working together to celebrate, good job of capturing the event #stayclassymama
You’re photographs make for the most compelling post. It’s literally like being there.Looks an amazing place to visit!
#stayclassymama
Awwww that looks amazing!!! #stayclassymama
looks like a great time. My wife would approve of any courting ritual that involves hitting each other with hammers #stayclassy
Looks like an amazing time! I love just about any festival, and your photographs are breath-taking.
#StayClassyMama
Oh I LOVE things like this! We have been lucky enough to be abroad when similar festivals have been held and I just love everything about it! Although we have celebrations over here, when the sun is shining and the skies are blue, that wins hands down! #stayclassymama
It looks (and sounds) beautiful! I love the quiet of a town early in the morning when there’s been a big event the night before. Portugal is a place I would love to visit. #StayClassyMama