Holidays and carnivals in Portugal are a very big part of the local way of life. You cannot help but be caught up in the whole enthusiastic atmosphere. Below is a list of special dates and some pictures.

New Years Day - 1st January
Carnival Tuesday - February/March - day before Ash Wednesday
Good Friday - March/April
Liberty Day - 25 April - celebrating 1974 revolution
Labour Day - 1 May
Corpus Christi May/June - ninth Thursday after Easter
Portugal Day 10 June - also known as Camões & the Communities Day
Feast of the Assumption - 15 August
Republic Day - 5 October - commemorating 1910 declaration of Portuguese Republic
All Saints' Day - 1 November
Independence Day - 1 December - commemorating 1640 restoration of independence from Spain
Feast of the Immaculate Conception - 8 December
Christmas Day 25 December