This seasonal operation will last until the end of September and is the third direct connection from The UK to Porto Santo Island, after London Gatwick and Manchester.
The UK market is the largest foreign source market at Porto Santo Airport, with a market share of 22%.
In 2014, the passenger flows from the UK exceeded 23 thousand passengers and this new operation is expected to raise this number by 3 thousand more passengers.
Passengers arriving at the first flight yesterday were greeted by the airport team with Madeira Wine and local flowers.
You can find more information about Porto Santo Island here: - Porto Santo
Volvo Ocean Race (Lisbon Stopover 2015), the biggest around the world
regatta and one of the three major international sailing events, returns to
Lisbon from May 25 to June 7
Fans can see firsthand the magnificent Volvo Ocean Race sailboats at Doca
de Pedrouços.
This historical site where Caravels once set sail on the Discoveries is now
home to the Race Village complex, which features a special free entry
entertainment program.
The Race Village opens at 11am (May 25 to June 1) and 9am (June 2 to 7) and closes every day at midnight except last day (4pm).
Free entry.
Programa | Program
25 Maio | May
Race Village (10.30h » 00.00h)
22.00h - Banda da Armada + Banda da Armada (música/music)
26 Maio | May
Race Village (10.30h » 00.00h)
20.00h - Prana
(música/music)
22.00h - Frankie Chávez (música/music)
27 Maio | May
Race Village (10.30h » 00.00h)
20.30h - Banda Os Cantores Improváveis (música/music)
21.30h - Ala dos Namorados c/ João
Gil (música/music)
All over the country, June is the month of Popular Saints (Santos
Populares). At Porto, São João de Baptista is the celebrated saint. The sacred
and the profane go hand in hand, joining together to create the city's biggest
festival of the year.
Get involved in the festivals and get to know the soul and the people of
Porto, through the unique experience of living the festival that characterizes
it the best. For that, we are going to show you the history of São João, so
that you get to know the symbols in their full extent, and so that during your
visit you have a feel for the celebrations you'll get to see all over the city.
Sacred and Profane
São João Baptista is a "Holy Saint", being celebrated on the
streets and in full by people. The first references of festivals in his honor
come from the 14th century, the involvement of the Portuguese has been since
always marked not only by the force with which they adhere to the festivals,
but also for their effort in organizing the initiatives that make Porto's
festivals.
The festival of São João Baptista is also the summer solstice festival,
marking the solar course peak and inheriting all of the symbols characteristic
of a festival with pagan origins. Religious expressions are narrower nowadays,
summed to the interior of sacred spaces, where folk's memory is materialized -
the church and chapels - and the altars, in honor of the saint.
Don't miss the churches and chapels that evocate São João Baptista, and
enjoy the art and testimony of renowned national and international masters
artistic expressions. Places like the Church of S. Francisco, the Church of the
Convent of São João Novo, the Cathedral, the Clérigos Church, the Almas Chapel
(The Souls' Chapel) and the Church of São João da Foz.
Don't miss
any of these places!
The Symbols of Porto's Festivals
During the festivals of São João, we see bonfires, sweet basil, leek and
little hammers a bit all over the city.
The bonfires of São João are lit in the streets by groups of residents and
friends that show their bravery as they jump over them, and have purifying
virtues, keeping health, marriage and business in view. In the evening and
night of São João, dew water is holy, with a divine power that cure diseases,
gives beauty to the youth and encourages love. This night, the dew is felt with
clarity. Nowadays dew is a part of the festival ritual itself.
Basil is the most popular type of aromatic herb. It can get basil at any
downtown street, either for decoration or for a gift. They are sold in pots
adorned with a small flag, attached by a wire, with a popular quatrain allusive
to the festival. As for the leek, it became the quintessential symbol of
Porto's São João Festivals. Leek is used at the longest night of the year, to
touch and offer its scent to passersby, wishing good luck and good fortunes in
life.
At downtown, at the stalls where men tout and sell traditional sweet basil,
cloves, lemon balm and leek, there's also the modern little hammers. Made of
plastic, they produce a sound very unique of this festival. They are
indispensable for the friendly "aggression" that happens among
revelers. They are harmless, save for the ubiquitous laughing and grinning they
give to the festival!
During this time, streets are packed with ornaments and festive
illuminations, snacks stalls, outside dances, and amusements. Everything, so
that people celebrate a popular São João, a reveler of joy and gatherings.
With regard to gastronomy, during the night of São João folks usually eat
green broth with bread, lamb or grilled sardines, pepper salad and, for the
dessert, custard. On the morning of the 23rd of June, people drink cafe latte
and eat bread with butter. The idea of certainty about the origins of this
tradition isn't anything else than a mirage. Some say that the use of lamb or
goat is due to this animal's presence in the images of São João, an allusion to
God's lamb. As for the sardines, they may have been added for being cheaper and
plentiful by this time of the year.
Despite the fact that the holiday falls in the 24th of June, and as in
previous years, the festival invades the city, kick started during the month of
May, its initiation taking place on the 23rd of the same month.
Furthermore in May, the Serralves em Festa is a cultural event you can't
lose. Music festivals are also in the schedule, with NOS Primavera Sound, which
takes place from the 4th to the 6th of June, chiefly featured amid a younger
public. The Caixa Ribeira Festival, between the 12th and 13th of June, brings
to Porto the most renowned names of Fado, in the unique scenery of Ribeira do
Porto. Music continues with the Concertos da Avenida, staring names such as Rui
Veloso, D.A.M.A, Deolinda, among others.
The pinnacle will be, however, the night of the 23rd of June. At midnight
there's a firework show, the fireworks of São João, one of the reasons why
people are in the streets. Everyone follows towards Ribeira, joining thousands
of people on both sides of the Douro river. In the festivals' program there's
still enough time for competition, present in the traditional Regata dos Barcos
Rabelos, on the 24th of June, from Douro's mouth to the D. Luís I bridge.
The festivals are over by the 4th of July, with the "rusgas" and
São João's great fair.
If you are coming to Porto between May and July, be sure to make the best
of the Santos Populares, especially the 23rd of June night. Get to know the
folks of Porto and live an unforgettable night. Find out the best places to
stay at Porto and contact us so that we can help you make the perfect plan to
celebrate São João at Porto.
With a whiff of summer in the air, the Festivities of Lisbon offer a welter of entertainment activities that will invade Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhoods, luring lure thousands of people into the streets.
Santo António - Lisbon’s patron saint - overseas the city’s festivities that reach their highpoint on the evening of June 12, with a procession of popular marches through the Avenida da Liberdade. On the afternoon of June 13, a procession in homage to the popular Saint - who is believed to foster marriages - winds its way through the streets around the Sé cathedral and provides a special religious flavour to the festivities. Evenings are animated by traditional festivities in Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhoods - from Castelo to Mouraria, Graça, Alfama, Ajuda and the Bairro Alto - with lots of music and dance to the rhythm of popular songs. Decorated with coloured globes and garlands, the city’s streets are invaded by the smell of roasted sardines and sweet basil accompanied by paper carnations and paintings that allude to Santo António.
"Lisboa, City of the Sea" is a multimedia spectacle which shows the close links between Lisboa and the Sea.
From the era of the Discoveries to sailing competitions, the calls of the fishwives to the fishing boats, from architecture to leisure activities, the city's pace of life is intertwined with the waves that lap upon its shores.
Let yourself be guided by the compass needle that revolves around the cardinal points of ancient compasses in a dizzying journey that transports you to different historical and contemporary eras, representative of this intimate connection Lisboa shares with the sea.
Dates/Schedule: From May 22 to 31, in Terreiro do Paço (Metro station: Terreiro do Paço), at 9.30pm, 10.30pm and 11.30pm.
Riders from
Spain, France, UK, Sweden, Brazil and Portugal will be competing next weekend
at the CSI Ponte de Lima . This 2 star show will distribute a total amount
of 49.000 euros (prize money). The show is taking place in EXPOLIMA an
excellent show ground with one of the best facilities
from Portugal, 200 meters away from village main place.
In charge
of the jumps will be the prestigious Spanish course designer Javier Trenor Paz
for the first time in Ponte de Lima.
CSI Ponte
de Lima is part of Ponte de Lima - international Equestrian Destination, a
project from the municipality, that together will several other equestrian
events, will establish the city as one of the most important regarding the
Equestrian Sport in Portugal.
Riding on the historical train is like travelling back in time. The route runs along the bank of the river Douro, between Régua and Tua, on a unique trip back into the past through beautiful landscape that is classified by UNESCO as World Heritage. Programme
One-day programme leaving Régua at 15:22 and returning at 18:32 with a stop at Pinhão, and then on to Tua and back. On-board entertainment with regional singers and musicians and a toast with a glass of Port. You can also try the Régua candies, a tradition for everyone who comes to this part of Portugal.
You can buy just the historical train trip, or you can op+t to buy a Combined Package, which includes a return trip from anywhere in the country on Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Regional and Oporto urban trains.
Dates and times for the 2015 edition:
Saturdays, between 6 June and 31 October 2015. Sundays, between 16 August and 4 October 2015. Outward: Régua 15:22>Tua 16:37
Return: Tua 17:20> Régua 18:32
Prices Historical train (Régua - Tua)
Incluides: Historical train journey Régua/Tua and back. Adult €35 Children €15 (5 to 12 years old inclusive)
Packs (Historical train + journeys all over the country – return)
Information and bookings
Ticket offices Online ticket office* Customer care line (707 210 220)* Requests for information: cohistorico@cp.pt
The combined packages are only sold at ticket offices.
* Seats attributed randomly. If you want to choose your seat, buy your ticket from a ticket office.
