June is arriving and in Lisbon the celebration of Popular Saints (mainly Santo António) happens during all month.

The saint of Lisbon is São Vicente but the celebrated one is Santo António probably because he was born in Lisbon near Sé (one of the traditional neighborhoods) by the end of XII century and canonized in 13th of June in 1223.

Santo António (Saint Antony) is celebrated from the 12th June evening up to the next day (13th is a public holiday). In this evening, clubs and festive groups from each traditional neighborhood joint at one end of Avenida da Liberdade (metro station: Avenida) and march down at the same time that sing and dance until they reach the other end.

During the entire month of June, the streets at Alfama are decorated with small flags, colored lights, paper lanterns and balloons that are hung from balconies and railings, especially near and within the historic centre and traditional neighborhoods such as Castelo, Mouraria, Graça, Alfama, Ajuda and Bairro Alto.

The streets are also filled with singing and dancing Lisbon folk music. In these neighborhoods, people eat Caldo Verde (cabbage and potato soup), grill sardines (served in a plate or in bread) and drink wine or sangria.

There is also the habit of offering each other little pots of basil and paper carnations on which they write poems dedicated to Santo António.

Santo António is the saint of marriage. People pray for the perfect match and for a blessed marriage. Altars, dedicated to the saints, are put up as a way of asking for good fortune.

Come to hear some traditional songs and dance in the street like everyone else!

If you decide to stay in one of our apartaments at Alfama , Castle, Bica, or Ajuda, you will be in the center of all this "movida".

Oporto also commemorates its popular festivals - S. João, the 29th June. During this evening, everybody goes to the street to sing, dance, eat, great each other with garlic and the sky fulfils with colorful balloons that are released form everywhere. See also our apartment at Oporto

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