Christmas in Portugal - Christmas celebrations

Although Christmas celebration is somehow universal, you do get the small and bigger differences per country or culture. Christmas in Portugal, is mainly a time to spend with family. Although Christmas trees have been more popular since the 70’s, the main decoration still is the “presépio”, the nativity scenes, that each home will have, and that towns will display in larger sizes and sometimes even with real people and animals playing out the roles.

The Rubis Gás Up festival heads to the Algarve between October 24 and 28, giving people the chance to see twenty hot air balloons in the sky over the region as well as experience a balloon flight.

The event is being organised by Windpassenger with the main sponsorship of Rubis Gás and the support of Lagos, Portimão, Faro and Albufeira Councils, the Parish Council of Alvor and Lagos and Portimão aerodromes.

A plaque in memory of Maurice Clyde has been unveiled to the former ‘Algarve Wednesday Walk’ leader and one of the founders of the Via Algarviana, who sadly passed away in 2014.

The memorial was provided by Silves Camara and Almargem and has been placed at an accessible point on the now hugely popular walking route, near a bridge on the M502 about 1.5 kilometres north of Silves cemetery.

I was very surprised lately to learn that on a daily base millions of people worldwide are in one way or another involved, ‘in the mysterious world of genealogy,’ meaning either they are looking or enquiring about their family and in particular their ancestors or they are busy building their family tree, writes Guido Andries.

By looking into Google or Wikipedia one can see the thousands of websites and data bases available for interested people to use.

Between October 2018 and May 2019, 365Algarve's third edition will present 402 events, energising the region during low season months. Concerts, theatre, dance and new circus shows, cinema, street art and cultural visits are some of the activities provided.

365Algarve, this year with Travelling as its motto, intends to improve the tourist experience and the attractiveness throughout the region during low season months, complementing the existing offer.

Today, Mar d’Estórias present 100ml - a company that creates brands and perfumes that honours the customs of our country. Founded 10 years ago by Luís Miguel Pereira, 100ml values the aromas and essences of the luxury national perfumery. This dedication, in creating products that olfactory mirror our history, is changing the concept in the world of perfumes.

Read the August 2018 issue of Enjoy the Algarve, ‘Relax!’

In it: we explore the Algarvian countryside by Segway, try out carriage driving, learn about Portuguese poetry & taste the bola de Berlim. Bola-seller José Lopes, aka Zéíí, explains why these hot donut-like pastries are the Algarve’s most popular beach snack in the middle of summer.