Christmas magic in Portugal: 4 Portuguese towns not to be missed

December 14, 2022

Numerous Christmas markets are held in Portugal at the end of the year, allowing locals and tourists alike to enjoy the magic of Christmas. From north to south, many Portuguese towns and villages are transformed into Santa Claus villages, all glittering with lights, delicacies and Christmas crafts. Here are a few Portuguese towns not to be missed this Christmas in Portugal.

1: Agueda and its world’s largest Santa Claus

Agueda is a small town located between Aveiro and Coimbra. I’ve already mentioned this town in my article“My top 25 places in Portugal“, because it’s famous for the colorful umbrellas that decorate its streets every summer. It was the first city in the world to set up such a scheme! In fact, the pretty town of Agueda has set up the “Umbrella Sky“ project. The idea is simple: for an ephemeral period(in summer), the city is decorated with umbrellas suspended from cables above the streets. Agueda was the first city in the world to offer this concept in 2011. Since then, the concept has been launched in numerous cities around the world, including a few in France: Lens, Toulouse, Béziers, Aurillac..

What’s this got to do with Christmas? Well, for Christmas, Agueda is also going all out with a host of events: concerts, shows, merry-go-rounds, skating rinks, craft markets… but above all, the city is setting itself apart with a sky of white and gold umbrellas that sparkle above your heads at this festive time of year. Public benches and staircases are also decked out in white and gold especially for this period.

Finally, another highlight of Christmas in Agueda is the presence, since 2016, of the world’s largest Santa Claus. That’s right! The tallest Santa in the world, he stands 21 meters tall and is made up of 250,000 LED lights. He’s even entered the famous“Guinness Bookof Records“.

For those lucky enough to be in the area, be sure to visit this Christmas town.

Find out more here.

Agueda

2: Penamacor and its ancestral bonfire tradition

Penamacor, located in central Portugal near Castelo Branco, is another Portuguese town not to be missed during the Christmas season. At this time of year, the town is nicknamed “Vila Madeiro” (wood village). The magic of Christmas is very much in evidence during the month of December, thanks in particular to the famous bonfire lit in the heart of the village.

Every year, at the beginning of December, young men from all over Penamacor gather to cut logs for the fire to warm Jesus. This ancestral custom continues into the night, when the locals gather with music and food.

The next day, the wood, known as “Madeiro”, is transported by tractor to the village center, while locals and visitors alike take to the streets to greet the tractor procession, singing along to the sound of a Portuguese “concertina”.

The “Madeiro” is then set up in the Matriz churchyard and lit at 11.50pm on December 23rd, as the villagers gather around the bonfire that will burn for several days. It’s one of Portugal’s oldest and most enduring Christmas traditions. The town of Penamacor makes it a point of honor to help preserve the municipality’s cultural heritage, and is keen to attract more visitors to the town to help boost the local economy. The municipality’s investment in this event is approximately €150,000.

More info here

Penamacor

3: Obidos, the country’s most emblematic Christmas market

If we had to name just one Christmas market in Portugal, this would undoubtedly be it. This Christmas village is the most emblematic in the country.

The walled city of Óbidos, 85km north of Lisbon, transports visitors to the enchanted world of Christmas. The “Vila Natal” (Christmas Village) in Obidos attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, recreating the spirit of Christmas with glittering decorations, lights, ornaments… transforming it into a veritable Christmas Village. Along the narrow streets you’ll come across elves, reindeer, snowmen, fir trees, stars… not forgetting the legendary Santa Claus. Don’t miss this return to childhood and the enchantment that emanates from this Christmas venue at the foot of Obidos Castle.

Find out more here

Obidos

4 – Lisbon, its illuminations and numerous Christmasmarkets

Finally, it was inevitable for me to tell you about Portugal’s largest city: Lisboa. Lisbon’s Christmas illuminations are incredible. The capital’s most beautiful squares, streets and avenues are decorated and illuminated, including the pedestrian zone of Rua Augusta, Praça Luís de Camões, Praça do Comercio… You can see these Christmas illuminations in Lisbon until January 6, Portugal’s “Dia de Reis” (Day of Kings).

There are also many Christmas markets in the capital, including :

Wonderland Lisboa in the Parque Eduardo VII: this is one of the city’s main Christmas markets, with a Ferris wheel, skating rinks, Christmas stalls… You can enjoy it until January 1, 2023.
Rossio Christmas Market on the Praça Dom Pedro V (Rossio): it has been open since November 18 and will remain open until December 21, 2022. It’s packed with activities for the whole family, and a host of traditional craft and food stalls. You can also take a free ride on the Christmas train, which circulates through the various streets of the Baixa Chiado district.