Santos Populares
June is the month of the Popular Saints, with parties and festivities held throughout the country on the nights of Saint Anthony, Saint John, and Saint Peter. The main celebrations include the Lisbon Festivals, from the 12th to the 13th of June, Saint Anthony’s Day, and those of Porto, on the night of the 23rd to the 24th of June, in honor of Saint John. These vibrant festivities see people taking to the streets to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves in the neighborhoods adorned with arches, colorful balloons, and the scent of basil. In Lisbon, the popular marches from each neighborhood parade down Avenida da Liberdade, filling that artery with hundreds of participants, music, color, and a large audience. But the crowds and the excitement are no less in the streets of these neighborhoods, particularly in Alfama, but also in Graça, Bica, Mouraria, or Madragoa. In the medieval squares and alleys, people enjoy caldo verde and grilled sardines, singing and dancing into the night.
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