Another FAQ subject ?

[Graham L]

I believe there are public holidays in Portugal next week. Any chance of a list of those dates and for through the year please?
G

[nightrider]

Graham,
This Tuesday the 28th Feb 2006 is a holiday day here in the Algarve, but some also take the Monday off as a long weekend.

These are Portugal's National Public Holidays:-
National Holidays
1st January
25th April
Good Friday
1st May
Corpus Christi (Early June)
10th June
15th August
5th October
1st November
1st December
8th December
25th December

The problem is that not only does the Algarve have it's own holidays, but also each Parish in the Algarve has it's very own as well.. I mean one classic example is that I use to order our dogs food from a very good Pet Shop in Lagoa (which of course is Carvoerio area). So I drove over from where we live near Silves, only to find the road closed off to the Pet Shop, because everything was shut as it was a local carnival day. Anyway, I will try and do a little research and see if I can find out the information for Carvoeiro for 2006 for you. Unless I see that someone has beaten me to it.
.......and by the way.... yes your quite correct this important information should be already in the FAQ, which for some reason I thought it was. However, I will go and have a quick peep now.
N.R.

[digger]

1 January: New Year's Day
25 April: Dia da Liberdade (Liberty Day)
1 May: Dia do Trabalhador (Labour Day)
10 June: Day of Portugal (Luis Camões)
15 August: Assumption
5 October: Foundation of the Republic
1 November: All Saints Day (Day of the Dead)
1 December: Independence Day
8 December: Immaculate Conception
25 December: Christmas Day

Graham, some dates for you. I don’t think there is a national holiday next week (shrove Tuesday), just certain cities that have a carnival …. I may be wrong.

[digger]

You're too late NR. I posted the dates first

The Portuguese try organise their bank holidays for a Tues or a Thurs, so they can take a “ponte” (bridge) and make a long weekend out of it

[nightrider]

Well that is not entirely correct Digger. But at the end of the day as long as all that use this forum get good service from such as we the Registered Members of Steen's Forum..... please be my guest....in that we are only both trying to assist and I for one have no problem at all with that.
Kind Regards
N.R.
ps What's it like in Lisboa? Early this morning I was walking our land with Yogi and the sun was wonderfully warm. However, any second it looks like the sky is going to open up to another down pour. We need the rain, so let it come and be over with, so that those who will be arriving soon, can see how really beautiful the Algarve is.

[Graham L]

Thanks for the input so far. A bit confusing - national or local holidays, so I suppose for the benefit of those using this forum it should be local hols?
G

[maddi]

I also think it would be a good idea if those with the knowledge and skills to put the holidays in FAQ if there could also be some indicator into what tourists can expect in the way of closed facilities.

i.e. I live in a holiday area in the UK so on Bank Holidays only the Banks, Offices, factories etc are closed - all shops, leisure facilities and restaurants etc would remain open (including the type of shops that would be closed in a non-holiday resort).

Think that is self-explanatory



Maddi

[nightrider]

Public Holidays and Festivals
When visiting the Algarve, guests interested in gaining a sense of culture are encouraged to explore local towns and villages for a true taste of Algarvean life.To gain a sense of the ‘real’ Algarve, Travel Club of Upminster suggests joining in one of the many festivals and celebrations which take place across the region throughout the year. National Holidays:
1 January New Year's Day 15 August Ascension of Our Lady
4 March Carnival 3 September Day of Silves
18 April Saint's Day 5 October Republic Day
20 April Easter 1 November All Saint's Day
25 April Day of Liberty 1 December Independence Day
1 May May Day 8 December Immaculate Conception
10 June Portugal Day 25 December Christmas Day
19 June Body of Christ Day


Carnival:Each February for five days of celebration before lent, its carnival time in the Algarve with the town of Lagos hosting one of the many parades, entertainments and festivities for residents and visitors alike.The biggest, loudest and brightest celebration is hosted in Loulé.If in the region come February, Travel Club of Upminster strongly recommends that you join the dancing in the streets, floats and fancy dress.Water, flour and paint ‘bombs’ are thrown, leaving both the town and its revelers in a state of happy disarray. Coinciding with Brazilian Mardi Gras, the Algarvean equivalent can be as colorful and crazy as its South American namesake. Religious Festivals: On Easter Sunday the most distinctive of the Algarve’s Easter celebrations, the Easter Sunday Aleluia procession, takes place in the town of São Brás de Alportel, 16km north of Faro. Mãe Soberana (May) - The Algarve’s largest religious festival takes place in Loulé when the image of Our Lady of Piety is paraded from the hilltop church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade to the Church of São Francisco. On 2 May, the town of Estói hosts the Pine Cone Festival.Pine cones and rosemary are laid at the church of Our Lady of Pé da Cruz with an evening torch lit procession and fireworks. The month of June sees the celebration of many saint’s days across the region, which include the Festa de Santo António and the Festa de São Pedro.Processions and music take place throughout the region, especially in the town of Lagos and the surrounding towns of Lagoa, Monchique and Portimão. São Martinho – The mountain village of Monchique is the main host of this saint’s day taking place on 11 November.Celebrations include eating roast chestnuts and drinking agua pé (foot water), the first tasting of this year’s wine harvest.

As some businesses stay open, others close..so in this respect would be difficult to have such a list. Most Supermarkets seem to stay open, but if one should close in your area, then just go to the next parish etc.

I hope that the above is of more help.
N.R.

[nightrider]

Graham,
Bruxy may be going over and near the Parish Council Office later this week, if she does I will ask her if she wouldn't mind popping in, to cross reference the Hols Dates for 2006 for you....and of course as you say it will be a very handy piece of information for everybody.
N.R.

[digger]

ps What's it like in Lisboa? Early this morning I was walking our land with Yogi and the sun was wonderfully warm. However, any second it looks like the sky is going to open up to another down pour. We need the rain, so let it come and be over with, so that those who will be arriving soon, can see how really beautiful the Algarve is.

more of the same here NR. Doesn’t look as if we’ve seen the end of the wet weather. I’m hoping for a couple of days of sunshine, and I could get into the carnival spirit …. shake it baby

ps You get a bonus point for remembering Good Friday

[Michael Crane]

I already have included Bank Holidays (a search would reveal them) but if someone would like to compose a 'definitive' list, then I will gladly add it.

Nighty seems the most likely one to do this - so how about it, NR?