(Editor’s note: We found the festivals spelled both as “carnival” and “carnaval.” We’re going with the former unless the latter is actually part of the formal name.)
The sound of Samba Drums, large processions of people dressed up in colourful costumes dancing and partying through the streets – If you ever wanted to experience Brazilian Carnival, but didn’t have the pocket money for a flight to Rio de Janeiro, Lisbon and its surrounding area might just cut the cake and give you a delicious piece of Carnival crazy.
Lisbon
While historically it was in colonial Portugal that Brazil’s famous Carnival had its origin, nowadays the Brazilian influence on Lisbon’s Carnival celebrations is very palpable. Starting from the Carnival weekend until Ash Wednesday, Lisbon offers countless Carnival parties, concerts and the famous blocos, street processions in the Brazilian tradition lead by a band.
A bloco not to be missed is certainly the bloco Colombina Clandestina. While it premiered quite recently in 2017, it has established itself by now as Lisbon’s biggest street Carnival and attracts hundreds of people each year ready to dance and sing through the streets to the beats of samba drums and classic Brazilian Carnaval hits.
When: 1 March from 2 p.m.
Meeting Point: Museu do Fado
End Point: Campo das Cebolas
Another well-established bloco, attracting a more alternative crowd is BLOCU, which stands for a hedonistic, queer and electronic party.
Think Pride meets Berlin meets Carnaval!
This street Carnaval starts in the afternoon and ends in an explosive After Party in Arroz Éstudios, an alternative culture spot.
• BLOCU
When: 3 March, from 4 p.m; Afterparty from 10 p.m.
Meeting Point: Campo de Santa Clara – Feira da Ladra
End Point: Estúdios Arroz
Tickets for the afterparty are 12 euros and you can get yours here.
Sesimbra
For those curious to venture out of Lisbon for your Carnival experience, take a trip to Sesimbra, just south of Lisbon. Sesimbra and the nearby village Alfarim, have their very own Carnival traditions and marches. However, what truly makes Sesimbra stand out in Portuguese Carnival is its Brazilian Samba show. With six samba schools each presenting their shows in marvellous feathered costumes, you will not get any closer to experiencing a taste of Rio de Janeiro in Europe.
During the Carnival festivities they march through Sesimbra on two afternoons. For the best viewing experience, you should definitely buy tickets in advance to secure yourself a seat on the stands alongside the roads.
Sesimbra Brazilian Carnival Show
When: 2 March, 2:30 p.m. and 4 March, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Avenida 25 de Abril, Rua da Fortaleza and Avenida dos Náufragos
Tickets: You can get yours here starting at 3 euros.
Torres Vedras
Last but certainly not least, a trip to the small town Torres Vedras, about an hour’s drives north of Lisbon, is certainly worth your while for a Carnaval steeped in Portuguese tradition. During Carnaval, the whole city centre becomes reserved for the celebrations steeped in traditions. The carnival is formally declared open in a celebration in which the King and Queen of carnival, who are selected every year, are symbolically handed the keys of the city.
From this point on, Torres Vedras sinks into organised chaos with subsequent days centred around the daily procession made up of satirical wagons, cabeçudos (larger than life figures with large caricatured heads), marching bands, drumming combos and groups of dancers in thematic costumes.
One of the Torres Vedras traditions of unknown origin is men cross-dressing as women (as the so-called matrafonas). The children have fun with collecting and throwing so-called cocottes, small lightly weighted paper-bags, originally filled with sawdust. The whole city seems to be involved in one way or another.
The celebrations end traditionally on the evening of Ash Wednesday with a funeral procession and the symbolic trial of the Carnaval king who gets condemned to death. The gruelling ritual of burning a puppet called Boneco do Entrudo (Lent puppet), symbolising the convicted king, finally closes the cycle of Carnaval.
Carnaval Torres Vedras
When: February 28th – March 5th
Where: Torres Vedras City Centre
Tickets are 16 euros and you can get yours here.
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Read more about Carnaval here in Dispatches’ archives.
Miriam Thaler is a PhD student in Culture Studies in Lisbon. Exploring foreign places and getting to know different people, their stories, ways of life and worldviews has always been her passion. After finishing school she lived and worked as a volunteer for one year in the South of Chile.
Her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology brought her to Munich and Paris. Iceland called her during her Masters for an ethnographic research stay and the shooting of a documentary.
