Wander into any Portuguese town during the early summer, and you’ll witness enchanting street festivals happening here and there. But show up to Lisbon during the month of June — especially in the first two weeks — and you’ll be left wondering, “What the hell kind of nonstop citywide party did I just stumble upon?”
The sweet, pungent scent of charcoal-grilled sardines pervades the air, stinging the nose in the most enticing way. The bouncy oom-pah of folksy songs fills the evenings. And the locals, well, they’ve likely had a few, as designated streets in various parts of town echo with boisterous conviviality and raucous laughter.
Whether referred to as “Santos Populares,” “Festas de Lisboa,” or just “Santos” for short, it’s a charm-a-minute cultural gift from the street-party gods.
For a full month, most neighborhoods in town set up collective block parties winding through the maze of cobblestone canyons. Streets fill with makeshift grills cooking up traditional Portuguese festival favorites. Beer and wine flow as cheerful conversation echoes well into the night, and old-timers and youngsters alike eat, drink, and dance the evening away to wildly suggestive “Pimba” tunes from back in the day.
The Santos Populares Setup
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Portugal — as the original source of Portuguese Catholic culture “exported” globally — would have a Carnival season rivaling that of its transatlantic relative, Brazil.
But, no. While Portugal does indeed celebrate the weeks leading up to Ash Wednesday and Lent with its own traditions, it
