February is bursting with things to do along the Algarve. Of course, there are carnival parades, Loulé being the most famous, but there are so many more diverse happenings taking place.
We place Lagos in the spotlight this week, as it celebrates its 450th anniversary as a city.
The statue of King Sebastian I, who proclaimed Lagos a city in 1573, stands in Praça Gil Eanes. Sculptured by João Cutileiro, it was inaugurated in 1972.
On Sunday, January 28, there will be a tribute-led service to King Sebastião at the São Sebastião Church.
Cultural events have been programmed throughout the year and include competitions, exhibitions, shows and more.
This weekend, January 27 to 29, there will be concerts and the opening of an art exhibition, click here for information. For full information on the weekend’s events click here and for the year’s programme search here.
The second concert in the Sounds at Twilight series takes place at the recently-renovated Centro Cultural de Lagos on February 3.
The renowned Japanese pianist Kodo Yamagishi will begin his performance at 9pm, with tickets costing €10 – under-18s receiving a 50% discount. Commentary will be provided in both Portuguese and English.
Staying at the cultural centre, on February 10 the Festival de Música al-Mutamid will perform a mix of Moroccan and Spanish dance with Sephardic, Hebrew and Arabic music.
The performance begins at 9.30pm. Again tickets cost €10 and are available online or at the cultural centre’s ticket office.
Over the St Valentine weekend, Lagos has a programme aimed at couples that encompasses photography, a culinary workshop, a guided walk (click here to subscribe before February 9), an artisans market at Levante Market. For a full programme click here.
Are you interested in Portugal’s public holidays and patron saints? Click here to read about a few of the local ones.