Across the Algarve Spring is in the air and festivals are celebrating the Age of Discoveries, nature and local traditions.
The region comes alive with free festivities, workshops, music and immersive experiences for every age. Mark the dates in your diary and join us as we celebrate discovery and heritage in the Algarve.
The Discoveries in Lagos
Dates and times: April 30 – May 4, daily from 3pm to midnight
Locations: Praça do Infante and Jardim da Constituição, Lagos
Admission: Free (some workshops and tours charge a small fee)
Lagos once again transforms into a 16th-century hub of exploration, this year honouring ties with Japan during the Age of Discoveries (also known as the Age of Exploration). Over five evenings, Praça do Infante and nearby gardens will be animated by:
- Historical parade and 16th-century fair: Merchants, artisans and tavern-keepers in authentic costume recreate the vibrant market life of an emerging seaport.
- Reenactments and workshops: Sword-drill demonstrations, sail-rigging tutorials, navigational instrument construction and period-cooking classes.
- Exhibitions and conferences: Learn about shipbuilding, cartography and the places “discovered” by Portuguese fleets.
- Entertainment: Street musicians, storytelling corners, puppet shows and interactive games for children.
Step behind the canvas of history, meet the navigators who braved the unknown, watch taiko drummers and enjoy the love story acted out between a Japanese princess and explorer Fernão Mendes Pinto. Discover the great adventure, from Lagos to Japan. For more information on the 12th Festival of the Discoveries click here.
Ria Formosa Natural Park open day
Date: May 10, all day
Location: Marim Environmental Education Centre, Olhão
Admission: Free (boat trips will cost extra)
Celebrate nearly half a century of protected wetlands on May 10, the Ria Formosa’s birthday! Learn about the wetlands and how to preserve this unique coastal ecosystem.
This Open Day brings together environmental groups and local partners for:
- Guided boat tours: (Extra cost) Cruise the channels in the wetlands to spot wading birds, salt-marsh flora and endemic fish species.
- Fauna and flora walks: Led by local botanists and ornithologists.
- Stand-up paddle and slide activities: Get active on the lagoon’s calm waters.
- Traditional games and educational lectures: Learn about salt-works heritage, sustainable fisheries and dune-system conservation.
- Family-friendly science workshops: Build simple water-quality instruments or create miniature wetland dioramas.
All activities except the boat trips take place at the Marim Centre. Click here for more information.
18th-century historical festival
Dates: May 9–11, all day
Locations: Centre of Vila Real de Santo António
Admission: Free
Transport yourself to the Enlightenment era at Vila Real de Santo António’s third annual celebration of 18th-century life. Highlights include:
- Period market and reenactments: Stalls of ceramics, textiles and colonial spices alongside musket drills and artillery displays.
- Costume ball and banquet: Dine and dance as nobles and commoners did, complete with period menus and scripted interludes.
- Historical parade: Cavalry, official delegations and folkloric ensembles march through the town.
- Poetry, serenades and dances: From church choirs in the parish church to open-air serenatas on Avenida da República.
- Live music and street theatre: Baroque quartets, street mimes and improvisational actors bringing 1700s anecdotes to life.
Whether you join the procession, twirl in the ballroom or sample age-old recipes, the festival immerses you in the elegance and energy of Portugal’s Enlightenment age. Check out what’s happening here.
These free events offer a window into the Algarve’s past. Pack your curiosity—and your camera—and set off on an unforgettable springtime odyssey.