One of the most beautiful and ideal holiday destinations is of course Portugal, a splendind and warm place to enjoy unforgettable moments with your dear ones, a country rich in history and traditions, which will definitely amaze you.

The beloved holiday traditions of Portugal always include time with loved ones. But even if your family is far away – as so often happens in expat life – the country is definitely filled with the Christmas spirit.
Embrace a few Portuguese Christmas traditions, and definitely get out to see some of the holiday events around the country. You’ll start to feel more at home in no time!

Porto builds a massive Christmas tree in front of the Câmara Municipal (city hall) at the top of Avenida dos Aliados. The tree is one of the biggest in Europe, although it’s not a real tree but rather a towering assembly of scaffolding and tubes illuminated with strands of dazzling lights.
Every year, the circus comes to the Coliseu do Porto to delight the city’s inhabitants. This is an annual Christmas event.

Celebrated on December 8th, the Immaculate Conception Day, a national holiday in Portugal, it’s the official start of the Christmas season and it represents the honour of Mary, mother of Jesus. It’s after Immaculate Conception Day that Portuguese start setting up their presépios (nativity scenes), along with Christmas trees and other familiar Christmas decor.

The weeks leading up to Christmas, the main present traditions all over Portugal is the Presépio.
While Christmas trees are fairly common now, they haven’t been the fundamental Christmas decoration that they are in the US or UK. Instead, just about every house in Portugal displays a traditional presépio.
The presépio is the centerpiece of holiday decorations in Portugal, a family’s presépio being often lovingly handed down from generation to generation.
Kids in Portugal often get into the Christmas spirit by collecting moss or small stones to help decorate their family’s manger scene and lots of towns in Portugal create live nativity scenes, with people in costume (and animals) recreating the Christmas story for an adoring public.

Portuguese families gather on the night of December 24th for dinner, where Consoada is the traditional Portuguese dinner on Christmas Eve. Nearly every house will feature Portugal’s national dish, bacalhãu (dried, salted cod), as part of Consoada. Bacalhãu de Consoada is a relatively simple recipe of cod with cabbage, potatoes, boiled eggs, and a hearty amount of olive oil.

After December 24th dinner, it is customary to attend a midnight mass called ”Missa do Galo”, celebrated at midnight to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s still one of the most important traditions of this season celebrations. After Mass, the tradition is to return home, place the image of the baby Jesus in the crib and begin the exchange of Christmas gifts.

On December 25th, the tradition is to have stuffed turkey. For dessert, you can not miss the ”Bolo Rei” (King Cake), and other traditional pastries such as ”Filhós”, ”Sonhos” (dreams) and Rabanadas (french toasts).
The King cake is present on every table at Christmas and symbolizes the gifts offered by the Magi to the Baby Jesus. The crust symbolizes the gold, the dried and crystallized fruits the myrrh and the aroma of the cake the incense.
Each cake has a dry fava bean inside. According to tradition, the person who got the slice of cake with the fava bean has to pay the cake the following year.

Enjoy the most beautiful holidays of the year in Porto, always counting on Porto Airport Transfer, surrounded by special moments with your family and friends and unforgettable memories!

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There are several winter attractions one should never miss during a trip to Porto. The proximity of the Douro River and the unique architecture of the place, with its red brick rooftops and Gothic churches, makes Porto a lovely spot for lovers, but also a fascinating attraction for culture and history fans.

1. A cruise on Douro River will give you the opportunity to get a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. The fertile hills that embrace the Douro Valley are one of the best wine producing regions and a visit there can enrich your knowledge and give you the opportunity to taste a sip of the unique bouquet of the local beverage…

2. …which comes next: Porto’s very own Port wine! Port is quite strong for a wine so sweet. Its bouquet is renowned and it is a European brand. You can visit the cellars during a Porto city tour as well.

3. Enjoy a warm chocolate at the Cafe Majestic, a beautiful Art Nouveau building with a marble facade and a stylish, superb interior.

4. Buy a book from the splendid Lello Bookshop, the most beautiful such place in the world. It is said to have inspired J.K.R. Rowling, the “mother” of Harry Potter, so it should be a truly magical place!

5. Last but not least, a good winter idea would be to rent a car in Porto and drive your loved one all around town!

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