Reasons of the month · marzo

What to do in Porto in marzo

The editorial plan

Why Porto in marzo

30th Porto Camellia Exhibition on March 7-8 at the Palácio da Bolsa — dozens of growers, the opera "A Traviata" and free admission beneath the building's neoclassical domes.

Fantasporto runs February 27 to March 8 at the Batalha Cinema Center — 46th edition of the international fantasy film festival, including the Manoel de Oliveira award.

Holy Week opens March 29 (Palm Sunday) — a 1-hour train hop to Braga puts you among the barefoot farricocos in purple robes during the Ecce Homo Procession.

Sources

Same place, another month

Porto is worth visiting other months too

enero

Christmas lights still on through January 6 (Three Kings) — 94 illuminated streets and squares with 2.4 million LEDs and the 30 m tree at Praça General Humberto Delgado.

febrero

Carnival February 13-17 — Ovar (40 km south of Porto) sends out its 24 groups and floats, the country's most samba-driven and satirical carnival.

abril

Holy Week runs through Easter Sunday April 5 — folar cakes and almond pastries at Confeitaria do Bolhão, processions through Vitória and the Sé cathedral district.

mayo

Queima das Fitas May 2-9 — the Cortejo Académico parades down Rua de Camões to Aliados on May 5 with thousands of students on allegorical floats wearing their faculty colors.

junio

São João on the night of June 23-24 — Europe's biggest popular street party, plastic hammers on your head, grilled sardines, fireworks over the Douro and rabelo boats sailing past at dawn.

julio

Driest month of the year — 20 mm rainfall and 25°C highs — beach season at Foz, Matosinhos and Praia Internacional under the Port of Leixões walls.

agosto

Porto's warmest and sunniest month — 25.7°C highs, Atlantic at 16-19°C off Matosinhos and most locals away on holiday.

septiembre

Douro grape harvest kicks off around September 15 — barefoot stomping in granite lagares at quintas around Pinhão and Régua, 1 h 45 min by train from São Bento.

octubre

FIMP — Porto International Puppet Festival runs for 10 to 12 days — object theatre, digital performance and visual arts at Teatro Helena Sá e Costa and other venues.

noviembre

EDP Porto Marathon on November 8 — 22nd edition from Castelo do Queijo, crossing Ribeira, the Dom Luís I bridge and the Gaia wine caves.

diciembre

Christmas markets and Time Out Market Porto from November 29 through January 5 — Praça da Batalha, Cordoaria with Santa's house and the Bolhão Market's traditional "Cascata Comunitária de São João" display.

Year at a glance