Feira de São Mateus

For a month every late summer, the Campo de Viriato in Viseu fills with the music, lights and bustle of the Feira de São Mateus — the oldest popular fair in Portugal, with more than six centuries of history. Commerce, gastronomy, handicraft, folklore and entertainment come together in one of the country’s great annual gatherings.

History and identity

The fair’s privileges go back to the medieval town charters, and it has been held almost without interruption ever since — the 2026 edition was its 634th. Over the centuries it grew from a market for the farms of the region into the great popular festival of Viseu, held on the Campo de Viriato, at the edge of the old city.

What to find and discover

• Concerts and nightly entertainment on the main stages.
• Food halls, taverns and the traditional fairground amusements.
• Handicraft and regional exhibitors from across the centre of Portugal.
• Folklore, traditions and the atmosphere of a Portuguese feira popular.

Products and specialities

The fair is a showcase for the region — cheeses, smoked meats, wines and sweets of the Beira Alta — alongside the everyday commerce of a month-long popular festival.

Nearby

The fairground lies a short walk from the centre of Viseu and its Museu Nacional Grão Vasco.

Visiting

The Feira de São Mateus is held every year from early August to early September — the 2026 edition ran from 6 August to 6 September — at the Campo de Viriato in Viseu. Dates are set each year; check the official website before planning your visit.

Information: feirasaomateus.pt et cm-viseu.pt.

Image credit: Cava de Viriato, Viseu, by Vitor Oliveira, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.