São João do Porto

On the night of 23 to 24 June, the streets of Porto fill with the city’s great summer festival. São João is celebrated with fireworks over the Douro, grilled sardines on every corner, paper balloons in the sky and plastic hammers tapped on the heads of friends and strangers alike — one of the most joyful nights of the Portuguese year.

History and traditions

The festival comes from the old midsummer celebrations of Saint John, and Porto made them its own: the neighbourhoods of the old city keep their traditions of bonfires, quartets and street parties, and the night grew into a celebration of the city itself. The paper balloons, the hammers and the smell of sardines are part of a ritual that has been passed from generation to generation.

行程预览

• Fireworks over the Douro, watched from the riverbanks and the bridges.
• Grilled sardines, caldo verde and street food across the city.
• The historic neighbourhoods, with their street parties and music.
• The traditions of the night — the hammers, the balloons and the bonfires.

Visiting

The festival is held every year on the night of 23 to 24 June, in the centre of Porto and along the Douro. The city is very busy on the night; confirm the programme of each year with the municipality before your visit.

Nearby

The Sé do Porto overlooks the night, and the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, like the Caves Sandeman, face the fireworks across the river.

Information: cm-porto.pt.

Image credit: Festa de São João, Porto, by Hugo Cadavez, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.