A 2,3 earthquake was felt on Sunday on the island of São Miguel in the Azores, according to CIVISA. According to the Richter scale, this is a minor earthquake that might be felt by individuals but does not damage buildings. The earthquake was felt at 11:58 PM on Sunday in Ponta Garça, in the municipality of Vila Franca do Campo, and in Ribeira Quente and Furnas, in the municipality of Povoação.
There has been a seismic volcanic crisis on the island of São Jorge since March 19th, the largest earthquake detected there occurring on March 29th, with a 3,8 scale. In the last month, there have been around 30,000 earthquakes on the São Jorge island, according to CNN Portugal.
São Jorge’s volcanic alert has been raised to level 4 of 5, meaning there is a threat of a volcanic eruption. The last volcano eruption was in 1808 in Velas, São Jorge.
According to the Richter scale, earthquakes are classified as micro (1-1.9), minor (2-3.9), light (4-4.9), moderate (5-5.9), strong (6-6.9), major (7-7.9), and great (8 and above).
São Miguel, the largest island in the Azores is part of the Eastern Group of the Archipelago with the island of Santa Maria which is 80 kilometers away. The island has around 140,000 inhabitants, with 45,000 people residing in Ponta Delgada, the island’s largest city.
Freedom day, Carnation Revolution, 25th of April, all of these describe Portugal’s most important national holiday. After over 40 years of fascism, on April 25th, 1974, a (peaceful) military coup led by leftist military officers known as the Carnation Revolution brought about freedom for the Portuguese. It led to a transition to democracy and the end of the Portuguese Colonial War in Africa. To celebrate this special day, we have selected 25 things to know about the Portuguese Carnation Revolution.
1. This day ended a fascist dictatorship
The Carnation Revolution of April 25th, 1974 overthrew the authoritarian Estado Novo Regime. The Estado Novo was installed in 1933 and was inspired by right-wing conservative, fascist, anti-democratic, and autocratic ideologies, developed by Antonio de Oliveira Salazar. The regime promoted conservative ideals of “God, patriotism, and family”. Two main factors of the dictatorship were the fight against communism, as well as defending Portuguese colonialism. Salazar was President of the Council of Ministers almost throughout the whole of the Estado Novo, until 6 years prior to the revolution.
2. The revolution started with music on the radio
The Carnation Revolution started with music on the radio. First, at 10:55 pm on the 24th of April, E Depois do Adeus by Paulo de Carvalho played on the radio. In the early hours of the 25th of April at 00:25, Grandola, Vila Morena by Jose Afonso played on Radio Renascenca. This last song was the second sign to the Portuguese people that the revolution was starting and that revolutionaries should occupy the strategic points of the country. Within a few hours, the Estado Novo was overthrown.
3. The end of fascism meant the end of Portuguese colonialism in Africa
The end of the Estado Novo led to the end of Portuguese colonialism in Africa, with this being a major driving force for the revolution. The Portuguese Colonial War was inhumane, costly, and led to the loss of countless lives of both Portuguese and Africans. Decolonization occurred quickly after the revolution and by the end of 1975, many Portuguese ex-colonies like Angola, Cape Verde, and Mozambique gained their rightful independence.
4. The Portuguese Colonial War lasted for over 10 years
The Portuguese Colonial War, which ended after the Carnation Revolution, lasted 13 years, 2 months, and 3 weeks, between 1961 and 1974. The war was fought between Portugal’s military under the Estado Novo and the emerging nationalist movements in Portugal’s then African colonies. Portugal faced embargo and sanctions from the international community because, by the 1960s, other European nations had withdrawn from their African colonies.
5. The 25 of April bridge celebrates the revolution
The 25 of April was once named Salazar Bridge, inaugurated in August 1966 under the Estado Novo. In 1974, the bridge was renamed after the Carnation Revolution to celebrate the day that fascism was overthrown. The bridge is over 2,000 meters long, making it the 43rd longest suspension bridge in the world.
6. This was not the first revolution in the 20th century in Portugal
There was another revolution in 20th-century Portuguese history, the 5 October 1910 revolution. On this day the Portuguese monarchy was replaced by the First Portuguese Republic, after a coup d’etat organized by the Portuguese Republican Party. After the revolution, there was a provisional government installed led by Teofilo Braga until the Constitution was approved in 1911, marking the beginning of the First Republic.
7. Women were allowed to vote for the first time in Portugal one year later
During the Estado Novo, there were a few elections led but voting was not a universal right and elections were heavily manipulated. PIDE, the regime’s secret police would harass and attack voters, and there was electoral fraud. Women were allowed to vote for the first time in 1933 for the Portuguese constitutional referendum, but not on equal terms with men. Women had to have secondary education (which was uncommon), while men only needed to read and write. Only after the Carnation Revolution, was universal suffrage introduced, and women were allowed to vote with the same rights as men!
Elections were held on April 25, 1975, exactly a year later after the revolution for the Constituent Assembly to draw a constitution. The Socialist Party (PS) won 38% of the vote, the PPD, now the Social Democratic Party (PSD) won 26.4%, the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) won less than 13% of the vote, and the Democratic and Social Center Party (CDS) won less than 8%.
8. A provisional government was set up after the revolution
A few weeks after the Carnation Revolution, on May 16, 1974, the first provisional government of Portugal took office. This government had many political forces, from communists to liberal democrats. However, this government later fell in July of 1974 and there were six other provisional governments until two years later when the first constitutional government was formed.
9. Another coup happened on November 25, 1975
The coup of November 25, 1975, was a failed pro-communist coup carried out by Portuguese communists and socialists against the post-Carnation Revolution governing bodies. The activities hoped to make Portugal a communist country but failed and a counter-coup by moderates was in turn successful. For many anti-communists, this day is widely celebrated.
10. The revolution was organized by left military forces
Although this is not common knowledge, a lot of the planning for the Carnation Revolution was actually organized by military members stationed in African colonies such as Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea Bissau. Organized by the Movimento das Forças Armadas (MFA) which translates to the Armed Forces Movement, a revolutionary civil resistance campaign composed of military offices. These were lower-ranking officers affiliated with the socialist and communist parties who sought to overthrow the fascist regime and end the colonial war.
11. The Portuguese Communist Party played a major role in the opposition to Salazar’s regime
The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) was constantly surprised and prosecuted by the PIDE, Salazar’s secret police, and members were imprisoned, tortured, and murdered. Many of those in the Movimento das Forças Armadas (MFA) that organized the revolution were members of the PCP and the reason that fascism was overthrown. PCP was founded in 1921 and was illegal during the Estado Novo, however, after the revolution, became a major political force of Portuguese democracy to this day.
12. Freedom of speech was provided to the Portuguese
During the Estado Novo, the Portuguese people had no freedom of speech. At any corner, any dinner party, any supermarket a member of PIDE, the secret police could be listening. Saying the wrong thing to what seemed a friendly face could leave you in prison, tortured, or murdered. As Portuguese people from that time say, “As paredes têm ouvidos” (the walls have ears). Censorship of the media was also in place, requesting books, controlling newspapers, censoring music, art, and much more.
13. The song Grândola, Vila Morena was banned during the dictatorship
Written by Zeca Afonso and recorded in 1971, Grândola Vila Morena, the song that was radio broadcasted to signal the start of the military coup on April 25, was banned during the Estado Novo. During Zeca Afonso’s musical performances, such as at a concert event in Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon he was forbidden to perform certain political songs due to state censorship. However, he performed Grândola Vila Morena, to which the crowd joined to sing. The song represents a symbol of revolution, democracy, and anti-fascism, particularly the line “O povo é quem mais ordena”, which is essentially the Portuguese “Power to The People” slogan.
14. The Portuguese celebrate Freedom Day every year
Every year, the people of Portugal run to the streets to celebrate the 25 of April or Freedom Day! From older people who lived during the Estado Novo, to younger people, this day is a yearly reminder of the value of democracy, the fight against fascism, and the end of Portuguese colonialism. All over the country, people go out to sing, dance, eat, and march the streets, with carnations in their hands. It’s common that florists will give out carnations for free.
15. The present Constitution of Portugal was adopted in 1976 after the revolution
The current Constitution of Portugal was adopted in 1976, after the Carnation Revolution. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly which was elected on 25 April 1976, a year after the revolution. With some 60% of seats occupied by the left after the election, the Assembly adopted a constitution that provided for a democratic parliamentary system with various political parties, elections, a parliament, and a prime minister. The Portuguese constitution included ideological content, with references to socialism and restricting private business. In the 80s, there were constitutional revisions to remove some of these.
However, an important ideological component remains. Article 46 of the constitution states that any organizations that are racist or share a fascist ideology are not allowed. Therefore, fascist parties are not legal in Portugal. However, in 2020, a public petition was shared in the media asking for the party Chega to be abolished due to its “fascist ideology” which has not happened.
16. Capitães de Abril is a film about the Carnation Revolution
Translating to April Captains, Capitães de Abril is a 2000 Portuguese film that depicts the story of the Carnation Revolution on April 25, 1974. Many of the characters are real such as Captain Salgueiro Maia and Prime Minister Marcelo Caetano. Although a lot of the movie is altered for the plot, this film is a pretty accurate depiction of the events that transpired that day.
17. Although the revolution was peaceful, there were some fatalities
While most military coups are violent, the Carnation Revolution was predominantly peaceful. Red carnations were given to soldiers who placed these flowers inside their guns and on their uniforms. Carnations then became a symbol of democracy and the revolution! However, it is a myth that there were no fatalities on that day. Although the revolutionaries were peaceful, four civilians were shot by the DGS, essentially the regime’s police that was once PIDE.
18. Many were imprisoned and tortured during the dictatorship
The International and State Defense Police, known as PIDE, was the Portuguese security agency during the Estado Novo. PIDE had the power to detain and arrest anyone who was thought to be plotting against the state and focused on political and social issues such as political opposition and revolutionary movements. PIDE tortured and assassinated many political activists, anarchists, communists, workers, intellectuals, and more, numbers we do not know to this day.
19. Salazar died 4 years before the revolution
While the Estado Novo was still in place for four years after his death, Salazar died in 1970. In 1968, Salazar had a cerebral hemorrhage, which sources say was caused by a fall from a chair. Others say he fell in the bath. A few weeks later, he went into a coma, forcing him to step down unaware. After emerging from a one-month coma, his subordinates did not tell him he had been removed from power. He believed to be ruling in privacy until he died on July 27th, 1970.
20. Salazar was replaced by Marcello Caetano in 1968
Marcello Caetano was the second and last leader of the Estado Novo, after Salazar got sick. He served as Prime Minister from 1968 to 1974, after being overthrown in the Carnation Revolution. Although there was less press censorship and independent labor unions were allowed, the regime remained authoritarian and unfree. After the Carnation Revolution, Caetano resigned and was taken into military custody. He then flew to exile in Brazil where he died in 1980 of a heart attack.
21. Parliament celebrates the Carnation Revolution on the 25 of April every year with a ceremony
Every year on the 25th of April, parliament celebrates a “sessão solene comemorativa” on the anniversary of the Carnation Revolution. This celebration even occurred during the covid-19 pandemic, although with some restrictions. The celebration is televised and the Portuguese people watch attentively.
22. Political prisoners were released the day after the revolution
Although the government was overthrown on the 25th, the military was only able to occupy the Caxias Fort the next day, one of the largest political prisons, and release the prisoners. This prison was one of the best known during the Estado Novo and was where in 1960, many escaped from prison.
23. On March 23rd, 2022, the days of democracy surpassed the days of dictatorship
On March 23rd, 2022, there were 17,500 days since the dictatorship ended, meaning 17,500 days of freedom. The dictatorship lasted 17,499 days, meaning that only on March 23rd, did Portugal enjoy more days of freedom than fascism. Various politicians took to social media to celebrate, including Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa.
24. Maria Inácia Rezola is the new commissioner for the 25 of April celebrations
Maria Inácia Rezola is a researcher from the Institute of Contemporary History from Nova and a Professor at the Superior School of Communications. She is replacing Pedro Adao e Silva as the new commissioner for the 25 of April celebrations that started on March 23, 2022, with the celebration of 17,500 days of freedom. There are big plans for 2024 for the official 50th-anniversary celebration.
25. The first Portuguese Netflix Original, Gloria is set during the Estado Novo
Gloria is worth a watch. While not about the 25th of April, the first Portuguese Netflix Original tells the story of a young communist spy operating in Cold War Portugal during the Estado Novo. It speaks to the US’s involvement with the Estado Novo in opposition to the Soviet Union and depicts the oppression of the regime of the time.
Post-Brexit, many UK citizens feared long waiting lines at passport checks within the European Union (EU). However, Portugal has just become the first country in the European Union to open e-gates at airports that allow UK citizens to be fast-tracked, rather than have to have their passports checked manually. The e-gates can be found in airports in Faro in the Algarve, Funchal in Madeira, as well as Lisbon and Porto.
While this is not what was decided with Brexit, EU member states have the right to set their own travel rules. The new measure means that UK citizens are essentially treated in the same manner at the airport as EU citizens. The e-gate system can also be used by nationals from Australia, Japan, Singapore, and New Zealand.
In 2019, around 2.5 million British nationals visited Portugal. Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy PC Agency believes this is the right move for tourism in Portugal, commending the country for “clearly leading the way in recognizing that they have to process vast numbers of British visitors as seamlessly as possible otherwise there would be long queues this summer”.
The e-gates read the passengers’ biometric data to authenticate documents in less than 20 seconds. It uses facial recognition to match the photograph on the document to the passengers and involves the system searching an international database. Quickly and surely, passengers are on their way in no time.
The extinction of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) in Portugal has been postponed once again, without a particular extinction date set. SEF was set to be extinct on May 12 and be replaced by the Portuguese Agency of Migration and Asylum (APMA).
The Minister of Internal Administration, José Luís Carneiro stated the “transition should occur in a tranquil and safe manner” and that this transition is not yet ready. He also guaranteed that the fundamental rights of the workers at SEF will be safeguarded during the transition.
“We are working with the different ministries to make sure that this institutional transformation occurs with serenity, stability, and trust and in a condition that guarantees that the functions of security, that are paramount functions of the state continue to be safeguarded”, said Carneiro in Portalegre. The Minister went on to say that in the next few days a “legislative solution” regarding the APMA may be found.
The APMA which will replace SEF will take care of issues of requests for visas, asylum, and aiding refugees, as well as studying, promoting, and executing measures relating to migratory movements and politics The “policing” aspect of SEF is set to be given to law enforcement agencies such as PSP and GNR, while SEF will remain its administrative roles. SEF will no longer enforce border control, as well as deal with issues of illegal immigration and human trafficking. These will be left to the police.
The President of the Union that represents SEF workers, Acácio Pereira has said postponing the extinction of SEF is the right move as this is a “complex process”. He says that not all the rights of workers have been considered at this point in the process.
The current workers at SEF are given the chance to transition to APMA, if they wish. There are over 1,666 workers at SEF, 1,049 of which are inspectors.
The Lisbon city council approved on Thursday unanimously a free public transportation measure in the Portuguese capital for young and elderly residents. The measure is set to begin in June or July for those over 65 years old and in September for students up to the age of 23.
The Mayor of Lisbon Carlos Moedas from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) has said this is a “historic day”, stating that only two or three other European cities have approved such an initiative to fight climate change.
Moedas also emphasized how this measure has passed with his party’s majority in the city council, showing the “ability of doing politics with everyone”. He believes “this is the most important measure” of his mandate that will “stay in the history of the city”.
The mayor believes the measure will have a direct impact on climate change and that it is also socially relevant due to the increase in prices, the war in Ukraine, and the last two years of crisis due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Os lisboetas vão ter transportes públicos gratuitos.
Foi aprovada, em reunião de câmara, a proposta que dará transportes públicos gratuitos aos estudantes residentes até aos 23 anos e aos residentes com mais de 65 anos.
Prometemos e cumprimos. Esta é uma vitória dos lisboetas. pic.twitter.com/jqUTiVgVwf
Tweet translation: People from Lisbon will have free public transport services. The proposal to provide free public transport to student residents up to 23 years old and residents over 65 years old has been approved. We promise and we fulfill. This is a victory for all of us.
Since 2017, children up to 12 years old can already enjoy free public transport in the Metropolitano and Carris networks. Moedas said that in the future, the free public transport measure might be provided to other groups, such as students with a fiscal residence in the city, the unemployed, benefactors of the Social Integration Income (RSI), and people with disabilities.
The measure will cost around €6,266,000 in 2022, and for 2023, 2024, and 2025, should cost around €14,900,000 a year.
With over 300 days of Mediterranean sun, Portugal is the perfect place for a destination wedding, boasting 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Europe’s westernmost country provides marginal scenarios from stunning ocean views, mountain ranges, beaches, and green countrysides. With food and high-quality wines playing an important role in Portuguese culture, your guests will not be disappointed.
Portugal is also easily accessible to international cities with direct flights being abundant and affordable. While weddings in countries such as the USA tend to be immensely expensive, Portugal offers a lot more affordable options for a destination wedding.
Despite an increase in destination weddings in Portugal, according to a 2019 study by Eurostat, Portugal is among the countries with the lowest marriage rates in the European Union, along with Italy, Slovenia, France, Spain, and Luxembourg.
Additionally, while Catholic weddings were once the top choice for couples, in 2019, more than half of weddings were civil ceremonies. In Portugal, couples can choose to have either a Catholic or civil wedding.
For other religions, a civil ceremony needs to happen before the religious wedding so that the marriage is legal. For internationals, although civil ceremonies must be conducted in Portuguese, a translator can be present.
Does Portugal sound like the location for your dream wedding? Let’s go through everything you need to prepare for your destination wedding in Portugal, such as venues, prices, and legal requirements.
Best Wedding Venues in Portugal
Finding the perfect venue can make or break your wedding. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious Sintra palace or a more informal venue, Portugal has a wide range of venues available, all throughout the country. Let’s go through our 6 favorite wedding venues in Portugal and wedding packages so you can figure out how much your dream wedding will cost you.
Located in the Serra de Sintra, 25 minutes from Lisbon, the luxurious 5-star Palacio de Seteas is a romantic palace hotel that will take you back to the XVIII century. The palace boasts views of Mouros Castle and Pena Palace, surrounded by elegant green gardens. The palace is well prepared for weddings, featuring a choice of three ballrooms decorated with amazing frescos for luxurious weddings, holding up to 280 guests.
You can also opt to have your wedding outside in the lush green gardens with typical XVII century palace mazes, lemon trees, and flowers, offering views of the Sintra mountainside.
For a smaller wedding, you can also opt to have your wedding in the restaurant, providing a stunning view of the mountain.
The Experience Team at the palace will organize every detail, such as booking places of worship in Sintra if you would rather have the ceremony in one of these. You can also book the ENTIRE palace for a day for €20,000 per day which includes:
The palace exclusivity for one day, total privacy
All 30 rooms, including the Diplomatic Suite, for occupancy with breakfast included
Exclusive butler service for couples getting married
All palace rooms, gardens, and facilities
Capacity to hold up to 200 guests
Service staff during all event event
The wedding can be held until 5:00
20% of all spa treatments for the couple
10% off on all spa treatments to the guests
However, this price does not include the wedding banquet. Menus start at €155 per person.
Located on kilometer 41 on the Douro River in northern Portugal, Douro41 is a 5-star hotel built of schist and glass in a system extending nearly all the way to the river. The hotel was built with a desire to blend with its natural surroundings while addressing environmental concerns.
In a contemporary and inviting space, a wedding at Douro41 provides the perfect combination of breathtaking scenery and signature architecture. The hotel features venues with unique atmospheres, such as striking gardens, two outdoor swimming pools with a panoramic view of the Douro, a library, a movie corner, and the Raiva Restaurant.
You can hold your ceremony beside their panoramic pool or at one of the indoor or outdoor venues. Douro41 also provides enriching experiences for guests, such as surprise picnics in secret hideaways, boat tours, and hikes.
To rent out the entire hotel exclusively for the wedding party, costs €550 (up to 70 guests). This does not include an overnight stay… In fact, for weddings with more than 60 guests, the entire rooms in the hotel must be reserved for a minimum of 2 nights.
Wedding parties that book the entire hotel rooms receive a special gift: a voucher to celebrate their first anniversary that includes 1 night’s accommodation, a bottle of champagne, and a couple’s massage.
There are multiple menus available starting at €110 and going up to €160. These only include food, a separate drink menu is required. The Douro41 selection of wines costs €35 per person, and the premium selection costs €60 per person. The open bar fee is €37 per person for 2 hours, and each extra hour costs €16.
This wedding package also includes chairs for up to 100 guests and the bridal table with table cloth and flower arrangement with flowers from their gardens. Prices do not include decorations, entertainment, the price of the ceremony, the wedding cake, or the accommodation.
Situated on the hills of Sintra, Casa dos Penedos is a 20th-century palatial mansion designed by renowned Portuguese architect, Raul Lino. For a mythical palace-like wedding, Casa dos Penedos is a stunning option, boasting multiple luxurious rooms and outdoor spaces for your guests.
The wedding venue has a maximum capacity of 220 seated guests. This venue offers menus starting at €116 per person, including a seated meal, wine selection, wedding cake, 2 hours open bar, parking, and a tasting menu for 2 people. Obviously, this does not include the venue rental and everything else that comes with planning a wedding.
You can also opt to contact an English-speaking wedding planner, such as Lisbon Wedding Planner, offering a €15,000 package for 50 wedding guests (VAT not included). For every extra guest, this costs €200 per person. This package includes:
Located on the Portuguese Riviera in Cascais, Farol Hotel is a XIV century mansion renovated into a modern and luxurious 5-star hotel. With a view of the ocean and Cascais, this venue might just be the perfect location for your dream wedding. From a minimalist ceremony to a grand wedding, the hotel’s facilities allow you to have the wedding that fits you best.
The venue holds two major rooms, the Private Mix Room on the first floor which holds 10 to 30 people and has views of the ocean, as well as the Farol Room which holds 34 to 120 people and has direct access to the terrace. The hotel also offers a natural rock deck with views of the ocean that is perfect for a ceremony. The hotel has 33 rooms if you would like to book those for your guests. Menus here start at €150 per person.
Located on the Portuguese riviera of Estoril, Forte da Cruz was built in the XVII century during the reign of King Filipe III of Portugal overlooking the Tamariz Beach. The beachfront castle can host up to 110 guests indoors and up to 500 guests on the terrace overlooking the beach.
Menus start at €135,15 per person and include a starter, main dish, cocktails, and two hours of an open bar. The rental price starts at €2,000. You can also book a wedding planner. Lisbon Wedding Planner offers a €15,000 wedding package for 50 guests, with a €200 fee for each additional guest. This package includes:
A 5-star beach hotel in Alvor, Algarve, Pestana Alvor Praia is located on one of the most beautiful beaches in the Algarve. Surrounded by extensive green gardens where guests can enjoy an outdoor ceremony with views of the city, as well as banquet rooms, this is the perfect venue for an outdoor and indoor wedding, hosting up to 300 guests.
The hotel offers an excellent team to take care of your wedding, as well as photography, music, and decoration services. Menus here start at €75 per person, an affordable price. They also offer a full vegan menu! Their menus do not include an open bar, but the price for this starts at €15 per person per hour. The menu price also includes:
Ceremony table
White towels for tables
White chairs
Menu and wine tasting for two guests
Kids 0 to 3 years old – Free
Kids 4 to 12 years old – 50% discount from the adult menu or child menu option
Services such as entertainment, flowers, make-up artists decorator, photographer, etc are not included.
Like anywhere in the world, a wedding can cost a fortune and in fact, be as expensive as you wish, impacted by the venue, flowers, food choices, and more. The average price for a wedding in Portugal is anywhere between €15,000 and €25,000 for 85 to 100 guests. Although this is a substantial amount of money, wedding prices in Portugal are a lot more affordable than in Western Europe and the United States.
Affordable Elopement Wedding Packages in Portugal
Looking to save a buck and have an intimate elopement wedding? There are multiple affordable wedding packages if you are looking to elope to Portugal for a wedding with your other half. Here are our favorite affordable elopement wedding packages in Portugal offered by various companies.
Summer Picnic Elopement by The Wedding Planner in Portugal
This company’s summer picnic elopement happens in gorgeous palace gardens and includes:
Wedding Planner Assistance
Ceremony in the Palace Gardens
English Wedding Celebrant (symbolic wedding)
Guitar Player for the Ceremony
Professional Photographer for the Ceremony
Bride’s Bouquet + Boutonier (flowers from the season)
Adorable Picnic in the Palace Gardens
Price: €2.350
Beach Elopement Package by The Wedding Planner in Portugal
This wedding package allows you to get married on a beach and includes:
Wedding Planner Assistance
English Wedding Celebrant (symbolic wedding)
Professional Photographer for the Ceremony
Sparkling wine for the toast
Price: €1.710
Lady of the Rock Package by Love and Lace
This wedding is set on a romantic clifftop and includes:
Venue Rental
Ceremony Set up at the clifftop with Arch & Flowers
Legal Fee for Civil marriage OR Celebrant for symbolic Blessing
Wedding planning services and wedding ceremony coordinator
Price: €3.055
Oceanfront Elopement by The Wedding Planner in Portugal
This wedding package happens in a stunning Villa by the Sea and includes:
Wedding Planner Assistance
Ceremony at a Villa by The Sea
English Wedding Celebrant (symbolic wedding)
Professional Photographer for the Ceremony
Bride’s Bouquet + Boutonier (flowers from the season)
Romantic Dinner with Sea view (Drinks included)
1 Night Stay at the Villa
Price: €2.890
Portugal Elopement Package by Somewhere Crazy
This wedding package for an elopement in Portugal includes the option of choosing various locations and the price could change depending on the time of year, guests, and other factors.
A wedding celebrant and a customized ceremony
A photographer – 4-hour photoshoot
A flower bouquet and buttonhole
Wedding planning- including timeline, team & location
Portugal is blessed with over 300 days of sun every year so while in your home country, a wedding must occur in a few short months, Portugal is more flexible. The weather in Portugal is quite moderate meaning it does not get that cold in the winter.
However, to make sure you have a sunny day, the best times to get married in Portugal are between late March and late October, avoiding the winter months. The warmest month is August with an average of 30 degrees celsius, but this month will be the busiest with tourists, along with July.
Wedding legal requirements: What do you need to get married in Portugal?
You will need a marriage license from the Civil Registry Office and it usually takes around one month for the Portuguese authorities to process this request. When you have the license granted, you can book a date for the civil wedding. The request for the license must be done at least 6 weeks before the wedding and the wedding must happen within 6 months of the authorization.
You will get married according to Portuguese law, in the presence of a Registrar. You cannot be married at an embassy in your own country.
You can have a Civil or Catholic wedding, both are legally binding. However, before any religious wedding, a civil ceremony and the marriage certificate must occur for it to be legal.
Don’t worry, you won’t just be married in Portugal! After the wedding, an international certificate is issued so you can register the marriage in your country.
No legal residency requirement!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Weddings in Portugal
How much does a wedding in Portugal cost?
The average price for a wedding in Portugal is anywhere between €15,000 and €25,000 for 85 to 100 guests. However, if you opt for a smaller wedding such as an elopement with just the couple present this should cost less than €5,000.
Can you legally marry in Portugal?
Yes. You will get married according to Portuguese law, in the presence of a Registrar. However, after the wedding, an international certificate is issued so you can register the marriage in your country.
Can a foreigner get married in Portugal?
Yes, you can marry according to Portuguese law. There’s no legal residency requirement for weddings in Portugal.
Are same-sex marriages legal in Portugal?
Yes. In 2010, same-sex marriages became legal in Portugal, while same-sex partnerships have been recognized since 2001. Same-sex married couples have the same rights regarding property, taxes, and inheritance.
What is the best time to get married in Portugal?
The best time to get married in Portugal is between late March and late October, with late May and early June being the best months for sunny days, without too much heat.
German child abuser Christian Brueckner, 44, has been made an official suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann by the Portuguese authorities on Thursday. The suspect is currently in prison in Germany after raping a 72-year-old woman in 2005 in Praia da Luz, the same area Madeleine disappeared in 2007.
Madeleine McCann was a 3-year-old British toddler when she disappeared almost 15 years ago, in Praia da Luz in the region of Algarve in Portugal, while on holiday with her family. Also known as Maddie, she went missing from her family’s holiday rental apartment while her parents had dinner with friends at a nearby restaurant.
Christian Brueckner has been made an “arguido”, which translated to “named suspect”, but has not been arrested or charged. The only other suspects were Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann who were named suspects in 2007 but later cleared.
The investigation has been conducted with the help of the British and German authorities. However, Christian Brueckner’s name has been in the media regarding this case previously, as in June 2020, German police stated that Brueckner was likely responsible for the disappearance and that Madeleine was likely dead. However, the case continues to be treated as a missing person case.
The Portuguese authorities’ decision to make him an official suspect could have been caused by the 15-year limit for prosecuting serious crimes in Portugal, which will expire next month.
Brueckner lived in the Algarve between 1995 and 2007 and along with raping a woman in 2005, stole from hotels and holiday rentals, falsified passports, and was also caught stealing fuel from a Portuguese harbor.
He is also being accused of raping a 20-year-old girl in the Algarve in 2004 to which he will face trial this year.
In his 15-minute speech to the Portuguese parliament on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared Putin’s regime to the fascist dictator Antonio Salazar’s, a few days before the 25th of April celebrations marking 48 years of freedom in Portugal. Zelensky compared the fight for freedom of the Portuguese people in 1974 to that of the Ukrainians in 2022, stating “you know what we are feeling”.
In his classic green t-shirt and with a Ukrainian flag in the background, Zelensky described horrific Russian war crimes and asked Portugal for more weapons and sanctions, as well as humanitarian aid. Zelensky said Russian troops continue to bomb houses, supermarkets, schools, universities, and churches. He stated that in Mariupol, “a city as large as Lisbon”, “not one home was left intact”. Zelensky stated that over 500,000 Ukrainians have been captured and deported, “a number twice as large as the population of Porto“.
Zelensky called upon Portuguese companies working in Russia to stop doing so. He also asked the Portuguese parliament for “simple things”, as he stated, asking for “weapons so that we can defend ourselves strongly”.
The Ukrainian president alerted the parliament that after Ukraine, Russia will try to also invade Moldovia, Georgia, and Baltic countries, urging Portugal to help Ukraine become a European Union member state.
While most in parliament applauded the Ukrainian president at the end of the speech for 60 seconds, including President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, most of the government ministers, including Prime Minister Antonio Costa did not. This caused an uproar on social media, however, this is parliamentary tradition.
Tweet translation: Each day of war is another day of unbearable pain. The words we heard today by the president of Ukraine in parliament have shaken us.
There were six seats empty – those of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) who refused to witness the speech. Paula Santos from the PCP justified this previously: “…Volodymyr Zelensky that personifies a xenophobic and belligerent power, surrounded and sustained by forces of a fascist and neonazi nature, including of a paramilitary nature, such as the Azov Batallion”. In March, Zelensky banned all remaining left-wing parties in Ukraine, including socialist and communist parties.
The government announced on Thursday that face masks are no longer mandatory, with exceptions. Masks are still mandatory in two types of situations, in places frequented by vulnerable people such as in nursing homes and hospitals, as well as in locations that are difficult to air out and that have a high level of utilization such as public transport. Students are no longer required to wear masks in schools.
However, the measure only comes into place after the President approves it, but should be ready to go by the weekend. The state of alert has also once again been extended until May 5th, although it was set to end on Friday.
The Minister of Health, Marta Temido says that the covid-19 situation is progressing positively and that although the pandemic is not over, the current conditions allow for no longer making mask use mandatory in all situations.
Moreover, the rules surrounding covid-19 testing have been alleviated as testing will only occur in cases determined by the Directorate-General of Health of Portugal. A covid-19 certification is also no longer required in health services.
Marta Temido has stated that “the pandemic is not over” and there is a possibility that measures change once again. She told CNN Portugal, “If a new variant appears, there are unpredictabilities that we cannot master. In a new change of season, we will need to adapt our behaviors”.
In the heart of Portugal, just a short drive from Lisbon stands a region that is linked to wine production since time can tell. A land of monasteries, incredible noble farms, the Pure-Blooded Lusitano horse and beautiful cities and towns, the Tejo region is, without a doubt an open-air museum with an incredible winery.
The region, and more specifically its river, was the main waterway between the 2 Iberian capitals of Madrid and Lisbon. This meant that it was where a lot of the trade would happen, making Tejo one of Portugal’s richest regions. It also meant that it would sell a lot of its wines to the rest of the Iberian peninsula and, then, the rest of Europe, really early when compared to most of the other Portuguese wines (starting in the Middle Ages).
When it was first recognized, the wine region was known as ‘Ribatejo’ (meaning something like ‘Above Tejo’), as a way to differentiate from the region of ‘Alentejo’ (something like ‘After Tejo’). In 2009, however, it changed its name to simply the name of the river that crosses it: in English called ‘Tagus’, but in Portuguese ‘Tejo’. This river is definitely a decisive part of the wine production here, since it waters the “Terroirs” and maintains the climate, besides being a defining feature of the region’s culture and economy.
The Tejo region is known to produce a great quantity of wines who are of great quality, but also of great quantity. The quality is ensured by the region’s two labels of Tejo DOC (‘Denominação de Origem Controlada’ or Controlled Origin Denomination), for the higher level wines, and Tejo VR (‘Vinho Regional’ or Regional Wine)
This region is one of the oldest wine producing regions in Portugal. It has unique characteristics that create wonderful wines, for which is known and loved.
The history of winemaking in the Tejo region can be traced back to 2000 a.C. when the Tartessos started to plant vines next to the river. It is said that Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, referred to the wines in the ‘Foral de Santarém’, in 1170, the document that gave the statute of city to Santarém.
Around this time, after the conquest of the region by Portugal, the King gave land to trustees that would plant olive trees and vineyards in them, which kickstarted the production of this good in the region.
Fast-forwarding to the Age of Discovery, in the 1400s, the region gained a new importance. Portuguese explorers traveled the trade routes from Europe through Africa and Asia. These ships came out of the Tagus (Tejo) River estuary, in Lisbon, packed with Portuguese wine and supplies.
200 years later, Santarém, a city in the region, developed new economic importance, becoming the main supplies of goods to Lisbon, all from ships sailing the Tejo. Some of these suppliers were agricultural estates owned by the Portuguese royalty itself, like the Companhia das Lezirías, which now has wonderful agricultural farmland, bird sanctuaries, cork forests, and vineyards.
Santarem. Photo by Rémy Penet (Unsplash)
In 1765, just like with the wines of Alentejo, the vines disappeared due to the order by the Marquis of Pombal, Portugal’s “sort of” Prime Minister at the time, which was scared that these wines would destroy the traditional wines of Douro.
Thankfully, they came back, and, in 1989, six ‘Indicações de Proveniência Regulamentada’ (Regulated Provenience Indication) were created for wines in the region. Then, in 1997, this grew to encompass the whole region and the Regional Wine Commission of Ribatejo was created, named Regional Wine Commission of Tejo in 2009. All of these organs protect the region’s wines and assures their quality.
Tejo Region
The Tejo region can be further divided into 3 areas, each with its own particularities: Bairro, Charneca, and Campo.
Bairro
The Bairro soils are on the north of the Tagus River. It’s an irregular terrain, characterized by hills and plains, with altitudes not bigger than 200 meters. It’s rich in limestone, clay and, if we go a bit more north, also schist.
Charneca
This zone is placed south of the Tagus. It’s dry and flat, with poor and sandy soils, which makes the vines struggle, producing a more complex grape. It’s also an area of high temperatures, which makes the grapes mature faster.
Campo
The last zone is on the edges of the Tagus, on the riverbank. This means it has a more maritime climate, with moderate temperatures, which helps contribute to the acidity of the wines, as well as making it fresher and fruitier. The soils in the region give good drainage, sustaining the vineyards.
These zones are further divided into 6 subregions. These are Almeirim, Cartaxo, Chamusca, Coruche, Santarém, and Tomar.
Tejo Wine Traditions
In Tejo, there are many local winemaking traditions but also many Portuguese winemaking traditions that have begun to disappear all over the country but that remain intact here. Some of these are:
Harvest by the Community
In the Tejo region, most of the harvest continues to be taken care of by the local community. The local women from the villages hand-harvest the grapes while singing traditional folk songs.
Foot-treading
Like in many parts of Portugal, at least in the old days and in the traditional wineries, the communities use large stone tanks known as ‘lagares’ and crush the grapes by foot. This is considered a more gentle way to process the grapes and prevents the seeds from being crushed with the pulp, which is said to compromise the flavor.
Use of Cork from the Local Forests
The wines are usually sealed in the bottle using native cork from the nearby forests. Cork is native to Portugal, with the country producing nearly half of the world’s demand. The Tejo region itself has over 30.000 acres of cork forest, with the Coruche municipality (also in the region) being the largest cork producing area in the country!
This product is also harvested by hand, just like traditionally it was.
Tejo Terroir
The soils are usually of 4 types:
Schist (near Tomar)
Alluvial soils: very fertile in an area periodically flooded by the river)
Clay and limestone: on an irregular zone, with more vineyards and olive tree production
Sandy: a soil with low productivity, since it’s in a very dry area with high temperatures compared to the rest of the region (making the maturing process faster).
Tejo Wine Types
There are many wine types in Tejo, from white to red, passing through the sparkling and liquory. All of these wines are unique due to the region they grow in, but especially because of the soils and grape varieties that they are made with.
White Wine
The white wines produced in Tejo are diverse wines with lots of aromas, depending on the varieties and soils in which they are produced.
Preferencial soil: Campo and Charneca
Red Wine
The Tejo red wines are linked to several Portuguese grape varieties and, more recently, to a mix between these and international varieties. These have started to become very well-known both in Portugal and outside.
Preferencial soil: Charneca and Bairro.
Rosé
Preferencial soil: Campo and Charneca.
Sparkling Wine
This wine is a wine that, traditionally, obtains its effervescence from a second alcoholic fermentation process that happens inside the bottle, getting a pressure due to the CO2 that builds up there (over 3 bar).
Fizzy Wines
A fizzy wine has less gas than sparkling wine (between 1 and 2.5 bar of pressure, while sparkling wines have 3 bar), with this process occurring naturally or with the addition of carbon dioxide. It has an alcohol content of at least 9% and, like sparkling wines, it can be more or fewer sweets. It’s mostly common on Vinho Verde, in the Minho region in the North of Portugal, but also here in Tejo.
Preferencial soil: Campo.
Liquory
Made by adding alcohol (pure, ‘aguardente’ or brandy) during the fermenting process. This suspends the transformation of the sugar into alcohol and makes the wine sweeter and more alcoholic in content.
Preferencial soil: Charneca and Campo.
Late Harvest
A wine made with the over-mature grapes almost turned into raisins in the vine tree. This natural aging makes the grapes have a high volume of sugar.
Preferencial soil: Bairro, Charneca and Campo.
Tejo Grape Types
For red wines, most of the grapes used by the producers are Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Castelão, and Aragonês. Syrah, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot are international grape types also planted in the region.
As for white wines, the main grapes used are Arinto, Fernão Pires, Alvarinho and Verdelho. We can also find Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay among the international grapes used in Tejo.
Tejo Wine Suggestions: Best Tejo Wine
If you’re looking to try these wines that grow from the waters of the mythical Tagus, here are some brands that have excellent wines according to the 2021 ‘Concurso de Vinhos do Tejo’ (Tejo Wine Contest):
This amazing tour allows you the opportunity to explore the vineyards of a 12th-century winery on a horse-drawn carriage in the wonderful Tejo region. You will also try the estate’s wine, together with some Portuguese bread and sausage. After that, you will see the traditional cities of Almeirim and Vieira do Escaroupim, in the Tagus Estuary Natural Reserve, before going to another wine estate to see the Lusitano horses, unique to Portugal, and enjoy yet another wine taste.
If you’re around Lisbon and want to get a taste of the Tejo (literally), this is a great trip. You will have the opportunity to horseback ride yourself, under the guidance of a professional, of course, together with a wine taste of the region’s wines and a delicious Portuguese lunch!
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