Saturday, June 13, 2015

Saint Anthony's Day


One of Portugal’s most popular saints, Santo António, a Fransiscan friar, is Lisbon's patron. On June 13th's eve, the city turns into one big party, the craziest night of the year, filled with parades, live music, dancing and eating on the streets: grilled sardines, pepper salad, red wine and sangria are a must. The places to go are the city's poor neighbourhoods, especially the oldest district of Alfama where thousands of people, dance, sing and walk up and down the decorated labyrinthic streets until dawn. 
The sardine has actually become the symbol of June in Lisbon.

17 comments:

Kate said...

The Benedictines and the Franciscans are my favorite clerics (in addition to the Jesuits!). How I would love this celebration and I learned something new about Lisbon today!

Dina said...

Happy Santo Antonio day!

Lowell said...

I'd guess you must be dancing and eating and drinking right the time that I write this...great fun. But why the sardine? There's got to be a story there.

VP said...

We have a fair dedicated to San Antonio just this weekend...

Sylvia K said...

Oh, yes! A Happy Santo Anthony day from me as well, Jose!! Celebrate and enjoy a wonde4rful weekend!!

Unknown said...

Lowell: No, not me! It's the perfect night to say at home! Too crowded everywhere and too many drunk people on the streets... LOL!

Why the sardine? Well, I guess it's that time of the year when fishing sardines is allowed. Actually the fishing period is shorter every year to prevent sardines from becoming an endangered species... As you know, we - humans - destroy everything on this planet!

Sharon said...

Sounds like a fun time for all. I do love those white sardines!

Sami said...

Feliz Dia do Santo Antonio!
The sardines, I would eat 1 or 2, but the grilled peppers salad, Yiummm that would have gone very well with our grilled fish tonight!

William Kendall said...

The date is marked in a big way here in our Little Italy neighbourhood.

RedPat said...

I love the sardine image they are using, JM!
I noticed decorations up around 2 Portuguese churches here so it must be for Santo Antonio too.

Randy said...

Nice background.

Joan Elizabeth said...

Sounds like fun but like you as I get older I often prefer to stay at home from festivities too.

Babzy.B said...

you caught a lot of species in your net ;)

Rhodesia said...

Sardines, pepper salad, red wine and sangria, wow sounds like lots of fun except I hate crowds! Diane

EG CameraGirl said...

Sounds like good eating!

Bob Crowe said...

You need a very special umbrella to visit Lisbon when it's raining sardines.

Petrea Burchard said...

I wish I'd been there!