Portugal’s Christmas Markets
By Ciara Cantwell
Looking for a Christmas city break to get you in the mood for the festive season? Portugal may be famous for its sun, sand and beaches but there’s far more to Portugal than the Algarve! The cities of Lisbon and Porto and the island of Madeira are great destinations for weekend breaks all year round but they’re also famous for their markets and festivities in the run-up to Christmas. Make sure to book a city break to Portugal this Christmas with Budget Travel.
Lisbon is the stunning capital city of Portugal and one of Europe’s most popular city break destinations. You can fly from Dublin and Cork to Lisbon all year round. Lisbon turns out all the stops for Christmas! Near to two million lights illuminate the streets, along with wreaths, reindeer and cheerful holiday signs and not to mention the tallest Christmas tree in Europe. The largest of Lisbon’s many Christmas markets, Wonderland Lisboa, takes place in the famous Parque Eduardo VII in Marquês de Pombal. Running from November 30th till January 5th, this renowned market offers numerous stalls to browse, a giant ferris wheel, ice skating rink and ice ramp and of course the chance to visit Santa himself and tell him what you would like for Christmas. See Budget Travel’s deals to Lisbon here.
Óbidos is a small town located about 1.5 hours by car from Lisbon and is definitely worth visiting on your trip to Lisbon. During the Christmas season the town plays host to Vila Natal (Christmas Town) which will no doubt get children (and adults!) in the festive mood with attractions such as a Christmas locomotive train, petting zoo, artificial snow park, Santa’s grotto, bumper cars, ice skating rink, trampolines and much more.
Porto is located in the north of Portugal and is a fascinating and vibrant city, known for its stately bridges and port wine. You can fly twice weekly from Dublin to Porto in Winter. During a Christmas trip to Porto, make sure to take in Viseu Christmas city, only a 1.5 hour drive from Porto. Here visitors and locals can enjoy the festive colours, flavours and sounds and, of course, the Christmas markets.
Another town near Porto is Santa Maria da Feira which is home to Perlim (a farm of dreams) which runs from Wednesday to Sunday throughout December. Perlim offers the ultimate Christmas experience for children. They can explore a magical world and meet many characters and listen to enchanting Christmas stories. See Budget Travel’s deals to Porto here.
Madeira
Madeira is a beautiful island in the Atlantic known for its stunning natural scenery. Christmas in Funchal, Madeira’s capital, kicks off on 1st December when thousands of lights are switched on across the city. There’s even more light on New Year’s Eve when a gigantic firework display rings in the New Year. Make sure to take a stroll through the Christmas market held in Avendia Arriaga in the heart of Funchal city on your Madeira trip. Here you can browse the numerous products on offer, enjoy Christmas delicacies and entertaining shows. You can fly all year round from Dublin to Madeira via Lisbon with TAP Air Portugal.
Make it a Christmas to remember in either Lisbon, Porto or Madeira for you and your loved ones. Book your Portuguese Christmas getaway today with Budget Travel. Book online or call us today on 01 435 0024.
