Carnival in Portugal

Carnival is synonymous with joy, fun, laugh, trick and satire. People throughout Portugal celebrate it with great enthusiasm and good-humour. There are great parades in many Portuguese cities, where thousands of people can be seen, either participating or enjoying the view. Each city has its own traditions and customs, which make part of the country's history.

People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations and pretend to be someone new and different. In many street celebrations, lots of floats with political or social message can also be seen.
 Carnival is considered a time of excesses and fun. It occurs immediately before Lent, a period of fasting and penitence for the Christian communities. It is believed that Carnival started in Europe in the eleventh century, and spread to other continents with the help of emigrants.
The best-known Carnival in the World takes place in Brazil. Samba is a typically Brazilian dance, which was popularized by carnival. In Portugal we can already see many features of the Brazilian carnival, such as samba schools and samba dancers.

After three days of celebrations, it’s time to return to daily’s life routine and hope for another carnival.