Colors of Lisbon - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Local people are rather hot tempered and thus their behavior may seem rather strange to foreign visitors. Peculiar to city folks deliberateness in everything is often approached by visitors as inattention and negligence. In fact, such behavior does not imply any negative, simply the residents of Lisbon just got used to doing everything in deliberate pace. It may well be that in one of local restaurants you will have to wait for your order longer than usually it takes and your business partners will hold off on some decisions.

«Siesta» is a distinctive feature of local course of life, simply all the establishments and public offices close at noon for a long lasting lunchtime. In the late afternoon when the heat tends to cease, many of the establishments turn to work. The city folks tend to certain inactivity and to being pretentious, and they preserve aloofness to active leisure and far trips. Even during vacations the locals give preference to staying at home and only few can set to visit their relatives.

These peculiar features are extremely noticeable for city guests as peace and tranquility is reigning in the streets of Lisbon. Another exuberant character feature is the special pride in history and culture. Local people consider their nation to be unique and this conviction turns them intolerant to any comparisons of their customs and course of life to any other nations’ culture. Instead the foreigners taking interest to the history and traditions are immediately turned into welcome companion. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

it is a great privilege for any of the city residents to tell the history of this or that sight or just explain to the foreigner any complicated case or tradition. Talking to new acquaintances local people show tact and politeness, they are very hospitable and are always eager to help foreign guests. It should be noted that the politeness is characteristic to the people of all social classes and statuses. This is an ethnical character feature being an inborn trait of all local people.

Despite the fact that residents of Lisbon may seem at first sight rather conservative, close-minded and passive, they are still people of good humor and know the ways to rejoicing. The real proof of that fact is bright national holidays and festivals which are always accompanied with folk celebrations and engaging events. The city residents take extreme care of their look and outfit. It is considered to be bad style to make a slatternly public appearance.

The capital of Portugal can be called "the city of festivals" since colorful and interesting events take place here almost every day. The largest holiday celebrated in Lisbon is Dia de San Antônio, which is held from June 12th to 13th. At this time, the city's central streets are buried in festive decorations, and multi-colored lights evoke associations with a magical world. At the opening fairs, visitors can try local dishes (usually prepared based on sardines - a traditional product of Portugal), as well as dance to live performances at specially equipped venues. The whole city is celebrating, no one dares to stay at home at that time because that would mean missing all the fun and getting bored.

Tourists will have a good chance to explore the local culture when a traditional Portuguese wedding - an important part of Dia de San Antônio - is held in Sé de Lisboa. The tradition goes back to the days when couples in love could not afford to celebrate a wedding on any other day due to their financial situation. Today, it is believed that if people marry at this time, the newlyweds will forever gain the patronage of St. Anthony. The celebration ends with a colorful costume parade held on June 13th along Av. da Liberdade. If you arrive in Lisbon during this festival together with your soulmate, you can follow the example of locals and present your partner with "manjerico" - basil with a love poem that will forever remain a symbol of your love.

A month before Dia de San Antônio, in mid-May, they hold an equally colorful event called the Festival Internacional da Máscara Ibérica (or simply FIMI). The celebration has pagan roots, and that is why the modern city takes on a hint of antiquity during the event. The atmosphere is created by people dressed in ancient vestments walking along the central streets of the city. The traditions and customs of the Iberians who once inhabited the Iberian Peninsula are demonstrated to the audience. This is a great opportunity to get acquainted with local culture and history through tasting local food and listening to traditional folk music. About seven hundred folklorists, reconstructors, and volunteers take part in the festival every year.

Another festival allowing to plunge deeper into the multifaceted local culture is the Caixa Alfama, a fado music festival held in mid-September. The venue is one of the city's main historic attractions - Castelo de S. Jorge. Fado music seems to flow in the veins of Portuguese sine birth, and tourists will be able to realize it during the two days of the festival. Among its participants are popular performers of traditional Portuguese music. It is worth noting that the festival is inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

Jazz fans prefer to visit Lisbon in early August when the Jazz Em Agosto is held here for ten days. The event has two venues - one is a garden located in the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, the other is the Museu Coleção Berardo. Among other jazz festivals, this one enjoys well-deserved respect due to its extensive program, eminent headliners, and the opportunity to meet new names in jazz and related genres. At the end of June, another interesting music festival kicks off - namely, the Com'Paco, which is held in the city center near Baixa - Chiado metro station. Here you can listen not only to bands and performers popular in Portugal - the festival gives the way to young bands that are just starting out.

Among other music festivals, it is worth mentioning such an event as Nos Alive, which is popular among fans of carefree open-air events. It is held in early July on the picturesque Algés promenade located in Oeiras (a suburb of the Portuguese capital) so that the noise of a large city could not interfere with a relaxing stay. Everyone will be able to find music to their liking since the choice of genres is impressive - rock, indie, techno and pop music. It will just suffice to mention the names of headliners that once took part in the festival - The Prodigy, Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Muse. In addition to music concerts, the audience is entertained by stand-up comedians.

Holidays traditional in Europe have their own customs here. For example, Easter (Páscoa) is celebrated in Lisbon quite cheerfully, and throughout Holy Week (Semana Santa), colorful carnivals and street parties take place in the city. But these are not all the differences: on the first Saturday after Semana Santa, a custom called "Funeral of the Cod" (Enterro do Bacalhau) marking the end of Lent is held. Locals march along the central streets accompanied by music and dancing, carrying a coffin in which they put the fish. After bringing the latter to the final destination of the parade and completing all traditions, the “buried” cod can be eaten thus indicating that Great Lent has come to end.