5 things to do in Portugal this weekend, from Faial to the Algarve
From 7 to 9 August: Ye's only Portuguese concert, two rock and metal festivals running at once in the north and centre, the closing weekend of Semana do Mar in Horta, and the Volta a Portugal heading south.
August is at its fullest and this weekend shows it. There is a whole stadium waiting on a one-off concert, two festivals happening simultaneously 200 kilometres apart, an island wrapping up ten days of celebration, and a peloton crossing the country. Five things, Friday to Sunday.
1. Ye at the Estádio Algarve, Friday
His only Portuguese date, on 7 August, outside Faro. It is his first show here since 2011, and this summer tour’s production is built entirely around one enormous stage object rather than a conventional set. We went into the show and how to get there in more detail.
2. Vagos Metal Fest, through Sunday
At Quinta do Ega in Vagos, the festival is into its final stretch — it runs 5 to 9 August, so the weekend catches three of the five days. The bill includes Lamb of God, Within Temptation, Godsmack, Satyricon and In Flames. Day tickets are around €69 and the full pass €169. Here is the complete line-up and ticket detail.
3. Sonic Blast, on the beach at Âncora
From 6 to 8 August at Praia da Duna do Caldeirão in Âncora, Caminha. This is the one that turns the Minho coast into a capital of stoner, doom and psychedelic rock for three days, and one of very few where you walk off the site straight onto the sand. Friday and Saturday are the nights still to come.
4. Semana do Mar in Horta
In the Azores, Horta closes ten days of programming on Sunday. Semana do Mar runs 31 July to 9 August, with regattas, concerts and a marina packed with boats mid-Atlantic crossing. If you are on Faial or can get there, this is the last weekend of it. Details in our Semana do Mar guide.
5. The Volta a Portugal heads south
Friday brings stage two, 180.4 kilometres from Sines to Albufeira, taking in the categorised climb at Odeceixe. The race then rolls on through the weekend. Watching a stage of the Volta remains one of the cheapest days out of the Portuguese summer, since standing at the roadside costs nothing. Timings through each town are on the official race site.
If you would rather stay local, it is always worth checking your council’s own listings — a lot of August’s village festas are only advertised locally. The Visit Portugal portal carries the national calendar for the bigger events.
Image: Vitor Oliveira / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
