São Brás de Alportel’s century-old flower torch show ‘Festa das Tochas Floridas’, Loulé’s religious celebration ‘Festa da Mãe Soberana’ and the Ameixial Walking Festival are among the highlights of the Algarve events guide for April – there are over 100 to enjoy!
The guide is launched each month by the regional tourism board (RTA) to give locals and visitors an idea of what is happening in the Algarve.
The flower torch show in São Brás de Alportel will be held on Sunday, April 21 and is inspired by a once-popular Easter celebration that took place throughout the Algarve, where many towns used to host a procession with torches lit by fire to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Loulé’s religious Easter celebration will also begin on April 21 and run for 15 days until the final event on May 5, the “Festa da Mãe Soberana”, described as the “highlight” of the local calendar.
Nearby, hikers will be in for a treat between April 26 and 28 as the inland village of Ameixial (Loulé) will host its seventh Walking Festival. Apart from the challenging routes that hikers can take, there will also be lectures, workshops and musical entertainment.
But there is much more to do around the Algarve. In the west, Lagos is hosting the international speed skating tournament ‘Terras do Infante’ between April 5 and 6, welcoming top speed skaters from all over the world.
In Quarteira, around 300 athletes from 35 countries will be taking part in the ETU Quarteira European CUP (April 27 and 28), described as “one of the most prestigious triathlon competitions In Portugal”.
The musical programme includes the 6th International Blues Festival in Faro on April 12 and 13 at Teatro Lethes. Li’l Twister, Little G Weevil, Guitar Not So Slim and Budda Power Blues are among the confirmed acts.
Elsewhere, Loulé will host music and visual arts festival ‘Som Riscado’ on April 12 and 14 while Faro will host ‘Dançarte – Algarve International Dance Competition’ at Teatro das Figuras between April 6 and 9.
Information on these and other events can be found in ‘Guia Algarve’ (click here). The physical guide is also distributed for free at Faro Airport, hotels, travel agencies, rent-a-cars and golf courses.
