Lisbon no longer celebrates the days of revelry like it used to, when it had one of the biggest Carnival parades in the country, with several floats going down from Avenida da Liberdade to downtown Lisbon.
Although the capital now doesn’t exploit the carnival season with many dedicated events, the truth is that it doesn’t miss out on this lively party, which attracts adults and children alike.
So, we’ve chosen three parties in the city and we’ve also added four unmissable Carnival parades that are up to an hour away from the city: Loures , Sesimbra, Torres Vedras and Nazaré.
Choose your favorite carnival shows, put on your mask and join in these fun-filled festivities or parade in one of these carnival par ades .
Even if you’re a clumsy matron, it’s Carnival and no one takes it lightly!
Clandestine Colombina Ball
If you think Lisbon doesn’t have a Carnival block, you’re wrong! Formed by Brazilian migrants in 2017, the collective is now representative of many nationalities, from the direct collaborators and organizers to the 90 members of the bloco on the street.
The warm-up sessions are about to begin, but the Baile da Colombina Clandestina, this year’s 7th edition, will take place on March 1st from 6pm (Saturday), in a party that promises to last until the early hours.
Address: Rua Gomes Freire 161 (Barracona, in the Bombarda Gardens)
Time: March 1st, from 6pm
Tickets: on Instagram
Baque Mulher Lisboa
Baque Mulher Lisboa is a maracatu group made up of women, which – possibly – will also take part in the Lisbon Carnival through a parade. “Possibly” because they are trying to raise funds to do so.
For this reason, few details are yet known about this year’s route, but in 2024 they passed through Largo da Rosa, the Fado Museum in Alfama, and other streets in Lisbon, where they joined other Carnival blocks.
Address: to be announced soon
Schedule: February 2, 3 and 4
Tickets: free
Baque do Tejo
Baque do Tejo has been livening up the streets of Lisbon during Carnival since 2015, and this year should be no different, depending on the success of the pre-carnival on February 22, where the group will try to raise funds to go out on one of the Carnival days.
At this big party you’ll be able to take part in a series of activities, workshops and a party with lots of drumming and dancing, where there will be no shortage of demonstrations of what could happen during Carnival days.
Address: (Arroz Estúdios)
Time: February 22nd
Tickets: information not available
Parade in the Penha de França neighborhood
The Penha de França neighborhood has Carnival plans for all ages: on February 28 (Friday) you can watch the Carnival parade of the parish’s schools, departing from Praça Paiva Couceiro (at 10am) and arriving at Alameda with entertainment and a DJ (at 11am); on the same day and at the same time, there is also a Carnival parade for the over 55s.
Parade in the Arroios neighborhood
On Friday, February 28, the Arroios Parish Council is organizing a parade along Avenida Almirante Reis to Largo do Intendente Pina Manique, with the aim of providing moments of fun and interaction between children from the various public and private schools, the senior community and the community in general.
The parade, which will set off from three different points (Praça das Novas Nações, Campo dos Mártires da Pátria and Jardim Constantino) will be attended by the entire school and senior community of the parish of Arroios, with around 2,000 people expected to take part and parade to Largo do Intendente Pina Manique.
Parade in Benfica and Amadora
The Benfica Parish Council will be holding a Carnival parade for the first time on Tuesday (March 4), in an event that extends to neighboring Amadora.
The gathering will take place from 2pm to 3.30pm at Parque da Granja, in Benfica , where Bloco Bué Tolo will perform. Then, from 3.30pm, Banda Axé Babá will parade down Avenida do Colégio Militar, along Estrada de Benfica, then Avenida Elias Garcia, until they reach Amadora Este Metro station, where, at 5.30pm, they will say goodbye to Carnival 2025.
Loures
There are a few Carnival parades near Lisbon that are worth a visit. The closest to the capital is in the municipality of Loures, which starts celebrating this date on February 22, and the festivities continue until March 5.
And there’s plenty of fun on offer! In addition to the traditional Carnival parades, which this year include several groups, 15 floats and around 2,600 extras, and which this year celebrates “25 years of stories”, you can also enjoy the dances, the stage with the electric trio, the Youth Carnival Party, the popular mini-fair and, at the end, attend the burial ceremony of Santo Entrudo.
The carnival parades in Loures will take place on March 1, 2 and 4, and admission is free.
Address: streets in the center of Loures
Schedule: from February 22nd to March 5th
Tickets: free entry
Sesimbra
The Carnival in Sesimbra is also relatively close to Lisbon and is one of the most Brazilian in the country, with lots of samba and the sea nearby.
The rhythms from the other side of the Atlantic are joined by some very Portuguese traditions , such as the cegadas, the Carvalhadas, the clown parade and the Enterro do Bacalhau, the final point in the entertainment, which this year takes place on March 4.
From this list of Carnival parades in and around Lisbon, the Sesimbra Carnival is the only one where you have to pay a fee to watch the Sunday and Tuesday parades from a grandstand with seating. However, you can watch the entire parade along the waterfront completely free of charge.
Address: the grandstand is on Avenida 25 de Abril
Schedule: from March 1st to 4th
Tickets: on the
Torres Vedras
This year, the most famous and popular Carnival in the Lisbon district, the Torres Vedras Carnival celebrates the 50th anniversary of April 25, once again accompanied by masked groups, bands, cabeçudos and, of course, the famous matrafonas.
From February 28 to March 5, Torres Vedras’ carnival program is quite extensive, starting with a children’s school parade; two nighttime carnival parades; two daytime parades; and the Burial of the Holy Entrudo ceremony.
This year’s edition began on the evening of February 8, in Praça da República, with the traditional Torres Vedras Carnival Monument.
Address: streets in the center of Torres Vedras
Schedule: from February 28 to March 5
Tickets: on the website
Nazaré
Just over an hour from Lisbon, there’s one of the most spontaneous Carnival parades in the country, with thousands of people invading the waterfront to see the entire population of Nazaré experiencing the Carnival of their land, in a very intense way, without explanation.
After all, this is the time of year that the people of Nazareth most look forward to, and it is on February 3 (the day of São Brás) that the Carnival festivities officially begin, although the celebrations of these days start much earlier, with the typical street dances and other themed parties throughout the town.
This Carnival is theirs alone, the Nazarenes, who will take anything to dress up in the wildest way you can imagine.
It’s “à troncage” they say, and with everything they can get their hands on, each one dresses up in the most original way you’ve ever seen.
More organized are the Carnival parades, which this year are held under the motto “Tá enjoade c’má pardela” and take place at various different times:
- February 22, lean Saturday: parade of some Carnival groups throughout the town
- February 28, Friday: Children’s Carnival
- March 1, Saturday: night parade at 10 p.m. on the waterfront
- March 2, Sunday: daytime parade at 3pm on the waterfront
- March 4, Carnival Tuesday: daytime parade at 3pm on the waterfront
- March 5, Ash Wednesday: Burial of the Holy Shrovetide at 5pm at the Nazaré Cultural Center
In addition to these events, there will also be evening entertainment for five days in the town’s bars and in the dance halls of various cultural and recreational associations in the municipality: Mar-Alto, Tá-Mar and BIR.
Whatever you choose, we’re sure you’ll have a great time, because this life is two days and Carnival is three.