Easter celebrations in the North are unique, filled with a dark symbolism sometimes, and often seem to take the religious theme a bit too far. Nevertheless, the “burning of the Judas” in Montalegre (Vila Real District) is a (somewhat) religious representation where the locals burn an image of Judas made of hay as a symbol of victory of good over evil.

In Porto, a strongly cultural city, events are aplenty during the spring. From Serralves em Festa, a free-entrance festival in the Serralves Park, to the widely popular São João (the six-century-old celebration of St. John’s Day) and the NOS Primavera Sound (a music festival that quickly climbed spots to the top of the lists of best festivals in Europe), June is definitely the hot month to visit Porto.

In Covilhã, a city in Portugal’s center, half-an-hour from the mainland’s highest mountain Serra da Estrela, June is the month for WOOL. This urban art festival has roots in the city’s former past in the wool industry, hence the name. The goal was to become one of the most important urban art events in the country when they first started in 2011. In a country where the coast cities usually get all the attention, WOOL is breaking that trend.

In Lisbon and the neighboring Sintra, it’s also popular saint’s season. The postcard-perfect, colorful strings begin to invade the old neighborhoods’ narrow streets in the capital, food stands and grills get ready for sardine-craving eaters. Semi-amateur bands go up on stage to entertain you for the night with Portuguese, pun-filled songs.

Further south, the tiny town of Mértola in Alentejo pays tribute to its Arabic roots with the bi-annual Islamic Festival in May. The town’s center is transformed into a giant souk during the festival, while world music bands perform on the river’s stage.

In the Azores islands, this season is a mix of religious and cultural events throughout the archipelago.

In São Miguel, April is the month for TREMOR – an innovative music festival that’s raised to the top of the best festivals in the country in less than five years. In May, the island’s main city turns to devotion in one of the most popular religious events of the year, Festas do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres. 

Terceira celebrates St. John’s Day with a series of colorful and exceptionally planned events, while the neighboring islands to the West are welcoming the island-hopping artsy Azores Fringe Festival from May to June.

There’s more to Madeira than New Year’s Eve fireworks and almost tropical weather, as two of the most popular spring cultural events show. Mid-June is time for Regional Arts Week and one of the oldest world music festivals in Europe, Festival Raízes do Atlântico.