Os Santos Populares

June is a big deal in Portugal making it one of the best times to visit.  It’s the “Month of Popular Saints” and just about every city and village throws a festival to honor one.  Saint Anthony (Portuguese), Saint John (the Baptist) and Saint Peter are the headliners but there are many others, especially in the smaller villages.

One of the oldest is the eight-day Festas de São João de Braga.  While this festival is all 13th century medieval, the rituals it incorporates go back much further in time.  I’ve written about this in other Journals (see Entrudo de Lavarim), but this festival in particular preserves very old midsummer customs –  fire, dancing, fertility rituals and offerings for bountiful crops.  So, if you’re thinking pagan roots, you’d be right.  It’s a classic example of how older midsummer traditions were absorbed into Christion celebration.  But for the medieval farmer, as long as it was a good time, it was pretty much all the same.

Bring on the Giants

Festivals for different saints in different cities have different vibes and experiences.  Lisbon is all about sardines, beer and dancing in the streets of Alfama.  Porto is all about fireworks from the bridge reflecting in the Douro river and lighting up its breathtaking skyline.  Braga is all about giants, or as they call them, Gigantones Cabeçudos (the big-heads).  Braga is also about 90 minutes from Tiny Escape making it easy to attend.

Processional giants first appeared in Portuguese religious festivals during the 13th century.  They are brightly painted papier-mâché mounted on a wooden frame and carried on a person’s shoulders.  It sounds simple but, trust me, they are impressive when they tower over you.

Originally, the giants were religious figures.  Over time, they evolved to include: 

  • Royalty
  • Local types (like a rustic farmer)
  • Comical or mischievous characters
  • Local heroes
  • Monsters

While watching these kings and queens interact I couldn’t help but think about the traveling acting troupes from Game of Thrones.  They were serious on theme but heavy on satire and humor.  Braga’s giants might be royalty but they are so big and awkward that you can’t help laughing when they swirl, lurch and stumble into one another.

It’s Become a Thing...

Hard to believe but these giants are so popular that they’ve become an international phenomenon.  Braga now hosts visiting giants from Spain and France, turning the parade into a Euro-giant event.

But Seriously...

Braga’s story stands out among saint festivals and not just because of the giants.  It has been the spiritual capital of northern Portugal for over 1,000 years.  It is sometimes called the Portuguese Rome and historically had real power.  Its festival is one of the oldest and so the blending of faith, bonfires, saints and parties was actually pretty radical.  The sardine-eating partiers in Lisbon and the firework gazers of Porto have Braga to thank for contemporary saint festivals.

But What If I Won’t Be There in June?

Is Braga worth seeing when there’s no festival?  It is if you are into charming village main streets and UNESCO world heritage sites.  With power came wealth and with wealth came beautiful buildings, manicured gardens and terrific sculptures.  The city center will dazzle you and a quick cab ride will takes you somewhere truly extraordinary.

Bom Jesus do Monte

Also called The Sanctuary on the Hill, Bom Jesus do Monte is iconic.  Its Zig zag baroque staircase is one Europe’s great religious landmarks and has earned UNESCO’s recognition for its sacred architecture and landscape.

The stairs were designed for symbolic pilgrimage with each flight rewarding the devout with chapels, grottos and fountains for moments of reflection.  At the top, you are not only rewarded with a beautiful sanctuary but also with sweeping views of the city below.  Curiously, it is also home to one of the oldest funiculars in the world and runs on an ingenious water-counterweight system.

Why we think you’ll love it

  • Close to Tiny Escape
  • A medieval festival with pagan roots
  • A stunning city center
  • An UNESCO world heritage site: Bom Jesus do Monte
  • Honestly… who doesn’t love dancing giants?