Portugal's oldest and largest carnival, with colourful floats, samba and satire through the streets of Loulé, usually in February.
Insider tip
Use public transport or park early; the town gets very busy on parade days.
In Pera, international artists turn thousands of tonnes of sand into giant sculptures. Lit up at night, it is a family favourite.
CultureEach August, Silves turns into a medieval market with jousting, music, crafts and costumes around the castle.
CulturePortugal's melancholic song style, sung to guitar and the Portuguese guitarra. Heard live in Faro and at a few restaurants in the region.
