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What is the Carnival of Loulé?
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The Carnival of Loulé is the oldest continuous carnival festival in Portugal, which totals more than 100 years of celebrations. Thousands of visitors fill the streets of the city during the 3-day festivities to have fun. Participants walk the streets dressed in incredible garments, replete with glitter, paint, masks and other. The parades are filled with carrozas, samba groups, dancers and personages of Portuguese politics and other figures of the region such as Boris Johnson and the president of the United States, Donald Trump.
The celebrations begin at 3 o’clock in the afternoon every day on Avenida José da Costa Mealha. During these 3 days, several events take place, one of them is the children’s parade. During this parade the children dress up and perform a parade with a specific theme. Each year it has a different theme, for the year 2020, the theme was “Era uma vez em… Louléwood” or Once Upon a Time in…Louléwood, in reference to the movie “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood“.
The carnivals feature more than 700 participants, 17 floats and 6 samba schools that flood the avenue José da Costa Mealha with impressive colorful scenes and Carnival music.
A particularity of the carnivals that has taken hold in recent years is to make the parties more environmentally sustainable.The bars and cafeterias in the locality, distribute paper cups 100% biodegradable and reusable up to 4 or 5 times.
One of the oldest carnivals in Portugal takes place in Loulé where people celebrate big
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When is the Carnival of Loulé?
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The Loulé Carnival is usually celebrated during the months of February and March.
History of the Carnivals of Loulé
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The celebration of the carnival dates back to the year 1906. In the beginning the carnival was characterized by the custom ofthrowing oranges at passers-by, as well as rotten eggs, corn and other products in order to generate some kind of amusem*nt. The use of masks led people to commit excesses and abuses, which is why their use was limited and even prohibited.
The predominant events of the time were the dances and they were always very crowded. At one point in the history of the carnivals, the civilization of the carnivals was proposed, an idea that took more strength in the locality and events related to the theater or batallas de Flores began to take place. The main feature of these celebrations was fun, floats, beauty, art and elegance.
The contests began to be more crowded and visited, which is why the festivities began to be refined in terms of decoration and design, looking for new themes each year. Official entities begin to support the Carnival of Loulé, giving it aid and other facilities. Since 1977 the Municipality of Loulé assumes responsibility for the organization of the Carnival. In this way, the festivities acquired mainly tourist characteristics, constituting one of themain events of the region at this time of year, with very positive repercussions on the local and regional economy. Loulé becomes the most fun and colorful city during carnivals in the entire Algarve region.
Where is the Carnival of Loulé?
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The Loulé Carnival is held in the Portuguese city in thedistrict of Faro, Algarve region. The parades take place in the city center of Loulé, near the Avenida José da Costa Mealha. The celebration begins at 3 p.m. each day on Avenida José da Costa Mealha.
The main parade of the Loulé carnivals takes place in the main avenue where people wear colorful costumes
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How the Loulé Carnival is celebrated
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The Loulé Carnival is celebrated in the streets and the celebrations feature samba, costumes, dances, colorful floats and striking and brilliant costumes. These carnivals have a strong Brazilian influence, with the participation of local samba schools in the Carnival parades. The parades are composed of dancers, artists, music live and the caricaturization of the most famous characters of society, as well as politics, sports and other current affairs.
If you want to know more about tourism in this country, I recommend this guide:
Tips for going to the Carnivals of Loulé
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If you want to spend the Carnival in Loulé, we recommend planning your trip in advance and if possible, booking your accommodation in advance. Also, if you want to avoid long lines and lack of parking, be sure to get to the streets adjacent to the event to park your car and then walk to the city center.
If you forgot to bring costume, the weeks before the festival, there are stores in the city that can sell or rent you costumes and dresses. Also, we remind you that the entrance fee to the carnival is €2.
Events in Carnival of Loulé
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One of the most emblematic events of the Loulé carnival is of course the main parade that crosses the Avenida José da Costa Mealha. During the parade you can find the large floats, full of colors and decorations that attract the attention of all spectators. The floats are also filled with caricatured characters from the show business and Portuguese politics and some characters from Europe and the United States. Participants parade the avenue in colorful costumes, wearing masks or with painted bodies.
There are also children’s parades which are quite well attended. School children dress up according to their preferred theme and parade through the local streets. There are also minor events such as contests and sports activities.
The floats of Loulé carnival are loaded with messages and characters of the Portuguese show business and politics
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Carnival Parades in Loulé
The main parade is the one held on Avenida José da Costa Mealha and where you can appreciate the dozens of allegorical floats with distinctive designs, full of color and characters from the country or other parts of the world. The samba dancers, the music, the colorful and flamboyant costumes and the dresses can also be appreciated.
The children’s parade is also an option for these carnivals. Children from local schools take to the streets of the city sporting their costumes and being part of themed floats.
Parade route
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Loulé’s carnival parade takes place on the city’s main avenue
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The meeting point and where all the magic of the Carnival of Loulé begins is at Avenida José da Costa Mealha, from there the streets of the town are crossed, marking the pace with music and dances by the participants.
Cataplana de mariscos is typical of Algarve, contains various shellfish and mollusks
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What to eat at the Loulé Carnival
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During carnivals it is customary to consume filhós de laranja which are a kind of doughnuts or donas made of flour, sugar, orange and vanilla. Another typical dish of the region is the Cataplana de mariscos, which consists of a broth with different shellfish and mollusks.
The city also offers some places where you can try different local, regional, Mediterranean and international dishes. Some of the most renowned restaurants are: Restaurant Bocage, Restaurante Churrasqueira Jolibela and Monte da Eira..
filhós de laranja is a typical donut from the south of the country that is consumed during carnivals
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Travel Insurance
From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurances. Read more information about all insurance offers here:
What to see and do inside the Loulé Carnival
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Within the carnivals you can see the different parades that take the streets of the city. The main parade is the one that takes place on Avenida José da Costa Mealha where you can find the samba dancers, various participants with costumes and masks and the emblematic floats full of colors and iconic characters of Portuguese politics. You can also watch the children’s parade which is also of great importance to the locality.
You can also attend the various smaller events such as concerts, presentations and demonstrations of the different sports that take place in the area.
What to see and do outside the Loulé Carnivals
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The city of Loulé offers you different tourist attractions that you cannot miss when you decide to visit the town, some of the attractions are:
Loulé Market
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It is one of the most important places in the locality. The market is usually the place where different events take place. You can also buy different local and regional products. In 2007 the market won the Portuguese Tourism Award.
Igreja de Sao Lourenco de Almancil
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It is a Catholic church that is dedicated to St. Lorenza. It contains baroque elements and tile art characteristic of the country. The tiles that decorate the church were brought from Lisbon and date back to 1730.
Castelo De Loulé
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It is a castle classified as a national historic monument since 1924. The construction dates back to 715 and has been restored several times.
Safety at Loulé Carnival
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The city of Loulé is a fairly safe area, like most other European cities, so you can’t feel at home and enjoy your carnivals with peace of mind.
It is important to keep your belongings in a safe place and keep an eye on your bolos or wallets so you don’t misplace them. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your belongings safe:
Weather at the Carnival of Loulé
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The city of Loulé is a fairly safe area, like most other European cities, so you can’t feel at home and enjoy your carnival with peace of mind. It is important to keep your belongings in a safe place and keep an eye on your bolos or wallets so you don’t misplace them.
Loulé Carnival participants fill the streets with colors, costumes and dance
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How to get to Loulé Carnival
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How to get there by plane
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The closest airport to Loulé is Faro Airport 15 kilometers away. From there you can approach the locality through the different means of transport.
How to get there by bus
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From the airport take a bus line 16 to faro town hall, transfer to line 56 until you reach Loulé. The journey takes 1 hour.
How to get there by car
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You can take a cab or private vehicle from the airport. The journey time is 14 minutes. If you decide to take a cab, the price ranges between 20 and 30 dollars.
Where to stay at Loulé Carnival
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Accommodation in Loulé is somewhat scarce, so if you decide to go be sure to book in advance or stay in a neighboring town.
Loulé Jardim Hotel
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3-star hotel 450 meters from the city center. The rooms have TV and free internet. Facilities include a swimming pool with terrace and bar.
Eurosun Hotels
1-star hotel 500 meters from the city center. Rooms have free wifi, cable TV and private bathroom with shower. It also has a restaurant with several options.
Hotel Parque das Laranjeiras
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3 star hotel located in the town of Vilamoura 8 kilometers from Loulé. The rooms are air-conditioned and have a balcony with a view of the surroundings. They also have internet and satellite TV.
We recommend using Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:
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