St Martin's Day in the Algarve 2026: chestnuts and fairs near Albufeira

In the Algarve, November smells of roasting chestnuts. St Martin's Day, São Martinho, falls on 11 November, a Wednesday this year, and it's the perfect excuse for a magusto: hot chestnuts, young wine and long conversations around a table. The weather is often kind at this time of year, the so-called St Martin's summer, and the autumn fairs fill up with families. Here's what's worth seeing near Albufeira and Quinta da Balaia, between Santa Eulália and Olhos de Água, with the driving time for each outing.

What is São Martinho (and St Martin's summer)?

Legend has it that Martin, a Roman soldier, cut his cloak in two to share it with a beggar on a cold day, and that the sun came out straight away. Hence verão de São Martinho, the mild days that so often arrive around this date. It isn't a public holiday, but it's one of Portugal's best-loved traditions.

A magusto is simple: roasted chestnuts, jeropiga or água-pé (traditional sweet and light wines) for the grown-ups, and often music and long tables in the village square. For children, the fun is peeling the chestnuts while they're still warm and ending up with sooty fingers.

Chestnut festivals in Albufeira: Ferreiras, Guia and Paderne

On 11 November, the Festa de São Martinho in Ferreiras starts at 5pm in Largo da Nora, with free roasted chestnuts for everyone, food stalls with regional sweets and Portuguese folk music. Entry is free. Ferreiras is about 15 minutes' drive from Quinta da Balaia.

In recent years Albufeira council has held a magusto in every parish on the day itself, for example at the Caliços municipal market, the market in Guia and the square in Paderne, all free to attend. The 2026 programme is still to be announced, so check the council's events page the week before. Caliços is about 10 minutes away by car, Guia about 15 and Paderne about 20.

St Martin's Fair in Portimão (6–15 November)

This is Portimão's oldest popular festival, dating back to 1662, and this year it runs from 6 to 15 November at the Parque de Feiras e Exposições. Expect roasted chestnuts, octopus, farturas (Portuguese churros) and popcorn, food stalls, market stands selling a bit of everything, and fairground rides and dodgems next to the Portimão Arena. Entry is free.

It's about 40 minutes' drive from Quinta da Balaia via the A22. For a calmer visit with children, go in the early afternoon on a weekday. The fairground has two entrances, south by the railway bridge and north on the Caldeira do Moinho side, and the Vai e Vem town bus also stops there.

Aljezur Sweet Potato Festival (27–29 November)

Aljezur's sweet potato, the lira variety, has Protected Geographical Indication status and a festival all of its own, held this year from 27 to 29 November at the Espaço Multiusos de Aljezur (EMA), from 12 noon to 1am. There are sweet potato cakes and pastries, dishes from local cooks, producers' stalls, crafts, music and family activities. Entry and parking are free.

Aljezur is about 1 hour 10 minutes' drive away, so make a day of it: walk up to the castle, have lunch at the festival and finish the afternoon watching the Atlantic at Arrifana or Monte Clérigo, on the Costa Vicentina.

How to roast chestnuts in the oven: a magusto at the villa

If you'd rather stay in, pick up chestnuts at the Caliços municipal market or at the supermarket, 3 minutes away by car. Score each shell with a knife, roast them in the oven at 200 °C for 20 to 25 minutes, then wrap them in a tea towel for a few minutes before peeling. Add a glass of jeropiga for the adults and juice for the children, and you've got your own São Martinho.

Staying in the Algarve for longer this winter? Have a look at our winter long stays.