A fair that first opened its gates in 1662 is back for round 363. Portimão's Feira de São Martinho runs from November 6 to 15 at the city's fairground, and it remains one of the biggest nights-out on the Algarve calendar.
The formula hasn't changed much in three and a half centuries, and that's the point. Expect amusement rides and bumper cars running late into the night, food stalls pumping out roasted chestnuts, farturas (Portugal's ridged fried-dough pastries, heavy on the sugar) and pão com chouriço — bread stuffed with chorizo. Roasted octopus, dried fruits, roasted sweet potatoes and the usual candyfloss-and-popcorn lineup fill out the food offer, while rows of stalls sell clothing, footwear, kitchenware and general household goods. It's part funfair, part giant street market, and very much a local event rather than a tourist show.
Two days come with discounts. November 11 is Youth Day, geared towards children and teenagers, and the closing day on November 15 is family day, with participating attractions cutting prices. Car fans get their own draw: a new and used vehicle exhibition runs at the Portimão Arena throughout the fair.
Opening hours shift across the ten days, so plan accordingly. The fairground opens at 4pm on the first day, November 6, and stays open until 1am. November 7 runs 10am to 1am, November 8 to 12 from 10am to midnight, November 13 and 14 back to a 1am close, and the final night wraps at midnight. Entrances sit on both sides of the grounds: the southern gate near the riverside and railway bridge (with parking available) and the northern gate by Largo Gil Eanes and Cardosas. Portimão's Vai e Vem city buses stop at Cardosas, Parque de Feiras e Exposições and Largo do Dique, which saves you the parking hunt.
One thing to know if you're in town for markets rather than funfairs: Portimão's regular monthly market is cancelled in November because of the fair and returns on December 7.
Why bother as a visitor? Because this is the Algarve in its off-season mode — warm enough by day, quiet on the beaches, and full of local life inland. A centuries-old fair gives you an evening out that costs little more than what you eat, and chestnut-and-fartura season is a genuinely Portuguese autumn experience you won't get in summer. If you're staying anywhere between Lagos and Albufeira, Portimão is an easy train or bus hop for a night.
