As part of an ongoing project exploring the traditions, communities and stories often not seen beyond Portugal’s main tourist paths, I documented two pagan carnivals in February 2026.
More than a spring celebration, the event reconnects younger generations to the remote mountain villages they’ve moved from to larger cities. It also reflects the historic tension between local culture and outside authority, as these communities were isolated from the church and dictatorial influence.
The two carnivals presented here are firstly the Entrudo do Lazrim, and secondly the Entrudo do Corrida in the Aldeias do Xisto (Schist villages).
