Feast of São Lourenço in Manteigas

On 10 August 2026, the parish of Santa Maria in Manteigas celebrates the Feast of São Lourenço (Saint Lawrence), one of the most deeply rooted religious festivals in this mountain municipality's calendar. Held every year on the saint's day — 10 August — the feast is part of the cycle of fairs, festivals and romarias officially listed by the Manteigas tourism office.

Saint Lawrence, a 3rd-century martyr, is celebrated at the height of summer, when Manteigas is at its best: the glacial Zêzere valley is lush and green, the evenings are mild, and the town buzzes with visitors and emigrants returning home for the August festivities. It is precisely this homecoming that gives the romarias of Manteigas their special character — a gathering of generations, of those who left and those who stayed.

As is traditional in the religious festivals of Serra da Estrela, the programme combines the devotional component — mass and celebrations in honour of the saint — with popular festivities that spill into the streets of Santa Maria, one of the two historic parishes at the centre of the town, on the right bank of the Zêzere river.

For anyone visiting Manteigas in August, the Feast of São Lourenço is an authentic opportunity to experience mountain culture. The parish of Santa Maria holds some of the town's most picturesque corners, with narrow streets and traditional houses, and is a starting point for some of the region's best walks: the São Sebastião viewpoint, the Poço do Inferno waterfall and the glacial valley trails.

Make the most of your visit by tasting local flavours — PDO Serra da Estrela cheese, rye bread, cured sausages and traditional sweets — and by exploring the wool-making heritage that shaped the history of Manteigas. August is also a month of other celebrations in the municipality: the Feast of São Nuno in Sameiro on the first weekend, the Feast of Nossa Senhora da Anunciação in Vale de Amoreira on the second Sunday, and the Feast of Senhor do Calvário, also in Santa Maria, on the second-to-last weekend of the month.

To confirm the detailed programme of celebrations, contact the Manteigas tourism office or the Town Hall (phone +351 275 980 000). A simple, genuine festival — much like the mountains that host it.