Festival of Our Lady of Salas 2026
On August 14–15, Sines celebrates its patroness of fishermen in a devotion spanning 800 years. The highlight is the daytime procession with decorated fishing boats and a blessing at sea.
Every year on August 14 and 15, Sines dresses up to celebrate Nossa Senhora das Salas (Our Lady of Salas), the patroness of seafarers, in a tradition kept alive for around 800 years. It is one of the most genuine moments in this Alentejo coastal town's calendar and a unique opportunity for visitors to feel the maritime soul of Sines.
The devotion is rooted in a 13th-century legend: Princess Betaça, caught in a storm at sea, promised to build a chapel to the Virgin Mary if she survived. Sines was her refuge, and there the Church of Nossa Senhora das Salas was born. Centuries later, the navigator Vasco da Gama, born in Sines, had the temple rebuilt in fulfilment of a vow of gratitude for the success of his 1498 sea voyage to India. The church, a classified monument recently restored in a 450,000-euro intervention, reopened to the public in 2026 with its precious treasure reinstalled, including the jewels of Our Lady of Salas and a dress entirely embroidered in gold.
The festival programme, organised by the Sines Parish and a festival committee, follows a traditional format: on August 14 there is a night-time procession with rosary prayers winding through the streets of the historic centre. On August 15, the Assumption Day public holiday, a solemn mass is celebrated, followed in the late afternoon by the daytime procession — the highlight of the festivities. The image of the Virgin is carried down to the fishing port and taken aboard for the emblematic procession at sea, escorted by fishing boats decorated with flowers and flags, a moving spectacle that draws thousands of people to Avenida Vasco da Gama and the beaches.
For anyone visiting the Alentejo Coast in high summer, this festival is the perfect occasion to discover the most authentic side of Sines: the fishing community's deep bond with the ocean, local gastronomy in the restaurants and food stalls by the bay, and the heritage linked to Vasco da Gama, from the castle to the patroness's church. The celebrations are free to attend and take place between the Church of Nossa Senhora das Salas, the Igreja Matriz, the historic centre streets and the fishing port. Check the exact programme times with the Municipality of Sines before your visit.
