Fundão Cherry Festival 2026 - Alcongosta
The village of Alcongosta dresses in cherry red to celebrate the sweetest fruit of Cova da Beira. Four days of gastronomic tastings, concerts, street entertainment and the famous cherry orchard train.
The Fundão Cherry Festival returns to Alcongosta from June 5 to 8, 2026, for another edition of what is considered one of the sweetest gastronomic celebrations in Portugal. For four days, this picturesque village in the Serra da Gardunha transforms into a vast open-air stage where the cherry — pride of the region and product with Protected Geographical Indication — takes center stage.
Visitors can wander through the tavernas spread across the village and sample all kinds of cherry-based delicacies: cherry liqueur, ginjinha, sangria, cherry bread, cakes, jams, and even savory dishes where the fruit appears as a surprise ingredient. Local producers attend with direct-sale stalls, offering cherries freshly picked from the orchards of Cova da Beira.
The programme includes street entertainment, traveling theatre, traditional music groups, evening concerts, live cooking demonstrations with guest chefs, and workshops for children. One of the highlights is the cherry orchard tourist train, which departs from the village center and takes visitors on a journey through the surrounding orchards, with stops for photography and tasting.
For more adventurous visitors, there are tethered hot air balloon rides over the mountains, skydiving, hiking trails through the orchards, and guided visits to the wicker baskets handmade by Alcongosta's artisans — an ancient tradition classified as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The Cherry Festival is organized by the Municipality of Fundão and is part of the Historical Villages of Portugal network. Admission is free and the event attracts thousands of national and international visitors, so it is advisable to arrive early and consider alternative transportation due to the heavy attendance.