Manteigas Summer Music Festival 2026
From 15 to 22 August 2026, Manteigas hosts the second edition of its Summer Music Festival, organised by the Lisboa Cantat Symphonic Choir. A week of concerts and choral workshops in the heart of Serra da Estrela, culminating in a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
From 15 to 22 August 2026, the mountain town of Manteigas becomes a stage for classical music as it hosts the second edition of the Manteigas Summer Music Festival, an initiative by the Lisboa Cantat Symphonic Choir that brings together choral music, training and natural heritage in the heart of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park.
Over one intense week, amateur and professional singers from across Portugal gather in the glacial Zêzere valley to work on a remarkably diverse repertoire: from English and Italian madrigals to classic film music of the 1940s–1960s, culminating in Beethoven's monumental Ninth Symphony, with its famous "Ode to Joy".
The festival programme includes chamber music concerts throughout the week, vocal technique sessions and performances involving local musicians, building bridges between the Manteigas community and visiting participants. The highlight comes with the major performances of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, with concerts scheduled in Guarda on 19 August and in Manteigas on 20 August.
For visitors, the festival is a unique chance to combine culture and nature: by day, the trails of the glacial valley, the Poço do Inferno waterfall and the mountain levadas invite you to hike; in the late afternoon and evening, choral music fills the town's churches and public spaces. August is also one of the best times to visit Serra da Estrela, with mild temperatures at altitude and cool evenings perfect for concerts.
The festival is organised by the Lisboa Cantat Symphonic Choir, one of Portugal's most respected choral ensembles, with the involvement of the Municipality of Manteigas. Participants in this edition will also have the opportunity to join the performance of the Ninth Symphony at the opening concert of Festa do Avante on 4 September 2026, with the Sinfonietta Orchestra of Lisbon.
Registration for the choral workshops is open on the festival's official website, where participation conditions can be found. For information about concerts open to the public, contact the organisers directly at [email protected] or by phone at (+351) 918 188 572 and (+351) 962 844 191. A week in which mainland Portugal's highest mountain sings — and invites everyone to listen.
