Christmas Markets in Europe are a really big deal. There are huge ones all over and they all look amazing. I’m sure you have seen content about them throughout Germany, Austria, London, Paris and pretty much everywhere else in Europe. I love how into the Christmas spirit this whole continent gets because I, like so many others, absolutely LOVE Christmas. There is just something so magical about this time. The glittering lights, the gorgeous Christmas trees, the decorations. Everything is just beautiful. Even the small towns get into the celebrations. The Christmas spirit is literally everywhere and it makes my little heart so happy!
I really wanted to go to Lisbon this year before Christmas. Lisbon has a huge Christmas market called Wonderland Lisboa at the Parque Eduardo VII, right in the center of downtown. There are also smaller markets around the city including one at Rossio Square. I was in Lisbon last year at this time but it was only for 1 night and I didn’t know about all of them so I only went to Rossio Square. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going to be able to make it up there this year.
So since I can’t go to Lisboa, we went to the Christmas Village in Vila Real. Vila Real is a small city about 30 minutes away from Tavira. I have written about the city before, most recently in my Off Season Algarve post. Every year, there is a Christmas Village in the center of town. It is probably the largest Christmas Market in the East Algarve.
So we made plans with friends to go on a Saturday night. We drove over and had dinner at Bistro Bar Latte. This was my 2nd time eating here, it is really good. I had an incredible Goat Cheese Salad. After dinner we walked over to the market and everything was closed. I didn’t ever bother to check the times of the market, I just assumed it would be open in the evening but apparently not lol. The lights were still on though so we were able to take a few pictures without the crowds.
The next day we went back in the late afternoon and it was packed! The whole place was poppin, even CNN Portugal was there! When we arrived, they were getting ready to start a motorcycle run and all the bikers were dressed in Santa costumes.
We walked past the bikes and made our way to the center where there was a concert going on. There was a singer and dancers in Santa costumes. It was a huge party.
In the market were a bunch of stands selling everything from crafts and gifts, to spices and foods, and of course mulled Wine. You can’t go to a Christmas Market and not have mulled wine.
The village was decorated beautifully with a giant lighted tree in the center. There were plenty of great spots for photo-ops too. A giant lighted Christmas gift, a huge inflatable snowman, Gingerbread men cutouts, and of course a little area for Santa.
If you have kids there is plenty to do for them as well. There was a small ice skating rink, a playground area, and a crafting area.
One of the biggest draws to the Christmas Village in Vila Real is the yearly Nativity Scene. It is the largest in all of Portugal. I had heard about it last year but didnt get a chance to go, so this year I wanted to check it out. I had read that it was really large and really cool to see but I was absolutely astounded by how cool it was in person. This exhibit has been a tradition for 21 years and each year it gets bigger and bigger. This year it occupied an area of 240 square meters. It is basically a recreation of an entire historical city, completely brought to life with lights, sounds, movement, and even running water. It has elements of the region such as the salt flats and local monuments but then also incorporates Christian and Pagan elements of Christmas. It was really spectacular to see!
The entire scene takes months to create by multiple artists. It is made from mostly natural materials or recycled items. They use a ton of cork, which is a huge staple of Portugal. They also use sand and moss.
The recreation is so realistic and cool. There are homes and farms with people tending to the animals. There is a market with stalls of food and textiles and even a butcher. There is a playground with children playing. There are wells and a river that runs through with bridges that cross over it. There was a fishmonger and ship builders. There were women hanging laundry and selling pottery. There were men playing cards at a table. There was an amphitheater and even a castle above the town. And of course, in the middle of all of it was a baby Jesus in a stable. It was literally an entire town, recreated, and came to life. It was absolutely incredible.
Entrance to the Nativity Scene is €1 for adults and takes about 20 minutes to walk through. There were a lot of people there though so if it’s less busy, it might be faster. This Nativity scene attracts people from all over and with good reason. If you are ever in the Algarve during Christmas time, be sure to check it out. It’s open from December 1- January 7.
So even though I didn’t get to go to Lisboa, the Christmas Village in Vila Real was fun to do. Hopefully next year I can do Wonderland Lisboa and maybe another one in Germany or somewhere else. That is definitely on my bucket list!
Thanks for reading. Make sure to follow me on Instagram @vegas.to.portugal to see more videos of the market, the Nativity scene, and more of my daily life. 💙
January 22, 2024 at 9:13 am
good!!!