Lisbon Chronicles | Medieval Fair at Palmela

A long, long time ago... when I was a little girl there were two book collections very famous in Portugal. One dedicated to girls and the other to boys. I must confess that found those young ladies books a total bore and read all of the books from the boy's collection that I could get my hands on. Arthurian novels describing the quests of the nights of the Round Table, the adventures of Marco Polo, heroes engaged in interminable pursuits and dangers were my favorite, and in my imagination, I was some kind of avant la lettre strong female character that tagged along with the boys on those medieval sceneries of magic and adventure.

Maybe because of those early fantasies, I always enjoy visiting historic places. Events like Medieval Fairs are guaranteed to provide me with a great time and whenever I have the opportunity I try to visit one. Lucky me that in Portugal there are several Medieval Fairs every Summer. Last week I've visited Palmela's Medieval Fair and loved it so much that must recommend you not to miss it next year if you have the chance.

This large medieval fair lasts 3 days and is very conveniently located in and around Palmela's Castle, less than an hour away from Lisbon. The grounds are well organized with market areas, lots of food stands and exhibition areas where you can find daily medieval activities exemplified by artisans, and instructors, animals, and scenes of the household life.

Several groups of music, dancers, and performers animate the fair all through the day and night and the diversity of foods and drinks with a medieval twist guarantee that you'll have all you need to a long enjoying visit. But the high point of the night is the jousts with nights and warriors fighting each other with courage and honor.

Feira Medieval de Palmela
Organization - Palmela's City Council
Ticket Prices for September 2017:
1 Day: 2,50 euros | 3 days: 5,00 euros | Children under 12: Free
Medieval Costumes (1 day rental: 6 euros)