Loulé Carnival

Loulé Carnival
More than one hundred years old, the Carnival of Loulé is now one of the city´s most important tourist attractions.

Of all the towns of the Algarve, it is here that these festivities are more animated and significant, attracting thousand of visitors during the three days of parades.

Although originally the Carnival had a religious character, full of symbolism and values related to Nature, now it is a colourful feast dominated by merry-making, fun, enjoyment and people in a good mood.

At Loulé, the José da Costa Mealha Avenue is carefully prepared and decorated for the event, with bright and colourful paper ornaments.

Among the high points of the festivities are the Battle of Flowers and the parades of allegorical floats, of different shapes according to the imagination of those who constructed them, but always with the purpose of reproducing, in a satirical way, actual situations.

At some places, the tradition of "Burying the Shrove-Time" (the symbol of Carnival) is still kept, thus ending three days where merry-making and having fun are obligatory...