Feira de São João de Évora
Évora's biggest fair has run since 1569, when it was the livestock market that set prices across the Alentejo. Today it's roughly two weeks of tasquinhas (food stalls) and free concerts on the Rossio de São Brás, just outside the walls. Entry is free to the whole site, shows included.
Half a millennium of fair
The Feira de São João isn't some modern municipal event: there's documented evidence of its first edition on 24 June 1569, established by royal charter (alvará) of D. Sebastião, and a later 1574 charter fixed the Rossio de São Brás as its permanent site. The ground had already hosted fairs since the 13th century (Feira de Santiago, 1275; Feira Franqueada, 1286). For centuries it was southern Portugal's great livestock market: livestock prices for the whole Alentejo were set there, along with wages for fieldwork, cork harvesting and land clearing. In the final decades of the monarchy (up to 1910) it counted among royal visits, according to chronicles collected by Portuguese media. What remains today is a free, open popular fair with tasquinhas, exhibitions and free concerts — one of the largest in the Alentejo and in the south of the country, in the city council's own words. Tip: don't go expecting livestock or a traditional market. That's long gone.
Dates, hours and how to get there
The rule is simple: the fair moves between late June and early July, anchored to St John's Day (24th) and St Peter's Day (29th). In 2026 it ran 13 days, from 23 June to 5 July, three more than usual (recent editions have run around 10). Opening day ran from 5pm to 3am; the rest of the fair runs noon to 2am Sunday through Thursday, until 3am on Fridays, Saturdays and eves of public holidays, and until 1am on the last day. For 2027, expect similar dates around 24 June: confirm on cm-evora.pt and feirasjoao.cm-evora.pt. The site spans three adjoining spaces — Rossio de São Brás, Jardim Público and Praça 1.º de Maio — just outside the walls to the south, next to the 15th-century Ermida de São Brás and a short walk from the train and bus stations. From Praça do Giraldo or the Roman Temple, it's 10-15 minutes on foot. Free shuttle buses run nightly from 8pm to 12:30am from the outlying car parks (Avenida Engenheiro Arantes e Oliveira, Porta da Lagoa, Porta de Aviz, Avenida Lino de Carvalho), with accessible routes, toilets and parking; check the routes each year, as they can change.
Tasquinhas, not stalls
The food at this fair comes from local associations and community groups running their own tasquinhas, not chains or commercial fairground vendors. It's home-style Alentejo cooking and regional wine — that's the difference between eating well here and eating like at any generic European fairground. Timing matters: the site opens at noon, but at midday in Évora temperatures routinely pass 35°C and the fair is empty and lifeless. Things pick up once the sun goes down, between 9pm and midnight, and the free concerts close out the night. Critical tip: pick your tasquinha before 9:30pm or you'll be eating standing up in a queue. And don't confuse this with northern Portugal's São João: there are no plastic martelinhos or neighborhood sardine grills like in Porto or Braga here. The festivities are concentrated in one perimeter, not spread across the whole city. Prices and menus change every year and by stall, so don't trust old lists.
Planning it right
Three heads-ups. First, 29 June, St Peter's Day, is a municipal holiday in Évora: it was set in 1960 (in force since 1961) precisely because it used to be the fair's last day; today the calendar has stretched into early July, so the holiday no longer lines up with closing night. Before that, the holiday had been 1 May since 1911 and 21 August since December 1942. On that day the city shuts down in the afternoon, so plan museum and monument visits for the morning. Second, accommodation: Évora is small and fills up fast during these two weeks, so book months ahead — and if you're staying within the walls, expect night noise until 2-3am. Third, the peak nights are St John's Eve (24 June), weekends, eves of public holidays with extended hours, and 29 June itself: arrive early and use the free buses from the car parks. In the final days, the Grande Prémio de S. João athletics race takes place (5km and 10km; in 2026 it ran on 4 July at 9pm).
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay to get into the Feira de São João?
When exactly does it take place?
Is the fair in Évora's historic center?
Is it like Porto's São João?
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you book through them, Andelaria may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Transparency & affiliate policy
Book tickets and tours: Feira de São João de ÉvoraPlan your trip
Book the essentials for your trip to Évora.
Other places in Évora
Templo de Diana
temploThe best-preserved Roman temple on the Iberian Peninsula, dating from the 1st century and dedicated to the imperial cult (most likely Augustus, despite the popular name). It survived because it was absorbed into a castle during the Middle Ages. Its 14 Corinthian columns, right in the historic centre, are Évora's most photographed sight.
Sé de Évora (Catedral)
catedralPortugal's largest medieval cathedral, built between 1280 and 1340, blending Gothic with late Romanesque and featuring two asymmetrical towers. Entry to the cathedral alone costs 2 €; adding the cloister, panoramic terrace and museum brings it up to 4.50 €. You can climb the bell tower via a 135-step spiral staircase to a terrace with views over the whole Alentejo.
Capela dos Ossos
capillaAttached to the Igreja Real de São Francisco, its walls and columns are covered with the bones and skulls of around 5,000 people, the work of 17th-century Franciscan monks. Above the door, an inscription warns: 'Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos' ('We bones here await yours'). The ticket (6–7 €, free under 12) includes the museum core, the nativity-scene (presépios) gallery and the panoramic terrace.
Praça do Giraldo
plazaÉvora's living room since the 16th century, anchored at one end by the Igreja de Santo Antão and its eight-spout marble fountain. Ringed by arcades, cafés and shops, it once hosted Inquisition autos-da-fé and is now the starting point for any walk through the historic centre.
Aqueduto da Água de Prata
acueductoAn 18-kilometre aqueduct built in the 16th century by the architect Francisco de Arruda — the same behind the Torre de Belém — to supply the city with water. Its most photogenic stretch runs along Rua do Cano, where the arches have been built directly into the fronts of the houses.
Universidade de Évora (Colégio do Espírito Santo)
universidadFounded in 1559 by the Jesuits, it's Portugal's second-oldest university after Coimbra. Its two-storey Renaissance cloister and 18th-century azulejo-lined classrooms, including the famous 'Sala dos Actos', can be visited while it continues to function as an active university; entry (3 €) is usually free outside the 25 July–31 August period.
Festival Imaterial
fiestaImaterial is Évora's intangible heritage and world music festival, run by the Município together with the Fundação Inatel under the motto "Pensar e Viver o Património" (Thinking and Living Heritage). It takes place in mid-to-late May in the Jardim Público. Talks and workshops are free; the evening concerts are ticketed, sold as double bills.
Similar places in other cities
Festas de Santo Antonio de Lisboa
LisboaThe Festas de Santo António are Lisbon's biggest celebration: free and open throughout June, with the main night falling on the 12th to 13th. Neighbourhood arraiais with sardinha assada, the Marchas Populares along Avenida da Liberdade (each bairro competes) and the collective Casamentos de Santo António at the Sé. Over 40 events, nearly all at no cost.
Festas de Lisboa
LisboaThe Festas de Lisboa honour Santo António (who died on 13 June 1231) throughout the entire month of June, with the climax on the night of the 12th. Free and open to all: neighbourhood arraiais with grilled sardines, manjericos and the Marchas Populares along Avenida da Liberdade since 1932.
NOS Alive
LisboaNOS Alive is one of Portugal's biggest music festivals. A ticketed event (day passes or full festival passes), it takes place every July at the Passeio Marítimo de Algés (Oeiras), on the banks of the Tagus river just a few minutes by train from central Lisbon. Rock, indie, pop and electronic music since 2007.