St. Martin's Day is time for chestnuts and wine!

All over Europe, St. Martin's Day is celebrated today, November 11th!

The legend says that on a cold and rainy winter day, Martin, a former Roman soldier, shared his cloak with a beggar. Suddenly, the sun came out and the good weather lasted for three days. Martin, who had grown up a pagan, was later baptized, founded a monastery in France, and was eventually ordained Bishop of Tours.

A day especially cherished by the Portuguese, the Saint Martin's Day celebrations include a large traditional feast where bonfires are lit and chestnuts roasted. The smell of autumn is complemented with "água-pé" or "jeropiga", traditional alcoholic drinks of this season.

In Portugal, this day is still often associated with the celebration of the maturation of the wine produced by the summer harvest, being traditionally the day when the new wine can be tasted for the first time: “on St. Martin’s Day, go to the cellar and taste the wine”.

Come to the Algarve to celebrate this special date, enjoy the sunny days that still abound and visit us at Engel & Völkers Albufeira.