The Carnation Revolution at 52 — What's Closed, What's Open, and How Expats Can Actually Take Part in Saturday's 25 de Abril

Saturday, 25 April 2026 is Dia da Liberdade — a full national public holiday marking 52 years since the Carnation Revolution of 1974 and 50 years since the first free legislative elections of 1976. The date defines modern Portuguese democracy in a way that a foreign resident is unlikely to fully absorb from a distance; on the ground, it is also one of the two days of the year when people turn up. This year the commemorations fall on a Saturday, which is expected to swell participation in every major city.

The Official Ceremony in Lisbon

The institutional centre of the day is the Assembleia da República in São Bento. The solemn session begins at 10:00, and will be closed by a speech from President of the Republic António José Seguro. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro will be in attendance, as will the leaders of every parliamentary group — including the ones that will spend the rest of the week disagreeing with everything the president says.

At 14:30, the president of the Assembly, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, will open the main doors of the Palácio de São Bento to the public. From then until 18:30, the Parliament and its Interpretive Centre are free to enter, with guided visits, exhibitions, and live performances scheduled throughout the afternoon. There is no ticket — you queue at the door.

Avenida da Liberdade and the Popular March

The afternoon's civic spine is the traditional descida da Avenida — a march from Marquês de Pombal down Avenida da Liberdade to Praça dos Restauradores and, in some years, on to the Rossio. It is organised by the Associação 25 de Abril together with civic groups and unions, and it is the moment non-Portuguese residents are most likely to see the holiday as a living thing rather than a civic ritual. Expect red carnations handed out by strangers, the song Grândola, Vila Morena from multiple loudspeakers, and banners on every theme in Portuguese politics. Arrive before 15:30 if you want to be near the start.

Porto, Braga and Beyond

Porto runs a two-day programme. On the eve of the 25th — Friday night, 22:00 — rapper Carlão headlines a free concert, followed by midnight fireworks. On Saturday the city holds its own Desfile da Liberdade, with live sets from Labuta and Galandum Galundaina. Braga opens the refurbished Muzeu to the public on the 24th as part of the weekend's cultural programme; Évora and Reguengos de Monsaraz combine concerts, community walks and family-friendly activities in their central squares.

What Is Closed

25 April is a full public holiday (feriado nacional obrigatório). Expect the following:

• Banks, government offices, AIMA, notaries, Finanças, Conservatórias, Segurança Social — all closed. Anything time-sensitive should have been done by Friday.
• Most small retail and independent shops — closed, particularly outside Lisbon and Porto centres.
• Hypermarkets and large chains — most open on reduced hours; check your local Continente/Pingo Doce/Auchan app.
• Restaurants and cafés — overwhelmingly open, often busy.
• Public transport — runs on Sunday/holiday timetables. Metro Lisbon and Porto operate, but CP suburban services are thinned.
• Pharmacies — rotating service; the farmácia de serviço list is posted on any pharmacy door.

If you live here, the right move on Saturday is probably not to run errands. Walk down the Avenida, take a carnation, and treat the day the way Portugal does — as the moment the country stopped being a dictatorship.