Events and celebrations are taking place, not only in Portugal but also across the world, including in the USA, France, Australia, Canada and the UK, where President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is visiting today.

Today is also a public holiday in Portugal and while official entities are mainly closed, most of the restaurants, cafes and tourist attractions will still be open to enjoy.

Portugal Day, or to go by its official name, “Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas”, is the National Day of Portugal that is celebrated on the 10 June every year.

The holiday celebrates Luís de Camões, an iconic poet and national hero of Portugal. Camões, who lived during the 16th century, documented many of the adventures of the nation’s great explorers and achievements in his epic poem, The Lusiads (Os Lusíadas). 2022 also marks the 450-year anniversary of the publishing of The Lusiads.

Camões’s date of birth is unknown, so instead, the holiday is celebrated on the date of his death. The icon is a symbol of patriotism in Portugal with numerous folk tales and legends attached to his name.

The holiday is celebrated by the Portuguese diaspora around the globe, with festivities taking place from New York to Toronto and London.

In Portugal, a different town or city is chosen each year to host the official celebrations, along with a chosen international Portuguese community abroad. This year, the official festivities will be held in Braga, as well as with the Portuguese community in the United Kingdom.

The main feature of the festivities in Braga will be on Friday, 10 June, on Avenida da Liberdade, where a military ceremony will take place. There will also be other, smaller events planned in the city throughout the week and over weekend.