There are "moments when we may exceed a million and a half, two million people inside the city of Lisbon because of the festivals," said Fernando Medina.

The Mayor of Lisbon spoke to journalists at the end of the presentation of the usual traditional festivities that Lisbon lays on in June including parades, weddings and makeshift sardine restaurants.

According to figures from the 2011 census, the Portuguese capital has about 547,000 residents.

Asked about the return that the city gets from these events, Medina stressed that "from an economic point of view of the city's life it is very significant."

Regarding the budget for the festivals, Medina said it was, "difficult to make a global quantification because the number of events is very, very vast."

The Mayor pointed out that the schedule will offer, "a month full of animation, activities, festivities, with the more traditional elementsb such as arraiais [traditional neighbourhood parties with food and music], the Saint Anthony weddings and the parades."