Golegã Horse Fair

The Feira Nacional do Cavalo has been held at Golegã around St Martin's day, 11 November, for centuries, and it is the central event of the Portuguese horse world. The Lusitano is the breed - a baroque saddle horse, closely related to the Spanish Andalusian, bred for the bullring and for high-school riding, and the Portuguese national horse. For about ten days the town's streets fill with animals: riders in Ribatejo costume, breeders showing stallions in hand, carriage displays, dressage and working equitation competitions, and horses simply being ridden through the streets among the crowds all day and much of the night. Roasted chestnuts and água-pé, a light wine made from pressed grape must, go with St Martin's day. It is genuinely a working fair where horses are traded, not a display staged for visitors, and the town is completely overwhelmed.

What you actually see

• The Lusitano - the Portuguese baroque saddle breed shown, ridden and traded.
• The street riding - horses moving through crowded streets all day.
• The competitions - dressage, working equitation and carriage classes.
• The St Martin's customs - chestnuts and água-pé through the fair.

When to go

Early to mid November, around the 11th. One to three days. Accommodation in and near Golegã books out months in advance.

Honest expectations

Loose and ridden horses in dense crowds is genuinely hazardous - keep clear and watch children. Heavy drinking, particularly at night. November weather is cold and often wet, and the ground turns to mud. Accommodation is scarce for fifty kilometres around.

Nearby

Santarém is south-west; Tomar and its convent are north.