Magusto de São Martinho

The magusto happens on or around 11 November, St Martin's day, and it is one of the few Portuguese traditions that is genuinely universal - held in village squares, schools, offices, farms and back gardens across the country. Chestnuts are roasted over an open fire, usually in a perforated pan or directly in the embers, scored first so they do not burst, and eaten hot with the fingers; the accompaniment is jeropiga, a fortified must, or água-pé, a light wine made by adding water to pressed grape skins, or simply the year's new wine, which is ready around then. The saying is São Martinho, prova o vinho - at St Martin's, taste the wine. Custom in places includes rubbing soot from the fire on people's faces. Trás-os-Montes is the chestnut heartland, with the largest production and the biggest village magustos, and Portugal is among the world's major chestnut exporters.

What you actually see

• The fire - chestnuts scored and roasted over embers in a perforated pan.
• The drink - água-pé and jeropiga alongside the year's new wine.
• The soot - the custom of marking faces with ash from the fire.
• The universality - held in squares, schools and workplaces across the country.

When to go

Around 11 November. An afternoon or evening. Village magustos in Trás-os-Montes are the largest; most are community events rather than ticketed ones.

Honest expectations

Most magustos are private or community occasions rather than public events - the village ones are open, but they are not staged for visitors. Cold November weather outdoors. Água-pé and jeropiga are stronger than they taste.

Nearby

Trás-os-Montes, particularly around Bragança and Vinhais, is the chestnut country.