November 9, 2026, Portugal
Morning. It's Monday, 9 November. Lisbon 22° · Porto 20° · Faro 23°, with rain across the mainland and rough seas on Madeira's north coast from midday. Let's get into it.
📰 THE MAIN STORY
A month of strikes and protests: the November dates to know
November is shaping up as a month of protest in Portugal, over housing, pay and the cost of living, reported by Diário de Notícias. Most of it is concentrated in the second half of the month, and some of it could reach schools and health services.
What it means for you: these are the dates to put in your diary.
Saturday 14 November: a national day of action on housing, called by the Casa para Viver and Porta a Porta movements, with rallies at 3pm at Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques in Lisbon and Praça do Marquês in Porto, and events across the country, including the Azores and Madeira.
Friday 20 November: a public sector strike called by the Frente Comum, the main front of public sector unions, over pay and public services. Schools, health services and other public offices may be affected.
Saturday 21 November: a national march in Lisbon by the CGTP, the largest trade union confederation, for higher wages and pensions.
Tuesday 24 November: a CGTP rally outside parliament, linked to the vote on the 2027 budget.
Watch out for: if your children are at a state school, or you have an appointment at a health centre or hospital on 20 November, check with them closer to the date. Expect busier streets and possible traffic changes around the rallies in central Lisbon and Porto.
Housing has dominated the autumn here. Protest camps in Lisbon's Rossio and in Porto were cleared by police earlier this month, and parliament is still reviewing the government's new rental law. On Thursday, the prime minister, Luís Montenegro, met the leaders of the PS and Chega about housing, and both left without a deal, reported by DN.
In short: note 14, 20 and 21 November, and check school and health appointments for the 20th.
⚡ IN BRIEF
Fuel is cheaper from today, except diesel in Madeira
Pump prices fall from today on the mainland, by close to 10 cents a litre for petrol and diesel, the environment and energy minister, Maria da Graça Carvalho, said, reported by Razão Automóvel. Forecasts put the average at about €1.876 a litre for petrol and €2.095 for diesel, though each station sets its own price.
Madeira, which has weekly maximum prices, goes a different way: petrol falls 2.4 cents to €1.937, but diesel rises 2 cents to €2.145 until Sunday, reported by DN Madeira.
Web Summit opens in Lisbon today
Web Summit, the big technology conference, runs from today until Thursday at FIL, the Lisbon fair centre, and the MEO Arena in Parque das Nações, with about 75,000 people expected, reported by The Portugal News. The Lisbon Metro is adding trains on the Red and Green lines, and Oriente station serves both venues.
If you're not going, expect busier trains on the Red line and more traffic around Parque das Nações all week.
No trains between Marco de Canaveses and Régua until March
Trains on the Linha do Douro, the Douro valley line, are suspended between Marco de Canaveses and Peso da Régua while the line is electrified, a €110 million project, reported by The Portugal News. Infraestruturas de Portugal, which runs the works, expects services to restart on 25 March 2027.
CP, the rail operator, runs direct buses between Caíde and Régua, plus buses to every station in between. Bicycles, scooters and wheelchairs can't go on the buses, and journey times may vary with the weather.
📍 WORTH THE TRIP
Conímbriga (Condeixa-a-Nova, Coimbra district)
Walk in past the Roman walls and the town plan is still under your feet: streets, baths and floors of mosaic. Conímbriga sits on a plateau 2 km from Condeixa-a-Nova and about 16 km from Coimbra. It was a thriving Roman town until the Suebi, a Germanic people, sacked it in the 460s, and only a small part of it has been excavated.
The highlight is the Casa dos Repuxos, a house whose courtyard has water jets and mosaics showing Medusa and a sea centaur. The Casa de Cantaber, the largest house found, had about 40 rooms and underfloor heating. The museum holds coins, tools, sculptures and wall paintings found on the site. The catch: the ruins are uneven and not yet fully accessible for people with reduced mobility, though the museum is step-free.
Before you go: it's open every day from 10am to 6pm, and a ticket costs €10. There's parking on site, off the A1 motorway at the Condeixa exit. The museum may have restrictions after storm Kristin, so contact it before you visit.
Local tip: save the Casa dos Repuxos for the end. Nearby, walking trails lead to the Buracas do Casmilo, huge hollows in the Sicó limestone hills.
Find it here: Google Maps
WORD OF THE DAY
Manifestação (noun)
Say it: muh-nee-fush-tuh-SOWN
Meaning: a demonstration, a protest march
“Há uma manifestação no centro, é melhor irmos de metro.”
There's a demonstration in the centre, we'd better take the metro.
Among friends it's often shortened to manif. A concentração is a rally that stays in one place, like the housing gatherings on 14 November.
📅 Coming Up
North
São Martinho in Penafiel, until Friday 20 November, Penafiel, east of Porto. The town's patron saint festival, with a food tent and wine tastings on Praça de São Martinho. On Wednesday 11 November, the local holiday, there's a procession at 11am and a magusto, a chestnut roast, at 4pm. Details
Guimarães Jazz, opening night Thursday 12 November, 9:30pm, Centro Cultural Vila Flor, Guimarães. The festival's 35th edition opens with Brazilian guitarist Toninho Horta and the Orquestra de Guimarães. €20, or €15 with concessions. Tickets
Porto
Há Fado no Mercado, Wednesday 11 November, 8pm and 9pm, Mercado do Bolhão, Porto. Fado singer Ana Ferreira performs in two of the market's restaurants. Free. Details
Linda Martini, Wednesday 11 November, 9pm, Coliseu Porto Ageas, Porto. The Lisbon rock band plays its debut album, Olhos de Mongol, in full, 20 years on. €15 in advance, €20 on the day. Tickets
Em Casa D'Amália, Thursday 12 and Friday 13 November, 9:30pm, Coliseu Porto Ageas, Porto. A concert celebrating the life and songs of fado singer Amália Rodrigues. €25 to €55. Details
Luzes Selvagens, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November, 4:30pm to 8:30pm, Zoo Santo Inácio, Avintes, Vila Nova de Gaia. The zoo's night trail of illuminated animals and dinosaurs, on weekends and holidays until 30 December. From €10.50 online. Tickets
Centre
Feira Nacional do Cavalo, until Sunday 15 November, Golegã, in the Ribatejo. Portugal's national horse fair, at its busiest on Wednesday 11 November, São Martinho's day, with the pilgrims' procession at 11:30am and side-saddle riders at 1pm. Details
Maria, Thursday 12 November, 9:30pm, Teatro Miguel Franco, Leiria. Actor Carla Galvão performs a monologue adapted from Colm Tóibín's The Testament of Mary, in Portuguese. Details
Lisbon
LEFFEST, until Sunday 15 November, Lisbon. The Lisbon film festival's final week, with screenings, guests and awards. Details
Festa de São Martinho, Wednesday 11 November, 11am to 10pm, Fábrica da Pólvora, Barcarena, Oeiras. Oeiras council's celebration on the saint's day, with roasted chestnuts. Free entry. Details
South
Feira de São Martinho, until Sunday 15 November, Parque de Feiras e Exposições, Portimão. The Algarve town's autumn fair, which dates back to 1662, with food stalls, market stands and funfair rides. Details
A Primeira Vez, Thursday 12 November, 9:30pm, Teatro Mascarenhas Gregório, Silves. TV presenter Teresa Guilherme's comedy show, mixing personal stories and improvisation, in Portuguese. €5. Tickets
Festa do Castanheiro, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November, Marvão. The hilltop village's chestnut festival, with chestnut dishes in local restaurants from 14 to 29 November. Details
Islands
Madeira PianoFest, Wednesday 11 November, 6pm, Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias, Funchal. A recital by pianist Yolande Kouznetsov, with two more on 14 and 15 November. €20. Details
(re)cantos, Wednesday 11 November, 6:30pm Azores time (7:30pm mainland), Teatro Micaelense, Ponta Delgada, São Miguel. Raquel Dutra revisits traditional Azorean songs in a concert with short readings and talk about where the songs come from. €10. Tickets
Até amanhã,
Gabriel - DailyPortugal