Feira da Laranja de Silves

Food Festival · February

The Feira da Laranja, the Orange Fair of Silves, celebrates the citrus harvest that has been central to the town's agricultural identity since the Moorish period. Held over a weekend in February, when the orange groves of the Arade valley are at their most productive, the fair showcases the fruit and its derivatives while providing a festive start to the Algarve's agricultural year.

Oranges were introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors, and the Algarve's warm climate and irrigated valleys proved ideal for citrus cultivation. Silves, positioned in the Arade valley with access to water from the river and its tributaries, became one of the most important citrus-growing areas in the region. The Algarve orange, with its thin skin, intense colour and sweet juice, gained a reputation for quality that extended well beyond Portugal's borders. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Algarve oranges were exported by sea to markets in northern Europe, and the orange trade was a significant contributor to the regional economy.

The Feira da Laranja brings the orange harvest to the streets of Silves. Market stalls sell fresh oranges by the crate, alongside orange juice, orange liqueur, orange marmalade, orange-flavoured cakes and pastries, and savoury dishes incorporating orange. The range of orange-derived products is impressive, reflecting the versatility of the fruit and the ingenuity of local producers.

Beyond the oranges, the fair includes stalls selling other Algarve agricultural products, including almonds, figs, carob, honey and medronho. Live music, folk dancing and children's entertainment provide a festive atmosphere, and the streets of Silves's historic centre, overlooked by the Moorish castle, provide an attractive setting.

The fair attracts visitors from across the Algarve and has become an established fixture in the regional events calendar. For Silves, which has worked steadily to develop its cultural tourism offer through events such as the Feira Medieval and the orange fair, the event reinforces the town's identity as a place of historical depth and agricultural tradition. It also serves as a reminder that the Algarve's economy was built on the land as well as the sea, and that the fruit trees planted by the Moors continue to bear a harvest that sustains both livelihoods and traditions.