Portuguese traditions: The Festa dos Tabuleiros!

The Festa dos Tabuleiros occurs every four years (in June or July), in the ancient Templars city of Tomar, which is located in the centre of Portugal, at 90 minutes away from Lisbon.

These celebrations origins, (in honour of Espirito Santo "Holy Spirit") remain back to medieval times to the Farmer King D. Dinis (1261 - 1325). The tabuleiros carried by girls in the procession are decorated with Holy Spirit symbols: the pigeon and the crown, and from the top to the bottom, 30 loaves of bread, colorful paper flowers and corn. Each tabuleiro has the same height as the girl who carries it. Houses are decorated for the occasion with quilts and flowers hanging from the verandas. Streets are decorated with paper flowers covering everything and also making tunnels by ceiling the streets with millions of these paper flowers. During the procession there is a shower of flower petals.