Dia de Portugal: A Day to Celebrate Our Soul – With a Fork in Hand

Ah, June 10th—Dia de Portugal, de Camões, e das Comunidades Portuguesas. The one day of the year when every Portuguese heart beats a little louder, our saudade swells with pride, and even our pastéis de nata seem to stand taller. It’s our national day, folks, and it’s more than just a public holiday. It’s a celebration of everything that makes us... well, us.

Why June 10th?

We mark this day in honor of Luís de Camões, our legendary poet who gave us Os Lusíadas, the great epic of Portuguese discoveries. He died on June 10th, 1580, and ever since, that date has grown into a symbol of our identity—not just of Camões himself, but of what he stood for: bravery, adventure, and that Portuguese stubbornness that says, “Why not sail off the edge of the world?”

But this day isn’t only about looking back at old poems and battles. It’s also for celebrating the Portuguese communities around the world—from Newark to Mozambique, from Luxembourg to Macau. No matter where we go, we bring our language, our warmth, our food, and yes, our uncanny ability to argue about who makes the best bacalhau.

Portugal in the Heart, Algarve in the Belly

Now, if you’re lucky enough to be in Faro on this glorious day, you’re in for a treat. Here in the Algarve, we don’t just celebrate with flags and fado—we do it with clinking glasses, sizzling pans, and the smell of grilled fish wafting down cobbled streets.

And if you’re looking for where to experience all of this in one plate? You guessed it. Come on down to Tasca Do Ricky.

At my place, we don’t just cook—we carry on tradition. Every dish we serve is a nod to the generations before us. Whether it’s freshly grilled dourada, our seafood cataplana, or the simple joy of a perfectly dressed salad with local olive oil, we cook like it’s meant to be done—with heart, with time, and without fuss.

It’s About More Than Food

Here at Tasca Do Ricky, I like to say that every meal tells a story. On June 10th, that story is Portugal’s: explorers, poets, fishermen, grandmothers, and everyone who ever held a piece of this country in their heart.

So whether you’re raising a glass of red in Lisbon, biting into grilled sardines in Porto, or sitting at a cozy table here in Faro with your napkin tucked in, you’re part of something bigger. Something deeply, beautifully Portuguese.

Let’s not forget—we are a small country, but our spirit is vast. And on Dia de Portugal, we show the world exactly what that means.