Sunny Lisbon

When you think about bullfighting you’ll normally think of Spain,  but Portugal  also has an historical background that brought this tradition to present days. Being in favor or against it, the fact is that they exist and are very common is Portugal, mostly on the central and southern parts of the country. Lisbon has in Campo Pequeno it’s official bullfighting ring.

The building was completed in 1892, and has a very particular style inspired in Moorish buildings of the Iberia Peninsula, built in orange bricks and with cyan domes. For many years, however, the building suffered profound degradation until the beginning of this century, when it was fully remodeled. Today it has it’s doors open again, and more than a bullfighting ring, it is also a concert room (Muse, James Blunt or Lou Reed are some of the names who have played there) and a shopping mall, with stores and small restaurants.

Bullfighting

Summer is the official season for bullfighting performances. You can check the official Campo Pequeno website for future venues and prices (sorry the page only seems to have a Portuguese version, use our Translate Me This! page to post any questions). If you seen a show like this in Spain, let me tell about the two main differences between bullfighting in these countries. First, in Portugal, it’s not allowed to kill the bull in the arena, since it’s considered an act of cruelty to kill an animal for entertainment. Second, it’s a Portuguese tradition to have groups of Forcados, men facing the bull on feet, with no sword or cape, trying to hold them with their single hands. You can check this video to get the idea.

Prices and More Information

You can check the official web page for accurate prices of the venues, but just for information, watching a bullfight can cost you something between close to 20€ to 75€, prices vary with the location of your seat.

Official Web Site