June 10th is National Day

Est. reading time: 3 min ​

Celebrating poetry, not conflicts. 

Every year on June 10th, Portugal celebrates its National Day. But unlike many countries that mark a bloody revolution or a declaration of independence, Portugal does something unique: it celebrates a poet.

This Camoes' bust sits in the Foz district, in Porto.
​The one-eyed poet that became Portugal's most iconic poet.

Our National day "Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas" is a tribute to the soul of the nation, its language and Portuguese speaking communities across the globe, all of these embodied by its greatest literary icon, Luís de Camões. He died June 10th, 1580.

Luis de Camões wasn't just a man who wrote poetry in a cozy room; he was an adventurer, a soldier who lost an eye in battle, and a survivor of a shipwreck where he allegedly saved his manuscript by swimming with one arm.

His masterpiece, "Os Lusíadas", is the ultimate epic poem detailing captain Vasco da Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India, kind of like a history book written in 1.102 stanzas. In this book, Camões decided to infuse Portuguese history with classical mythology.

Throughout his epic poem, human sailors become pawns and heroes in a grand game played by the gods of Olympus. Venus and Mars act as the divine protectors of the Portuguese explorers, while Bacchus plays the ultimate antagonist, constantly working to thwart their perilous journey.

Bacchus roman god of wine's statue in Porto.
​Starting point of our new running tour 'Bacchus and friends'

A Titan Among Giants

Camões belongs to the absolute stratosphere of global culture. He lived during a golden, world-defining era of literature, the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a time when the literary giants lived. While Camões was shaping the Portuguese language,  William Shakespeare was revolutionizing English drama, and Miguel de Cervantes was busy inventing the modern novel with Don Quixote. Cervantes was actually a great admirer of Camões and praised him in his writing. Just as Shakespeare is to English speaking countries and Cervantes is to Spanish readers, Camões is the linguistic and cultural anchor of Portugal.  To understand Camões is to understand the Portuguese identity.

Camoes' bust in Santa Catarina street, Porto.​ ​
​(photo credits: J.Portojo)

A celebration beyond borders

By celebrating Camões, Portugal honors the Portuguese language itself— stretching far beyond the geographic borders of this small European nation. From the era of courageous adventurers who built their wooden ships on the Douro river margins and first navigated unknown seas, the language has traveled, evolved, and taken root across continents. Today, Portuguese language acts as an invisible bridge, uniting millions of people in communities worldwide. Portugal may be small on a map but its linguistic domains remains vast and vibrant.

What's the best way to become a modern-day explorer?

Now, how does a modern, active traveler connect with this epic history? You could sit in a café reading Lusiadas 1,102 stanzas of poetry—or you could channel the adventurous spirit of Camoes and explore the granite streets of Porto by running! For the running tourists who want to lace up their sneakers and truly feel the city, Porto Running Tours has designed some fun guided running experiences. 

Porto Running Tours allows you to experience Portuguese culture at a dynamic pace, swapping slow-moving walking groups for an active cardio session that dives straight into Portuguese heritage.  This June 10th, don't just watch the celebrations from the sidelines. Step into the narrative. Celebrate the poetry, the mythology, and the legacy of Camoes by exploring one of Europe’s most beautiful cities - the way it was meant to be experienced: alive, moving, and breathless.

Ready to run your own epic journey?

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Uma publicação partilhada por Porto Running Tours (@portorunningtours)

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