The historical re-enactment “Medieval Journey”, which ended this Sunday in Santa Maria da Feira, registered around 650,000 visitors in 12 days and accounted for an overall turnover of 2.2 million euros, between admissions and merchandising.
The information was provided to the Lusa news agency by the president of the municipality which, in the Aveiro district and Porto Metropolitan Area, organizes the event through the municipal company Feira Viva, in collaboration with dozens of local communities and using around 1,600 workers and 400 volunteers per day.
The overall turnout for the initiative reflects an average of 50,000 visitors per day – including single-ticket holders and free-transit wristband users – and the total revenue represents a surplus of 300,000 euros compared to the investment of 1.9 million in the 2024 edition – referring only to entrance fees, the organization’s merchandise and themed areas for additional payment, without accounting for the turnover of private traders who operated taverns and stalls at the event.
“We’ve managed to build something that is fantastic, unique and singular in Portugal,” says the mayor of Feira, Amadeu Albergaria. “The balance of this 27th edition is extremely positive and the opinions collected on site and on social media confirm our perception that the venue was more airy, with more seating areas, more shaded areas and nearly 4,500 seats in the squares and stages, which are some of the factors that contributed to visitor satisfaction,” he explains.
The Social Democrat mayor also highlights the cultural contribution of the initiative, with its more than 30 new shows: “This edition involved nearly 1,200 cultural actors, including directors, choreographers, amateur and professional actors, extras, dancers, musicians and light and sound technicians. This number positions the Medieval Journey as one of the biggest cultural events in the country”.
Of the 110 entertainment options available daily on the 37 hectares of the site, there were six that stood out for their demand: among those with access already included in the ticket or free of charge, the three large-format shows next to the Mata das Guimbras, with reenactments of episodes from the reign of King Duarte; among those that required additional payment, the Castelo da Feira, the Liça dos Torneios and the Magic Forest.
“With regard to the Castle, which made a full return to the Medieval Journey this year [after renovation work], there was an 80% increase compared to the 2023 edition, meaning that this time we welcomed 10,000 visitors,” says Amadeu Albergaria.
The tournaments on the slab by the Ecovia do Cáster, meanwhile, saw “several sold-out sessions and were watched by around 1,400 people a day, a turnout that almost doubled compared to 2023”.
