It did rain on some parades, such as in Mealhada, but that did little to dampen the spirits of carnival-goers.
Towns and cities throughout the country exploded with hot Latin rhythms, colourful skimpy outfits and showers of streamers and confetti to mark the time-honoured event, which is often seized to satirize national and global current affairs.
This year the country’s processions ranged from Seas and Oceans to WebSummit themes.
Even though parties and parades had been held over the weekend, the pinnacle of carnival was on Tuesday, which for many was an unofficial holiday.
Two of the country’s most famous parade’s – Torres Vedras, known as the ‘most Portuguese carnival in Portugal’ and which welcomed some 400,000 spectators, and Loulé, the ‘oldest carnival in Portugal’ – went ahead as usual, to the delight of the throngs who pitched up in their thousands.
However, figures from policing operations staged throughout the country over the carnival long weekend are less pleasing, with more than 40 people having been detained by PSP police in the 24 hours leading up to the big event in Lisbon alone.
A statement from the force said between 9am Monday morning and 9am Tuesday morning, operations in the capital saw 44 people arrested for crimes including drug trafficking, drink-driving, entering non-public places, and carrying weapons.
The GNR’s figures from its annual Carnival road safety operation are equally as grim, with six deaths, 13 serious injuries and 292 walking-wounded during an operation that spanned from last Saturday until midnight on Tuesday.
The action clamped down on popular carnival spots, and saw more accidents and deaths than last year, having registered 962 crashes over the four days.