Why Freamunde is famous for capons
Freamunde is known for its capon, a slow-growing chicken with Protected Geographical Indication status. Read on for a capon fair held every 13 December since a royal provision of 1719, writers who praised the bird, a Germanic place name and the July festivities where the 'vaca de fogo' began.
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Freamunde is a city and parish in the municipality of Paços de Ferreira, in the district of Porto and the Tâmega e Sousa sub-region. Its name is of Germanic origin, a genitive of "Fredemundus", and is often read as "land of peace and protection", linked to the Suebi who settled the region in the early 5th century. Older traces survive too: the Castro dos Mortórios hillfort is shared between Freamunde and Covas, and a bronze spear or dagger tip found there is held at the Museum of the Seminário Maior in Porto. The parish already appears in King Afonso III's inquiries of 1258, under the patronage of São Salvador.
Freamunde is best known for the capon. The Capão de Freamunde, a slow-growing chicken castrated before maturity, is described by the municipality as the town's emblem and the only Portuguese poultry with Protected Geographical Indication status. Writers from Gil Vicente to Eça de Queirós and Camilo Castelo Branco mentioned it, and Camilo recommended it lightly flambéed with aged brandy and served with crisp skin.
Every 13 December the town holds the Feira dos Capões, also called the Feira de Santa Luzia, a traditional capon fair made official by a royal provision from King João V in 1719. In July, the Festas Sebastianas take place on the second weekend of the month; they are where the "vaca de fogo", a fire-spitting pyrotechnic bull, first appeared.
The craft beer scene in Freamunde is still waiting to be discovered. With Paços de Ferreira and Porto close by, travellers can look around the wider area to see what is being poured nearby.
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Frequently asked questions
Freamunde is a city and parish in the municipality of Paços de Ferreira, in the district of Porto and the Tâmega e Sousa sub-region. Its name is of Germanic origin, often read as 'land of peace and protection' and linked to the Suebi who settled the region in the early 5th century.
The capon is a slow-growing chicken castrated before maturity. The municipality describes it as the town's emblem and the only Portuguese poultry with Protected Geographical Indication status. Writers from Gil Vicente to Eça de Queirós and Camilo Castelo Branco mentioned it, and Camilo recommended it lightly flambéed with aged brandy, with crisp skin.
The capon fair, also named after Saint Lucy, takes place every 13 December. It is a traditional fair that was made official by a royal provision from King João V in 1719. According to the municipality, the capon at its heart is the only Portuguese poultry with Protected Geographical Indication status.
The town's July festivities take place on the second weekend of the month. They are where the 'vaca de fogo', a fire-spitting pyrotechnic bull, first appeared. The parish itself is old: it already appears in King Afonso III's inquiries of 1258, and a nearby hillfort shared with Covas shows even older settlement.