The Serra da Estrela is undergoing a cultural transformation regarding its nightlife. A square in Guarda, which for years was almost deserted after dinner, now hosts concertinas, guitars and dance couples to the rhythm of traditional music. This change was driven in part by the ContraDança Festival, which has become one of the engines of this cultural renewal in the region.
The festival attracts people of different ages seeking alternative nighttime social experiences to more conventional offerings. A photograph of an animated square with traditional dances well summarizes this metamorphosis of the nights in Serra da Estrela, showing how music and folk dance are conquering new space in the Portuguese nightly routine.