Best time to visit Lisbon

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Lisbon

Best time of year to visit Lisbon

Thinner crowds and balmy weather makes mid-April through May and September through October the best time to visit Lisbon. Late spring means orange blossoms all around. Plus, who can resist a glass (or a bottle?) during the fall wine season? These months have the lowest prices on hotels and flights as well. You can even put your finger on the beach season.

Times between June and August bring in skyrocketing rates and chords of tourists to the city and beaches. Fortunately, summer in Lisbon is almost rainless, which is handy for several festivals like Super Bock Super Rock or Sumol Summer Fest.

Even though temperatures significantly drop from November to February, the winter in Lisbon is relatively warm. Sure enough, you'll need rain gear for your promenades, but that's nothing compared to the expensive rates you’ll avoid.

14 THINGS TO DO IN LISBON (JULY 30 - AUGUST 08)

Lisbon Bullfighting

Lisbon Bullfighting

Easter Sunday–late summer (on selected Thursdays) • event

Tauromaquia in Portugal is no less colorful than Spanish corrida

Brunch Electronik

Brunch Electronik

unconfirmedmid-July–mid-September 2023 • event

A series of open-air weekend events full of electronic music and activities for both kids and adults

Summer Jazz Concerts

Summer Jazz Concerts

May–September • event

During summer, dozens of jazz concerts take place around the city

Vinho Verde

Vinho Verde

August–September • food

Light sparkling wines, perfect for summer heat

Sardines Season

Sardines Season

July–August • food

Sardine is the most popular fish in Portugal

Arrábida Nature Park

Arrábida Nature Park

April–October (all year round) • nature

This area offers a wide selection of activities—hiking, diving, exploring flora and fauna, and local product tasting

Beach Season

Beach Season

May–September • activity

There are plenty of places for relaxation in Lisbon surroundings

Tagus River Sunset Cruise

Tagus River Sunset Cruise

May–September (all year round) • activity

Looking at Lisbon from its waterfront gives you a different perspective

Arriba Fóssil da Costa de Caparica Protected Landscape

Arriba Fóssil da Costa de Caparica Protected Landscape

March–October (all year round) • nature

Picturesque prehistoric cliffs hang over vast beaches creating an impressive landscape

Kitesurfing and Windsurfing

Kitesurfing and Windsurfing

March–October • activity

Get familiar with famous Nortada and enjoy great waves

CCB Summer

CCB Summer

June 4–October 5, 2023 • event

Listen to the jazz music and watch movies in the Centro Cultural de Belém

Cycling

Cycling

all year round  • activity

A fun, easy, and fast way to explore the city’s highlights

Diving

Diving

all year round  • activity

Reefs, wrecks, deep dives—a lot of opportunities are open to divers in the vicinity of Lisbon

Food Markets

Food Markets

all year round • activity

Lisbon is famous for its organic markets and fairs where you can buy food directly from local farms. Discover the taste of Lisbon!

30 THINGS TO DO OUT OF SELECTED DATE RANGE

Rock in Rio Lisboa

Rock in Rio Lisboa

unconfirmedJune 2024 • event

One of the world's biggest music and entertainment festivals

Festas de Lisboa (Festas dos Santos Populares)

Festas de Lisboa (Festas dos Santos Populares)

out of rangeJune 1–June 30 • event

Every June the streets of Lisbon are decorated, and the smell of grilled sardines fills the air for a few days

Lisbon Christmas Markets

Lisbon Christmas Markets

out of rangeDecember 2022–early January 2023 • event

Immerse yourself in Lisbon's festive atmosphere with holiday markets and seasonal attractions

Wine Season

Wine Season

out of rangeSeptember–November • food

Witness grape harvesting and winemaking in one of Portugal's most famous​ wine regions

Portugal Carnival de Torres Vedras

Portugal Carnival de Torres Vedras

out of rangeFebruary 17–23, 2023 • event

Traditional drums and bagpipes, large-scale​ allegorical floats, groups of masked revellers—carnival as it used to be for centuries

Fatima Pilgrimage

Fatima Pilgrimage

out of rangeOctober 13 | May 13 • event

The pilgrimage to the most famous place of Marian apparitions

Lisbon Book Fair (Feira do Livro de Lisboa)

Lisbon Book Fair (Feira do Livro de Lisboa)

out of rangeMay 25–June 11, 2023 • event

Residents of Lisbon know how to make a large-scale cultural event.

Bacalhau

Bacalhau

out of rangeDecember 25 • food

Star of the show on Portugese Christmas dinner tables

The Tall Ship Races Lisboa

The Tall Ship Races Lisboa

overSeptember 2–5, 2021 • event

One of the most impressive sailing events worldwide

Festival of Iberian Mask (Festival Internacional da Mascára Ibérica FIMI)

Festival of Iberian Mask (Festival Internacional da Mascára Ibérica FIMI)

on holdSeptember 1–5, 2023 • event

During the first weekend of May people in masks and costumes take to the streets of Lisbon to celebrate historical and cultural ties that exist between Spanish and Portuguese regions

Flamingos in the Tagus Estuary Natural Reserve

Flamingos in the Tagus Estuary Natural Reserve

out of rangeOctober–November • nature

Endless flocks of pink flamingos occupy the wetland for the winter season

Meia Maratona de Lisboa or Lisbon Half Marathon

Meia Maratona de Lisboa or Lisbon Half Marathon

out of rangeOctober 8, 2023 • event

Take part in the record-holder half-marathon through one of the 20th longest bridges in the world

New Year’s Eve in Lisbon

New Year’s Eve in Lisbon

out of rangeDecember 31 • event

Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Lisbon in a colorful way

Magusto

Magusto

out of rangeSeptember 29 | November 1 | November 11 • event

A joyful harvest celebration when family and friends gather near the bonfire

Sintra & Sintra-Cascais Nature Park

Sintra & Sintra-Cascais Nature Park

out of rangeOctober–May • activity

This fairy-tale town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The serene and picturesque area combines impressive architecture and unique nature

Peixe em Lisboa or Lisbon Fish & Flavours

Peixe em Lisboa or Lisbon Fish & Flavours

on holdApril 4–14, 2019 • event

Creative fish and seafood tasting

LISB-ON

LISB-ON

out of rangeJune 30–July 2, 2023 • event

This three-day festival combines electronic music and contemporary culture

Surfing

Surfing

out of rangeSeptember–May • activity

Surfers enjoy the vast coasts in Lisbon vicinity

Orange Blossom

Orange Blossom

out of rangeApril–May • nature

See picturesque Algrave region when it's covered in orange blossom

ID NoLimits (former Lisboa Dance Festival)

ID NoLimits (former Lisboa Dance Festival)

out of rangeMarch 3–4, 2023 • event

The sounds of electronic music shake the walls of conference rooms

Super Bock Super Rock

Super Bock Super Rock

out of rangeJuly 13–15, 2023 • event

World rock stars gather in Lisbon to take part in one of the biggest European rock festivals

Festival Silêncio

Festival Silêncio

overSeptember 27–30, 2018 • event

The participatory festival celebrates the word integrating it into all forms of contemporary art

Sea Urchins

Sea Urchins

out of rangeFebruary–early March • food

An unusual Portuguese dish

São Silvestre de Lisboa

São Silvestre de Lisboa

out of rangeSeptember 30, 2023 • event

Every year since 2008 this race occupies the streets of Lisbon

NOS Alive Festival

NOS Alive Festival

out of rangeJuly 6–8, 2023 • event

An open-air indie, rock, and pop music festival near Lisbon

Birdwatching

Birdwatching

out of rangeOctober–April • nature

During the migration season, Lisbon and its vicinity turn into a wintering site and migration stop-off point for thousands of birds

Summer Nights at Chiado Museum

Summer Nights at Chiado Museum

out of rangeAugust 5–26, 2022 (every Saturday) • event

Free concerts gather people in the Sculpture Garden of the Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea do Chiado every August

Epiphany Cake (King Cake)

Epiphany Cake (King Cake)

out of rangeDecember 24–January 06 • food

A traditional Catholic holiday marked with a crown-shaped cake, dances and singing

Sumol Summer Fest

Sumol Summer Fest

out of rangeJune 30–July 1, 2023 • event

Beach vibes, surfing plus lots of hip-hop and best Portuguese DJs

Winter Food–Caldo Verde

Winter Food–Caldo Verde

out of rangeDecember–February • food

A traditional​ soup is one of the best winter comfort foods of all times

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