When should you go to Portugal, and how much warmer does the Algarve run than Lisbon? April, May, September and October are Portugal's best months: warm enough for full days outdoors from Lisbon to the Algarve, without August's hotel prices or heat. Hotel nights across the country climb to 1.69 times an average month in August, the year's steepest reading, and ease back to Shoulder only in April and October. Faro, in the Algarve, runs 1 to 2 °C warmer than Lisbon most months, while Porto stays the coolest and wettest of the three mainland regions.
High and sea, °C: lowest 13.9 °C (57 °F), Lisbon sea in March; highest 30.1 °C (86 °F), Faro (Algarve) in July. Wet days: lowest 0, Lisbon wet days in July; highest 13, Ponta Delgada (Azores) wet days in December. Hotel nights: lowest Low (0.53), Hotel nights in January; highest Peak (1.69), Hotel nights in August. Best months: April, May, September, October.
- April, May, September and October balance warm weather against hotel prices: hotel nights across Portugal ease to Shoulder in April (1.01) and October (1.10), while May and September stay in Peak but well under August's 1.69.
- Book Easter and the Santos Populares ahead: Holy Week falls March 21 to 28, 2027, and Lisbon's Santo António peaks the night of June 12-13.
- Base a winter trip in Lisbon or the Algarve, not Porto's rain: Porto logs 10 or more wet days every month from October through April.
How different is the weather from Porto to the Algarve?
Porto and Faro sit about 500 kilometers apart on the same coastline, yet their rain calendars barely overlap. Porto logs 10 or more wet days every month from October through April. Faro never reaches five from May through September. Lisbon runs in between on both counts: milder winters than Porto, a shorter dry season than the Algarve.
Ponta Delgada's temperature barely moves across the year, a high of 25.9 °C (79 °F) in August against 17.4 °C (63 °F) in February, a far narrower swing than the mainland's. The trade-off is rain spread through the whole year instead of concentrated in winter: Ponta Delgada logs at least eight wet days in every month except June through August.
Spring: March to May
Holy Week falls earlier in 2027 than usual, with Easter landing fully inside March. The sea stays too cold for more than a quick dip until June.
March
Best for Holy Week processions, still too cold to swim
- Weather: Lisbon highs 18.2 °C (65 °F), 8 wet days; Faro highs 19.0 °C (66 °F)
- Dates: Holy Week, March 21 to 28, 2027; Easter Sunday, March 28
- Plan it: Portugal guide, where to go in March
Braga and Óbidos hold Portugal's best-known Holy Week processions, with torch-carrying, hooded penitents re-enacting the Passion through Braga's streets. Hotel nights across Portugal climb to 0.79 times an average month, still Low, and Lisbon warms to 18.2 °C (65 °F).
Both towns' accommodation books up for Holy Week, so book Braga or Óbidos ahead. The sea stays under 16 °C (61 °F) everywhere, too cold to swim.
April
Best for mild sightseeing weather, before May's higher prices
- Weather: Lisbon highs 19.9 °C (68 °F); Faro highs 20.8 °C (69 °F); Porto highs 18.8 °C (66 °F)
- Dates: Freedom Day (Carnation Revolution), April 25
- Plan it: 7-day Portugal itinerary, 10-day Portugal road trip
Freedom Day on April 25 marks the 1974 Carnation Revolution with a parade down Lisbon's Avenida da Liberdade and red carnations worn nationwide. Hotel nights across Portugal reach 1.01 times an average month, the year's first Shoulder reading, and Lisbon warms to 19.9 °C (68 °F).
April is mild enough for a full day of walking in any region on this page, without May's higher hotel prices. The sea is still the catch, holding under 17 °C (63 °F) everywhere, so plan a sightseeing trip rather than a beach one.
May
Best for the Fátima pilgrimage and the Azores waking up
- Weather: Lisbon highs 23.5 °C (74 °F), sea 15.6 °C (60 °F); Ponta Delgada highs 19.9 °C (68 °F)
- Dates: Fátima pilgrimage, May 12-13; Queima das Fitas, Coimbra, expected second half of May
- Plan it: where to go in May, Azores guide
Pilgrims walk to the Fátima shrine on May 12 and 13 for the anniversary of the first 1917 apparition, a candlelight procession the evening before leading into the main day of prayer. Lisbon warms to 23.5 °C (74 °F), though the sea lags behind at a cool 15.6 °C (60 °F). Hotel nights across Portugal climb into Peak at 1.11 times an average month, the gentlest Peak reading of the year.
May suits the Azores better than any month before it: Ponta Delgada's high reaches 19.9 °C (68 °F), cool for swimming but comfortable for hiking the crater lakes. Coimbra's Queima das Fitas, a week of student graduation parades, is expected in the second half of the month.
Photo by Mo Eid on PexelsThe Pena Palace above Sintra
Summer: June to August
Lisbon and Porto fill their streets for the Santos Populares in June, and the mainland's heat peaks by July and August.
June
Best for Santos Populares, before the sea warms
- Weather: Lisbon highs 25.5 °C (78 °F), sea 16.6 °C (62 °F); Faro highs 27.0 °C (81 °F), sea 18.8 °C (66 °F)
- Dates: Santo António, Lisbon, peaks June 12-13; Portugal Day, June 10; São João, Porto, peaks June 23-24; Rock in Rio Lisboa, no 2027 edition
- Plan it: 7-day Portugal itinerary, where to go in June
Lisbon's Alfama, Bica and Bairro Alto fill for Santo António on June 12 and 13. Order grilled sardines and caldo verde kale soup in the streets. "The festival's highlight is the parade on Avenida da Liberdade where the various districts of the city are represented in a competition for best folk parade," Lisbon's own tourism board states. Porto holds its own version, São João, peaking June 23 and 24 with plastic hammers bopped on strangers' heads and fireworks over the Douro.
Rock in Rio Lisboa, the two-weekend festival at Parque Tejo, runs only in even years and has no 2027 edition. Book Lisbon or Porto hotels early for the festivals, and save Algarve swimming for July, when Faro's sea passes 20 °C (68 °F); Lisbon's sea never tops 18.2 °C (65 °F) all year.
July
Best for Tomar's rare festival, worst for mainland heat
- Weather: Lisbon highs 27.9 °C (82 °F), sea 17.3 °C (63 °F); Faro highs 30.1 °C (86 °F), sea 20.3 °C (69 °F)
- Dates: Festa dos Tabuleiros, Tomar, July 3-12, 2027 (once every four years), Grand Parade July 11; NOS Alive, Lisbon, expected July 8-10
- Plan it: 7-day Azores itinerary, 10-day Portugal road trip
Tomar holds its Festa dos Tabuleiros from July 3 to 12, a once-every-four-years festival of young women balancing bread-and-flower trays through the streets, with the Grand Parade on July 11. July is hot almost everywhere but Porto and the Azores: Faro reaches 30.1 °C (86 °F) and Lisbon 27.9 °C (82 °F). Porto holds at a comfortable 25.2 °C (77 °F) with just 2 wet days, and Ponta Delgada stays at 24.4 °C (76 °F).
Hotel nights across Portugal reach 1.42 times an average month, the year's second-highest reading after August.
August
Best for Ponta Delgada's warming sea, worst for crowds and cost
- Weather: Lisbon highs 28.3 °C (83 °F), sea 17.4 °C (63 °F); Faro highs 29.9 °C (86 °F), sea 20.6 °C (69 °F)
- Dates: Assumption Day, August 15
- Plan it: 7-day Algarve itinerary, Azores guide
August is Portugal's most expensive month nationwide: hotel nights peak at 1.69 times an average month, so book accommodation well ahead wherever you go. August 15, Assumption Day, is a public holiday nationwide. Porto is the exception on heat, holding at a comfortable 25.3 °C (78 °F) with just 2 wet days. Lisbon reaches 28.3 °C (83 °F), and the Algarve runs hotter still at 29.9 °C (86 °F).
Ponta Delgada's sea reaches 22.6 °C (73 °F), 0.3 degrees below its September peak and the best reason to pick the Azores over the Algarve's heat this month.
Photo by Pedro Rebelo Pereira on PexelsPaper bunting over a Lisbon street in June
Autumn: September to November
Hotel nights ease back from August's peak through all three months, and the sea stays swimmable into October.
September
Best for the warmest sea of the year, at a lighter price than August
- Weather: Lisbon highs 26.3 °C (79 °F), sea 18.2 °C (65 °F); Faro highs 27.4 °C (81 °F), sea 21.1 °C (70 °F)
- Plan it: where to go in September, 7-day Portugal itinerary
September holds the warmest sea of the year at every chart city measured. Lisbon's sea peaks at 18.2 °C (65 °F), 0.8 degrees above August's reading, and Ponta Delgada's peaks at 22.9 °C (73 °F). Hotel nights across Portugal ease from August's 1.69 to 1.24 times an average month.
September is the strongest all-round pick of the year: the Algarve's Faro peaks at 21.1 °C (70 °F) for swimming, and Lisbon stays warm enough for full days of sightseeing.
October
Best for the Fátima pilgrimage and a last warm swim
- Weather: Lisbon highs 23.4 °C (74 °F), sea 17.6 °C (64 °F); Faro highs 24.3 °C (76 °F), sea 20.3 °C (69 °F)
- Dates: Republic Day, October 5; Fátima pilgrimage, October 12-13
- Plan it: 7-day Algarve itinerary, Portugal guide
Pilgrims return to Fátima on October 12 and 13 for the anniversary of the final 1917 apparition, known as the Miracle of the Sun. Republic Day, a public holiday on October 5, marks the end of the monarchy in 1910. Hotel nights across Portugal ease to 1.10 times an average month, the year's last Shoulder reading before winter.
October rounds out the four best months: Faro's sea still holds at 20.3 °C (69 °F) for a late swim, while Lisbon stays mild enough for a full day of walking.
November
Best for a quiet Lisbon, worst for Porto's rain
- Weather: Lisbon highs 18.2 °C (65 °F), 8 wet days; Porto highs 17.2 °C (63 °F), 12 wet days
- Dates: All Saints' Day, November 1
- Plan it: where to go in November, 3-day Porto itinerary
About 100 kilometers north of Lisbon, Nazaré's winter Atlantic swell drives some of the world's biggest rideable waves. Praia do Norte holds the Guinness-recognized world record for the largest wave ever surfed, a 26.2-meter (86-foot) ride by Sebastian Steudtner in October 2020. All Saints' Day on November 1 is a national holiday, closing offices and many shops for the day. Hotel nights across Portugal fall to 0.71 times an average month as the summer crowds thin.
November suits a quiet city break in Lisbon or the Algarve rather than Porto, where rain sets in hard. Porto logs 12 wet days this month, its joint-wettest alongside December, against Lisbon's 8.
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Photo by Andrew McLeod on PexelsTerraced vineyards in the Douro Valley
Winter: December to February
Lisbon stays mild enough for a city break through Christmas, and January and February are the quietest months of the year.
December
Best for Christmas lights in Lisbon and Porto
- Weather: Lisbon highs 16.2 °C (61 °F), sea 15.6 °C (60 °F); Ponta Delgada highs 18.5 °C (65 °F), 13 wet days
- Dates: Christmas, December 25; New Year's Eve, December 31
- Plan it: 3-day Porto itinerary, Portugal guide
Bolo Rei, the ribbon-crowned king's cake, returns to bakery windows for Christmas and stays through Epiphany. Lisbon and Porto string lights over Rossio and Avenida dos Aliados for the month, and families gather on December 24 for consoada, a Christmas Eve dinner built around bacalhau. Hotel nights across Portugal hold at 0.61 times an average month, close to the year's floor.
December suits a festive city trip to Lisbon, with 7 wet days to Porto's 12. Porto's Christmas lights are worth the trip anyway; skip the Azores, where Ponta Delgada logs 13 wet days, its wettest month. On New Year's Eve, revelers nationwide eat 12 grapes at midnight as fireworks light Lisbon's Praça do Comércio and Porto's Avenida dos Aliados.
January
Best for a quiet, inexpensive city break
- Weather: Lisbon highs 15.0 °C (59 °F), 7 wet days; Porto highs 14.3 °C (58 °F), 11 wet days
- Dates: Epiphany, January 6
- Plan it: Portugal guide, 3-day Porto itinerary
January is one of Portugal's two cheapest months, with hotel nights across the country at just 0.53 times an average month. Epiphany on January 6 keeps Bolo Rei in bakery windows through the twelfth night of Christmas. Lisbon's winter high of 15.0 °C (59 °F) still allows a full day on foot, and the Algarve runs milder again at 16.6 °C (62 °F) in Faro.
January suits a slow, inexpensive city break in Lisbon or a winter-sun stop in the Algarve. Porto and the Azores are the two regions to think twice about: both log 11 wet days this month, against Lisbon's 7 and Faro's 4.
February
Best for Carnival, worst for a swim
- Weather: Lisbon highs 16.5 °C (62 °F); Faro highs 17.3 °C (63 °F)
- Dates: Carnival (Entrudo) main days, February 6-9, 2027, Shrove Tuesday the last of them
- Plan it: Algarve guide, 7-day Algarve itinerary
Carnival fills towns across Portugal with parades, floats and masked balls in early February. Hotel nights across Portugal hold at 0.60 times an average month, the year's second-lowest reading.
Go for Carnival in a town with a real celebration: Loulé, in the Algarve, and Torres Vedras are two of the country's biggest. The northern village of Podence runs a UNESCO-listed version built around masked, fringe-costumed figures called Caretos. Skip the beach itself: Lisbon's and Faro's sea both still run 14 to 15 °C (57 to 59 °F), too cold for more than a quick dip.
Photo by lisbonphoto.official on PexelsA Christmas tree in Praça do Comércio, Lisbon
Which month suits your trip?
| If you want | Go in | Because |
|---|---|---|
| A first trip: Lisbon plus one region | April, May, September, October | Lisbon at 19.9-26.3 °C (68-79 °F), under August's 28.3 °C (83 °F) |
| The warmest sea | September | Faro reaches 21.1 °C (70 °F), Ponta Delgada 22.9 °C (73 °F), both their year's warmest |
| Holy Week and Easter | Late March | Holy Week runs March 21 to 28, 2027; Easter Sunday is March 28 |
| A mild winter base | The Algarve | Faro logs 4 wet days in January against 11 in Porto and Ponta Delgada, and its 16.6 °C (62 °F) high beats Lisbon's 15.0 °C (59 °F) |
| Named festivals | February, June, July | Carnival; Santos Populares; Festa dos Tabuleiros, once every four years |
| Low prices and fewer crowds | November to March | Hotel nights across Portugal fall as low as 0.53 times an average month |
| Avoid | August for crowds and cost; Porto or the Azores from October to April if you need dry days | Hotel nights peak at 1.69 times an average month; both regions log 10 or more wet days those months |
A typical traveler spends about $185 a person a day in Portugal, in traveler-reported averages, with Lisbon running slightly higher at about $188 and Porto and Faro both near $180. The three mainland regions sit within $8 of each other.
Portugal's twelve months compared
| Month | Lisbon | Porto | Faro (Algarve) | Ponta Delgada (Azores) | Porto wet days | What's on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15.0 °C (59 °F), sea 14.9 °C (59 °F) | 14.3 °C (58 °F) | 16.6 °C (62 °F), sea 16.2 °C (61 °F) | 17.6 °C (64 °F), sea 16.6 °C (62 °F) | 11 | Epiphany Jan 6 |
| February | 16.5 °C (62 °F), sea 14.0 °C (57 °F) | 15.4 °C (60 °F) | 17.3 °C (63 °F), sea 15.2 °C (59 °F) | 17.4 °C (63 °F), sea 15.9 °C (61 °F) | 10 | Carnival Feb 6-9 |
| March | 18.2 °C (65 °F), sea 13.9 °C (57 °F) | 17.0 °C (63 °F) | 19.0 °C (66 °F), sea 15.1 °C (59 °F) | 17.6 °C (64 °F), sea 15.7 °C (60 °F) | 11 | Holy Week Mar 21-28, Easter Mar 28 |
| April | 19.9 °C (68 °F), sea 14.6 °C (58 °F) | 18.8 °C (66 °F) | 20.8 °C (69 °F), sea 15.9 °C (61 °F) | 18.2 °C (65 °F), sea 15.8 °C (60 °F) | 11 | Freedom Day Apr 25 |
| May | 23.5 °C (74 °F), sea 15.6 °C (60 °F) | 21.1 °C (70 °F) | 24.5 °C (76 °F), sea 17.3 °C (63 °F) | 19.9 °C (68 °F), sea 16.8 °C (62 °F) | 8 | Fátima pilgrimage May 12-13 |
| June | 25.5 °C (78 °F), sea 16.6 °C (62 °F) | 22.9 °C (73 °F) | 27.0 °C (81 °F), sea 18.8 °C (66 °F) | 22.0 °C (72 °F), sea 18.7 °C (66 °F) | 6 | Santos Populares, Portugal Day Jun 10 |
| July | 27.9 °C (82 °F), sea 17.3 °C (63 °F) | 25.2 °C (77 °F) | 30.1 °C (86 °F), sea 20.3 °C (69 °F) | 24.4 °C (76 °F), sea 20.6 °C (69 °F) | 2 | Festa dos Tabuleiros Jul 3-12 |
| August | 28.3 °C (83 °F), sea 17.4 °C (63 °F) | 25.3 °C (78 °F) | 29.9 °C (86 °F), sea 20.6 °C (69 °F) | 25.9 °C (79 °F), sea 22.6 °C (73 °F) | 2 | Assumption Day Aug 15 |
| September | 26.3 °C (79 °F), sea 18.2 °C (65 °F) | 24.2 °C (76 °F) | 27.4 °C (81 °F), sea 21.1 °C (70 °F) | 24.9 °C (77 °F), sea 22.9 °C (73 °F) | 6 | n/a |
| October | 23.4 °C (74 °F), sea 17.6 °C (64 °F) | 21.7 °C (71 °F) | 24.3 °C (76 °F), sea 20.3 °C (69 °F) | 22.7 °C (73 °F), sea 21.6 °C (71 °F) | 11 | Republic Day Oct 5, Fátima Oct 12-13 |
| November | 18.2 °C (65 °F), sea 17.1 °C (63 °F) | 17.2 °C (63 °F) | 20.1 °C (68 °F), sea 18.9 °C (66 °F) | 20.2 °C (68 °F), sea 19.5 °C (67 °F) | 12 | All Saints' Day Nov 1 |
| December | 16.2 °C (61 °F), sea 15.6 °C (60 °F) | 15.4 °C (60 °F) | 17.8 °C (64 °F), sea 17.3 °C (63 °F) | 18.5 °C (65 °F), sea 17.8 °C (64 °F) | 12 | Christmas Dec 25 |
Highs and sea temperatures are monthly averages for 2013 to 2022, measured for the location named. Hotel nights are Portugal's own monthly tourist-accommodation stays divided by 2025's average month, from Eurostat; the series has no region-by-region breakdown, so the figure is national, not specific to any one region.
Plan the trip
The 7-day Portugal itinerary spends four days in Lisbon and three in the Algarve town of Lagos. The Portuguese food guide covers what to eat by region. The 3-day Porto itinerary suits a shorter city trip. The 7-day Algarve itinerary covers Faro and Lagos together, and the 7-day Azores itinerary covers Ponta Delgada and Angra do Heroísmo. The 10-day Portugal road trip adds Évora between Lisbon and the Algarve, and the Portugal guide has the full rundown of what to see in each region.
Every MonkeyEatingMango trip plan shows the measured weather for each city in your travel month, so a September plan shows Lisbon's easing heat beside the Algarve's still-warm sea.
Plan your Portugal trip →Choose your month and region, then plan a Portugal trip.
Last updated November 2026.
Common questions
What is the best month to visit Portugal?
April, May, September and October are Portugal's best months. Lisbon warms to 19.9 °C (68 °F) in April and 26.3 °C (79 °F) in September, both comfortably under August's 28.3 °C (83 °F) peak, while hotel nights across the country stay at Shoulder levels (1.01 and 1.10 times an average month) in April and October rather than August's 1.69.
What is the temperature in Portugal by month?
Lisbon ranges from a January high of 15.0 °C (59 °F) to an August high of 28.3 °C (83 °F), as 2013-2022 averages. The Algarve's Faro runs warmer year-round, from 16.6 °C (62 °F) in January to 30.1 °C (86 °F) in July, while Porto in the north stays the coolest of the mainland cities, peaking at 25.3 °C (78 °F) in August.
What is the cheapest time to visit Portugal?
January and February are Portugal's quietest months: hotel nights across the country fall to 0.53 and 0.60 times an average month. December follows close behind at 0.61, with November at 0.71.
Is 7 days enough for Portugal?
Seven days covers Lisbon plus one region: the 7-day Portugal itinerary spends four days in Lisbon and three in the Algarve town of Lagos. A trip focused on one region instead, such as the 3-day Porto itinerary or the 7-day Algarve itinerary, fits a shorter week more comfortably.
Is $1,000 enough for a week in Portugal?
A typical traveler spends about $185 a person a day in Portugal, in traveler-reported averages, which works out to roughly $1,295 over a week. $1,000 falls below that average, so it suits a leaner budget focused on one or two regions rather than a country-wide trip.
When is Easter in Portugal in 2027, and does it change which weeks are busy?
Easter Sunday falls on March 28, 2027, with Holy Week running March 21 to 28 and Good Friday on March 26. The date is unusually early in 2027, so the processions in Braga and Óbidos, Portugal's best known, land fully inside March instead of spilling into April.
Is the Algarve's swimming season different from Lisbon's?
Yes. Faro's sea passes 20 °C (68 °F) in July and holds near 21 °C (70 °F) through September, while Lisbon's sea never tops 18.2 °C (65 °F), even in September, its own warmest month. A Lisbon trip pairs better with sightseeing than swimming; the Algarve is the swimming choice.
When is the best time to visit the Azores?
May through September suits an Azores trip best, when Ponta Delgada's highs run from 19.9 °C (68 °F) to 25.9 °C (79 °F). The sea peaks later, reaching 22.9 °C (73 °F) in September, and rain spreads through the whole year rather than concentrating in winter, so pack for showers whenever you go.
Is Porto rainier than Lisbon?
Yes. Porto logs 10 or more wet days every month from October through April, while Lisbon stays at 7 or 8 in the same months. Lisbon drops to 0 wet days in July and August; Porto's driest months, the same two, still log 2.
When is Nazaré's big-wave season?
Nazaré, about 100 kilometers north of Lisbon, holds the Guinness-recognized world record for the largest wave ever surfed: a 26.2-meter (86-foot) ride by Sebastian Steudtner in October 2020. The town's big waves come with the winter Atlantic swell.
What is the worst time to visit Portugal?
August is the hardest month for a budget trip: hotel nights across Portugal peak at 1.69 times an average month, Lisbon runs at its hottest, 28.3 °C (83 °F), and Faro holds near its July peak at 29.9 °C (86 °F). July runs close behind on cost, at 1.42 times an average month.
Written by Shobhit Shrivastava · Founder
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