Best Time to Visit Lisbon

Short answer: April to early June, or mid-September to October. Warm enough for dinner outside, cool enough for the hills, and the light over the river is at its best.

Lisbon is mild for most of the year. Summers are sunny and dry, usually around 27 to 30°C in July and August, with the odd heatwave pushing past 35°C. The evenings bring a breeze off the Atlantic, which makes it easier than southern Spain. The catch is crowds: the old quarters, tram 28 and Sintra are at their busiest, and hotel prices peak.

Don't come for the sea in spring. This is the Atlantic, and the water off Cascais stays cool even in August. Beach days work from June to September, but expect a bracing swim.

The June festivals

June belongs to the Santos Populares. The whole month, and above all the night of 12 to 13 June for Santo António, Lisbon's favourite saint, Alfama, Graça and Madragoa fill with paper garlands, street stalls, grilled sardines and music until dawn. On the 12th, neighbourhood groups parade down Avenida da Liberdade in the marchas. It's crowded, loud and one of the best times to be in the city, but book a room early.

Winter

November to February is the wettest time, around 10 to 15°C by day, with rain arriving in bursts off the ocean rather than drizzling for days. Hotels are cheaper, the queues vanish, and on a clear winter morning the city looks washed. Older flats and guesthouses are poorly heated, though, so check before booking. Early November also brings the Web Summit, which fills hotels for a week.

One more thing for summer: on days of high wildfire risk, the authorities can close the forest sites around Sintra, including Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle, at short notice. It happened several times in 2025 and 2026. If your Sintra day is fixed, keep an eye on the Parques de Sintra website that week. Our what to wear guide covers the clothes for each season.