Portugal
Lisbon in December
🧥 WinterCool and some showers.
🎒 Pack: warm jacket for evenings
Why December scores 9.0What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort8.6
- !Cool (15°C highs / 9°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 10°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~65 mm rain)
- Air quality9.4
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~9 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline8.5
- ·Normal precautions
| Dec | May | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 9.0 Excellent | 9.6 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | 🌷 Spring |
| High / low | 15° / 9° | 22° / 14° |
| Rain | 65 mm | 27 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 10° | dew pt 13° |
| PM2.5 | 9 µg/m³ | 9 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Lisbon weather-station normals.
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
Other public holidays: Restoration of Independence Day (1 Dec) · Immaculate Conception (8 Dec)
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore LisbonEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyPortugal's hilly capital on the Tagus estuary, visited for its tiled streets, trams, viewpoints, fado music and seafood.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Lisbon Book FairDate variesUsually late May to mid-June
A large outdoor book fair.
Why go: Evenings are lively.
Where: Parque Eduardo VII
Santo António (Festas de Lisboa)Every yearMain night 12-13 June every year; festivities run through June
Street parties with grilled sardines and the marchas populares parade.
Why go: The old districts are packed on 12 June night.
Where: Alfama, Mouraria and Avenida da Liberdade
NOS AliveDate variesUsually early to mid-July
A major music festival on the river west of Lisbon.
Why go: Accommodation fills early.
Where: Passeio Marítimo de Algés
Alfama
The oldest district, a maze of lanes below São Jorge Castle.
💡 Best explored on foot; wear shoes with grip on the polished cobbles.
Belém
Riverside district with the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower.
São Jorge Castle
A hilltop Moorish castle with views over the city.
Tram 28
A historic tram route through the old districts.
💡 It is very crowded and a known pickpocket hotspot.
Miradouros
Viewpoints such as Senhora do Monte and Santa Luzia.
Sintra
Palaces and forested hills about 40 minutes by train.
Pastel de nata
Custard tart with flaky pastry.
💡 Belém and bakeries across the city
Bacalhau
Salt cod, cooked in countless ways.
💡 Traditional tascas
Grilled sardines
A summer staple, especially in June.
💡 Street grills in Alfama during the June festivals
Bifana
A pork cutlet sandwich.
💡 Snack bars
Ginjinha
A sour cherry liqueur.
💡 Small bars around Rossio
Azulejos
Hand-painted ceramic tiles.
💡 Tile shops and workshops
Tinned fish
Sardines and other fish in decorative tins.
💡 Specialty shops
Port wine
Fortified wine from northern Portugal.
💡 Wine shops
Cork products
Bags and accessories made from Portuguese cork.
💡 Gift shops