While I am, admittedly, biased as a lover of the city, the best time to visit Lisbon is really any time. The Portuguese capital is a hybrid of activity at all times, with warm temperatures outside even in the winter months, and a seemingly endless list of great hotels and restaurants to visit no matter what month you arrive. Plus, the warmth and hospitality of the Portugueses is year-round, so you can expect a sunny welcome whether it’s July or January .
While the summer months are the busiest, and a great time to enjoy festivities and visit nearby beaches, visiting in winter will mean fewer tourists, and an ability to bag a reservation you likely couldn’t during peak months. With the help of some locals, we look at the best time to visit Lisbon, depending on what you’re looking for. As someone who has spent June in Lisbon for the past three years, there’s nowhere I’d rather be during the month of celebrations.
Throughout Portugal, locals celebrate various saints in June, and in Lisbon, the patron saint Santo Antonio is celebrated on 13 June, with a parade the evening before on the 12th. The celebrations aren’t isolated to these two days, though; for the whole month of June, people take to the streets to dance, feast on freshly grilled sardines and enjoy the atmosphere. Expect to see streets of the oldest Lisbon neighbourhoods (bairros) adorned with red, green and yellow decorations, streets abuzz with life and a constant, distinct smell of grilled sardines in the.