Best Time to Visit

Portugal has the same climate as the Western Coast of the United States, in particular the state of California. Weather is dry and temperatures are mild year-round.

Due to the geography of the country – which features several ranges of mountains that run parallel to the coast, and wide plains south and east of Lisbon – the weather has some particular features of which visitors should be aware. It is cool and breezy on the coast, and dry and hot inland.

During winter, inland regions register a more dramatic drop in temperature, while on the coast the temperature variation tends to be mild.

Spring and fall are the best times to visit Portugal. Temperatures vary between 59 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit, and there are not too many tourists.

Summer brings hot and dry weather all over the country. On the coast, there is an always nice breeze that allows for very pleasant weather, but sometimes evenings is cold and foggy. The exception is the Algarve coast, which usually has dry and warm summer nights. Summer is also the busiest tourist season, especially in the south of the country, at beach resorts and in Lisbon.

Winter is also a good time to visit Portugal, particularly around Christmas and in February, when temperatures can still be mild and there are plenty of sunny days. The north and inland are quite cold but get little to no snow.

Madeira Island can be visited year-around. In fact, celebrating the New Year in Madeira is very popular due to the mild “Hawaiian” weather that can be found on this beautiful Island.

The Azores Islands are best visited between April and November. This is mostly because of the rainy season and strong winds during the late fall and winter, which make it difficult to travel between the islands. The temperatures in winter can drop to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Summers are hot and humid, but spring and fall are very pleasant.