A Year in
LISBON
With sizzling summers and mild winters, Lisbon is a treat to visit in any season. A range of events take place throughout the year, with foodie fairs in the spring, music festivals in the summer, sporting events in the autumn and traditional celebrations in the winter.
Discover A Year in Lisbon
Locals browsing stalls at Rossio square’s spring market
Spring
Lisboetas welcome the return of the balmy weather in March, lingering longer at outdoor cafés and gathering around food markets. Festivities also take to the streets, with the Shrove Tuesday Carnival filling the city with spectacular parades and April’s Dia da Revolução drawing people together to celebrate the Carnation Revolution, a coup which ended the Portuguese dictatorship.
Discover A Year in Lisbon
Surfing the Atlantic waves off the coast of Lisbon
Summer
The city’s music festival season reaches full force in July and offers Lisboetas an abundance of genres, from rock gigs to classical concerts. Long hot days mean the city stays lively well into the evening, with young crowds meeting at miradouros and al fresco diners lounging in the streets, accompanied by the sounds of fado street performers. As temperatures peak in August, many retreat to the cooler heights of Sintra or head to the breezy Atlantic beaches to surf.
Discover A Year in Lisbon
Buying roasted chestnuts from a vendor in autumn
Autumn
The city’s summer buzz continues throughout September, with film festivals and literary events drawing arty crowds, but as October rolls in the city becomes a lot quieter. Autumn’s mellow weather makes it the perfect time for outdoor activities: the Lisbon Marathon attracts serious sports fans while casual walkers and cyclists explore the city’s outer districts. November also promises markets selling roasted chestnuts and fine wine.
Discover A Year in Lisbon
Mass at the church of Santo António de Lisboa
Discover A Year in Lisbon
Feasts of classic bolo rei (king’s cake) at Epiphany
Winter
Crisp, sunny days and pop-up fairs mark the start of Lisbon’s winter season. The Christmas festivities begin with midnight mass on 24 December, followed by a meal of bacalhau (salted dried cod), while the new year celebrations feature firework displays across the city (the biggest are in Praça do Comércio) and feasts of classic bolo rei (king’s cake) at Epiphany (inset).
The Feast of St Anthony
This June-time event sees lively street parties and locals cooking sardines. These salty snacks are served because of an ancient legend: the locals didn’t listen to St Anthony’s preachings so he turned to preach to the sea and the sardines were the first to rise and listen.
DISCOVER A Year in Lisbon
Music Events
Nos Alive
Big-name rock festival on the riverfront west of Belém in early July.
Jazz em Agosto
Jazz festival in the gardens of the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, in August.
Festival dos Oceanos
August’s two-week cultural event including concerts and exhibitions.
Festival de Sintra
Music and dance events held throughout historic Sintra in May.
Super Bock Super Rock
Rock festival at the Meco beach in Sesimbra featuring local and international bands.