Portugal, Europe

Lisbon in December

Holiday lights across Baixa and mild afternoons. The Christmas-to-New-Year week bumps prices briefly.

GoodMild winter, highs near 59F (15C)

Rua Augusta Arch on Praca do Comercio, Lisbon — LisbonPhoto: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

The straight answer

December is a good month to visit Lisbon. Holiday lights across Baixa and mild afternoons. The Christmas-to-New-Year week bumps prices briefly.

Weather: Mild winter, highs near 59F (15C)
Crowds: 2 of 5
Prices: 2 of 5

What December is like in Lisbon

December is mild for winter, with highs near 59F (15C) and plenty of sunny afternoons between rain spells. Holiday lights brighten Baixa and Chiado, and the city feels festive without being crowded. Prices are low for most of the month, then jump for the Christmas to New Year week. Everything is open except on the main holidays.

It is a good month for a festive city break, especially for families who want lights and treats without snow or crowds. December 1, 8, and 25 are holidays, so plan around closures. If you want warmer weather, wait until spring, but December is a lovely winter escape.

Make the most of December

What is especially good about Lisbon this month.

Christmas lights in Baixa

The downtown streets and squares glow with holiday lights through the month. An evening walk from Rossio to the river is a treat.

New Year's Eve over the Tagus

Lisbon's big fireworks show over the river closes the year. Riverside spots fill up early, so arrive ahead of time.

Mild winter sightseeing

Sunny afternoons around 59F (15C) are ideal for the castle and the miradouros without summer heat.

What to pack for December

A warm jacket for evenings
A rain layer and umbrella
Shoes with grip for slick cobbles
Layers for sunny, mild afternoons

Our timing tip

Visit in the first half of December for low prices and the holiday lights, and book early if you want the New Year's Eve week.

Book Lisbon for December.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Lisbon
Opens a hotel search for Lisbon in December, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for December
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Lisbon
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Lisbon
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Lisbon for December. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in December

Christmas and New Year season

Late November through early January

Lights across Baixa and Chiado, and a big New Year's Eve fireworks show over the Tagus.

Things to do in Lisbon

Full guide

Alfama and the castle

Wander the oldest quarter up to Sao Jorge Castle in the morning before the heat and crowds; the view down the Tagus is the city's establishing shot.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Belem: Jeronimos Monastery and the Tower

Both closed Mondays. Go at opening, monastery first, and collect the original pasteis de nata as the reward.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Tram 28

The famous rattling tram crosses the whole historic city. Ride at 8am or after 8pm; midday in season means long stops and pickpocket-density crowds.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

A fado night in Alfama or Mouraria

Book a casa de fado for dinner, or find the smaller tascas with amateur singers. The mournful music is the city's soul, worth one late night.

Tickets and tours →

The miradouro circuit

Senhora do Monte, Graca, and Sao Pedro de Alcantara at sunset. Bring a drink from a kiosk and settle in like a local.

Tickets and tours →

Sintra day trip

Forty minutes by train. Book Pena Palace's timed entry ahead and go early; midday coach crowds are serious in season. One palace plus the Moorish castle is a full day.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Ride Tram 28 at 8am from its Martim Moniz start, or ride the nearly identical routes on foot: most of its famous corners are better lingered over than glimpsed from a packed window.
Do Belem on a weekday at opening, monastery before tower, and be eating pasteis by 11am as the coach groups arrive.
Book Sintra's Pena Palace for the first slot and take the early train; by midday in season the hilltop shuttles and lines consume hours.
Alfama's lanes are calmest before 10am and after dinner; cruise-day crowds concentrate there and in Baixa from late morning through afternoon.

Know before you go

Lisbon has no meaningful seasonal shutdown: mild winters keep the city, its restaurants, and its sights fully open all twelve months. Winter changes prices and rain odds, not access.
Mondays close the Belem headliners, Jeronimos Monastery and the Belem Tower, along with several museums. Make Monday your Alfama, tram, and miradouro day.
June 13, Santo Antonio, is a Lisbon municipal holiday: many businesses close while the city parties. The surrounding festival nights keep old-quarter restaurants packed.
Fixed holidays to plan around: January 1, April 25, May 1, June 10 (Portugal Day), June 13 (Lisbon), August 15, October 5, November 1, December 1, 8, and 25.