Portugal in December: Weather by Region and Where to Go

Portugal in December is mild on the coast, wet in the north and the Azores, and warmest in Madeira and the Algarve. Portugal’s weather in December means highs of 15 to 17°C on the mainland coast and 21°C in Funchal, with about nine and a half hours of daylight. The classic Christmas day trip is the Óbidos Christmas Village.

Most guides give one rounded temperature for the whole country. This one uses the official December averages from IPMA, Portugal’s met office, station by station, then turns them into decisions: where to go for your kind of trip, what is on and what closes in December 2026, a week-long plan and what to pack. It is written by Luís Perloiro, a professional surfer and Sea & See’s surf instructor, and the Óbidos Christmas Village (27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027) gets its own section.

Is December a good time to visit Portugal?

Yes, if you want city breaks, Christmas lights and short queues rather than beach days. December is winter: plan on mild days, cool evenings and some rain, and expect the month to change character around the 20th, when Christmas and New Year travel fills the roads and hotels.

Portugal weather in December, region by region

Here is the December weather in Portugal from IPMA’s official 1991 to 2020 averages, with the weather station named for each region. The pattern is simple: the north is wetter, the interior colder at night, and the islands warmest.

December averages from the IPMA climate normals 1991 to 2020. Rain days are days with at least 1 mm of rain; frost nights are nights below 0°C.

• The north is wetter: Porto gets about 40% more December rain than Lisbon.
• The interior is colder at night: Évora is cooler than Lisbon by day and about 4°C colder at night.
• The islands are warmest: Funchal is almost 4°C warmer than Faro by day.
• The Azores are the wettest stop: Ponta Delgada has more rain days than Porto, though it is 3.6°C warmer.
• December is not the wettest month everywhere: in Lisbon and Porto, November gets more rain.

Which part of Portugal is warmest in December?

Madeira, then the Algarve. Funchal averages 21.0°C by day and 15.5°C at night, the warmest nights of any station in this guide. On the mainland the Algarve is warmest and driest: Faro averages 17.1°C with about 7 rain days, a few fewer than Funchal’s 8.6.

Does it get cold in Portugal in December?

On the coast, rarely: Lisbon and Faro average nights above 9°C with no frost. Inland it does. Bragança, in the northeast, averages 1.1°C at night with 13 frost nights in December. Even near the coast, inland valleys get cold mornings: Alcobaça, close to Nazaré, averages 5.2°C at night and 6 frost nights, while coastal Peniche has none.

Does it snow in Portugal in December?

Only on high ground. Snow falls mainly in the Serra da Estrela, where Torre, at 1,993 m, is the highest point of mainland Portugal; the country’s highest is Mount Pico in the Azores. The Penhas Douradas station, at 1,380 m, averages 7.3°C by day, 1.5°C at night and 9 frost nights in December. The small ski area near Torre opens only when there is enough snow.

How much daylight is there in December?

About nine and a half hours on the mainland around the solstice, and ten in Madeira. Plan outdoor sights for the morning and keep the lit-up evenings for markets and dinner.

December or January?

December is slightly milder. On the same IPMA averages, January is up to a degree cooler by day in Lisbon (15.1°C), Porto (14.0°C), Faro (16.3°C) and Funchal (20.0°C), with similar rain. The bigger difference is the calendar: the Christmas lights and villages come down in early January.

Where to go in Portugal in December

Choose by trip type. The weather table tells you where it is warm; this table adds what each place is best for in December and what to watch out for.

The Óbidos Christmas Village: the classic Christmas day trip

Óbidos, a walled medieval town about an hour north of Lisbon, turns its castle grounds into a ticketed Christmas village every December, and the rest of the town is lit and free to walk. It is the one Christmas experience within easy reach of Lisbon that you will not find in a city square.

• Dates: 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027
• Tickets: €12 adults, €8 children aged 3 to 11, €36 for a family of four, in timed sessions online
• Holiday hours: closes at 17:00 on 24 and 31 December; closed 25 December and 1 January
• Extras: the ice rink is paid separately
• Getting there: about 80 km, an hour by the Rápida Verde bus from Campo Grande or on the A8

Our Óbidos Christmas Village guide has the full prices, sessions and tips, and our guide to Óbidos, Portugal covers the town the rest of the year.

Nazaré in big-wave season

December falls in Nazaré’s big-wave season, when Atlantic storms can send huge swells onto Praia do Norte below the lighthouse fort. No wave is guaranteed on a given day. The biggest ever surfed there was 26.21 m, ridden by Sebastian Steudtner; our Nazaré big waves guide explains when to go.

Lisbon or Porto in December?

For weather, Lisbon. It is warmer by day (15.4°C against 14.7°C) and at night (9.4°C against 7.6°C), drier (109 mm over 10 rain days against 153 mm over 12.4), and gets about 15 minutes more daylight. Porto suits travellers happy to trade some rain for port lodges and its Christmas programme. Our Lisbon in December guide has the full picture for the capital.

The Algarve in December

The Algarve is the mildest and driest region of the mainland: Faro averages 17.1°C and Sagres 17.0°C, with 7 to 8 rain days. It is coastal walking weather rather than beach weather, good for the cliff paths around Lagos and the Ponta da Piedade.

Madeira and the Azores in December

Madeira is Portugal’s warmest December destination, and its festive season runs from 1 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, with lights across Funchal, Market Night at the Mercado dos Lavradores on 23 December and fireworks over the bay on New Year’s Eve, according to the official Visit Madeira festivities page. In 2006 Funchal’s New Year display was recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest fireworks display in the world.

The Azores are mild too, with Ponta Delgada averaging 18.3°C by day and 13.4°C at night, but they are the wettest place in this guide: 153 mm over 15 rain days. Pack for showers.

Portugal’s December 2026 calendar

The dates that shape a December trip, with their weekdays. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are not public holidays, but the days around them change opening hours.

What is open over Christmas and New Year?

State museums and monuments close on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are decided year by year: in 2025 the government gave civil servants both days off, and state museums, monuments and palaces closed.

For how Portugal celebrates Christmas Eve, from the Consoada dinner to Midnight Mass, see our guide to Christmas in Portugal.

New Year’s Eve in Portugal

Lisbon, Porto and Funchal all hold free public New Year’s Eve parties. Last year Lisbon’s was at Terreiro do Paço (Praça do Comércio), with concerts and midnight fireworks over the Tagus; Porto’s filled Avenida dos Aliados with concerts and a midnight show; Funchal fires its display over the bay. The 2026 line-ups for Lisbon and Porto had not been announced in early November, so check the city’s official page in December.

Christmas markets

Portugal’s Christmas markets are smaller and sunnier than Central Europe’s. Lisbon has the most, from Wonderland Lisboa to the Rossio market, and Óbidos is the best-known Christmas village. Our guide to Christmas markets in Portugal lists every one with its 2026 status.

A 7-day Portugal itinerary for December

This week is built around the weather: Lisbon as the base, one fixed Christmas day trip, Sintra on the clearest morning, and the Algarve for the driest finish on the mainland.

1. Day 1, Lisbon: walk the Baixa and the lights from Rossio to Praça do Comércio at dusk.
2. Day 2, Lisbon, rain or shine: museums and Belém; see our things to do in Lisbon for indoor options.
3. Day 3, Óbidos and Nazaré: the Christmas village in the morning, the waves in the afternoon; our private tour picks you up at 9:30, with Vila Natal tickets and lunch extra.
4. Day 4, Sintra: pick the clearest morning of your week; follow our one-day Sintra itinerary.
5. Day 5, south to the Algarve: travel day by train or car.
6. Day 6, the west Algarve: walk the cliffs at Lagos and the Ponta da Piedade.
7. Day 7, Faro or Tavira: a last walk, then fly home from Faro.

What to wear in Portugal in December

Layers and a waterproof. The numbers decide the packing: coast days of 15 to 17°C, evenings of 8 to 11°C, rain on 7 to 15 days, and nights near freezing inland.

• A waterproof jacket: rain is likely on at least a third of your days in the north
• A warm layer: a jumper or fleece for every evening
• Closed shoes with grip: Portugal’s limestone pavements turn slippery in the rain
• Hat and gloves: for the interior, frosty mornings on the Silver Coast and the Serra da Estrela
• A compact umbrella: for city days
• One smart layer: for a Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve dinner

If you are renting an apartment, check that the listing mentions heating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pick your region by the weather, then book the one fixed date

Go south or to Madeira for warmth, base yourself in Lisbon for the lights, and fix one day for the Óbidos Christmas Village while it runs, from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Book a timed session in our Óbidos Christmas Village guide, and join Francisco on our private Óbidos and Nazaré day for the walls, a ginjinha and the winter waves.