Christmas in Lisbon 2026: Christmas Markets, Lights and What to Do in December

What is the weather like in Lisbon in December?

Mild and damp, not cold. IPMA, the Portuguese weather institute, lists these 1991 to 2020 normals for its Lisboa / Gago Coutinho station: a December mean of 11.8 C, an average daytime high of 14.9 C, an average night-time low of 8.7 C and 100 mm of rain over the month, with about 9.7 days of 1 mm or more. Frost is rare. The station's record for the lowest December high is 7.8 C and the lowest December night-time temperature on record is 0.9 C.

For comparison, November has 114.6 mm and January a 14.4 C average high. In practice that means a waterproof jacket and a layer, not a winter coat, and a plan B for the wettest days. The Wonderland ice rink and Sintra's palaces are better on a dry afternoon. Museums, the Oceanário and covered markets cover the rest. These are long-run averages, so a single week can be wetter or sunnier.

Source: IPMA climate normal sheet, Lisboa / Gago Coutinho, 1991 to 2020 (station 579, altitude 104 m).

When are the Christmas lights switched on in Lisbon in 2026?

Lisbon City Council had not published a 2026 date by 9 November. Lisbon City Council had not announced the 2026 switch-on date when we checked on 9 November 2026. Time Out Lisboa reported on 2 October 2026 that the light structures began going up in the week of 14 September, including at Rossio, Praça da Figueira and Rua Ferreira Borges.

Last year the switch-on was on Saturday 22 November 2025 at 18:30 in Terreiro do Paço (Praça do Comércio), with the Orquestra do Tejo and fado singer Sara Correia. The metropolitan area's official agenda put the display at 182 km of lights across 46 locations, with a 30-metre tree in the square. Entry was free. Treat those figures as 2025.

Which Christmas markets are in Lisbon in 2026?

Two have 2026 dates out. Wonderland Lisboa in Parque Eduardo VII runs from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, as reported by RFM on 5 November, and the organiser has not yet published opening hours. It has a market, a giant wheel, an ice rink, a Christmas tree, carousels and live music. Entry is free and some attractions charge.

Many English guides still list last year's Rossio and Campo Pequeno dates without saying so, so check the organiser before you plan a day around them. Our Wonderland Lisboa visitor guide covers the ice rink, food stalls and getting there from Cascais.

What is open and closed on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January?

25 December and 1 January are national holidays under article 234 of the Portuguese Labour Code, so expect many shops and services to close or cut their hours. 24 and 31 December are normal working days with early closing in many places.

Some official hours for the events above. Óbidos Vila Natal is closed on 25 December and 1 January, and opens 10:00 to 17:00 on 24 and 31 December, according to its site. Wonderland Lisboa's 2026 hours were not published on 9 November. In 2024, Visit Lisboa listed 10:00 to 16:00 on 24 and 31 December and 16:00 to 22:00 on 25 December and 1 January, which is a guide to the pattern and not a 2026 promise.

Public transport shifts too. In 2025, the Lisbon Metro ran until 01:00 on the night of 24 to 25 December and reopened at 06:30 on 25 December, according to Time Out on 22 December 2025. Check Metro de Lisboa and Carris in mid-December for the 2026 timetable. Book Christmas Day lunch well ahead and confirm that the restaurant is open.

What happens in Lisbon on 31 December?

The city's main New Year's Eve party has been held in Terreiro do Paço, with free entry. Last year's programme ran from 21:30 with fireworks over the Tagus at midnight, according to Visit Lisboa. The 2026 programme was not announced on 9 November. For transport on the night in 2025, the Metro ran to its usual 01:00 closing, the Terreiro do Paço station closed at about 17:00 and the square closed to traffic and pedestrians at 18:00 for security checks, according to RTP.

Which day trips work in December: Sintra and Óbidos?

Óbidos is the strongest Christmas day trip because it has fixed dates and published prices. Óbidos Vila Natal costs 12 euros for over-12s and 8 euros for ages 3 to 11, with tickets at obidos.bol.pt. It is open 10:00 to 21:00 on Fridays, weekends and holidays, and 10:00 to 18:00 Monday to Thursday between 30 November and 17 December, per the official site. The hours page does not state a year, so confirm before you go. By car it is the A8 towards Leiria, exit 15 Óbidos.

Sintra is a rain-sensitive day trip because its palaces and gardens are outdoors. Check parquesdesintra.pt for the palaces' opening hours on 24, 25 and 31 December before you go, since holiday hours change each year. Our Óbidos Vila Natal guide has the longer version for that visit.

Where should you stay for Christmas in Lisbon?

Stay in the city if you want lights, markets and restaurants on your doorstep. Stay in Cascais if you prefer a quieter base and a coastal walk, with the train into Lisbon for the evenings. Portugal Portfolio has holiday homes in Lisbon and holiday homes in Cascais, and our where to stay in Cascais compares the two bases.

Where does the information in this guide come from?

Every date, rule and figure on this page was read at the source listed below, on 9 November 2026. If a source changes, the source is right. Portugal Portfolio does not sell tickets and has no link to the organisers.

• IPMA, Lisboa Gago Coutinho climate normals Confirms the 1991-2020 December temperature and rainfall figures for Lisbon.
• Óbidos Vila Natal, hours and prices Confirms the Óbidos Christmas village hours and ticket prices.
• Lisbon Metropolitan Area, 2025 switch-on Confirms the 2025 Lisbon lights switch-on details.
• Visit Lisboa, New Year's Eve Lisboa Confirms the 2025 New Year's Eve programme at Terreiro do Paço.
• RFM, 5 November 2026 Reports the 2026 Wonderland Lisboa dates and free entry.
• Time Out Lisboa, 2 October 2026 Confirms the Christmas lights installation began in mid-September.
• Time Out Lisboa, 22 December 2025 Confirms the Metro hours on 24 and 25 December 2025.

What could not be confirmed. The 2026 Lisbon lights switch-on date and programme, the Rossio and Campo Pequeno market dates, and the Sintra Christmas programme were not published by official sources.

Who writes this guide?

Christmas in Lisbon: frequently asked questions