🇵🇹 Winter Portugal: top 10 activities

The weather in Porto Galilee is pleasant all winter. During the day it’s around +15°C; in the south it’s not uncommon to see +20°C. Rains happen, but end quickly. Just right for walking! It will be comfortable to explore colorful cities, get acquainted with local cuisine, admire the ocean and mountains.

And during this period there are fewer tourists and lower prices. But when you book your accommodation, be sure to find out that not all houses have central heating, and without it, the apartment may be colder than outside.

Some ideas of what to do in Portugal in winter:

Visit the Christmas market in Obidos

I can’t say that in Portugal they celebrate Christmas on any special scale, but you will find a festive atmosphere in any town: Christmas trees, lights, fairs. You can even find mulled wine – they don’t sell it at other times of the year.

Activities begin at the end of November and usually wind down by December 24th. In the village of Obidos, which has become a traditional place for Christmas festivities, magic reigns a little longer – until the New Year.

In fact, Obidos is beautiful at any time of the year: behind the ancient fortress walls hides a series of cobbled streets and cute houses.

Here you will find many cozy cafes and shops where local cherry liqueur is poured into chocolate glasses – it is called Ginja. You can also look into the medieval castle and stroll along the perimeter of the ancient city wall, admiring Obidos from above, and what romantic sunsets from here

By December, an open-air skating rink appears in Obidos, in the evening the city and fortress shine with illumination, and the castle itself becomes the home of Santa Claus. You can learn a little more about the history of Obidos from this publication.

Learn to ski or snowboard

Do you want snow? It can only be found in the mountains. The country's only ski resort is located at the highest point in mainland Portugal. To reach a total of 2000 meters, a tower was built here – Torre da Serra da Estrela. Nearby there is a restaurant and a covered market with local goods: presunto, cheeses, honey, wool and cork products.

The route is not steep – ideal for beginners. An individual lesson costs 45 euros, but group training can be arranged. There is also a low slope for tubing. The start of the skiing season is December 10. 

There are many beautiful places in Serra da Estrele – I have collected them in a separate guide.

Swim in hot springs

Want to warm some bones? The highlands of Portugal are rich in thermal springs. One of the largest and most ancient resorts is located in São Pedro do Sul (Termas de São Pedro do Sul). The local hot springs can treat respiratory, rheumatic, metabolic and muscle diseases.

You don’t have to go for treatment, but just wallow for half an hour in a warm pool with hydromassage. However, it is important to sign up in advance – in winter, the session is only once a day (at 18:30). Costs 10 euros per person. There is an option for an hour with saunas for 25. A large spa center has recently opened opposite the balneotherapy center – you can spend half a day there for 35 euros.

There are two bicycle routes from the thermal town to the old part of San Pedro do Sul. It’s 4 kilometers in one direction, so you can walk along it. The Ecopista do Vouga trail is very picturesque. At the old arched bridge next to the former railway station, I recommend turning into the city park, and from the park heading to the historical center. If you return along Santa Luzia Street, you will get a comfortable circular route.

There are many places near the city that are worthy of your attention: waterfalls, slate villages, observation decks with views of mountain valleys – I told about them and more about San Pedro do Sul itself here.

Haunt

In Portugal, there is a cult of walking and cycling – throughout the country they have thought out and marked on the map x a huge number of routes of different lengths and levels of difficulty. There are trails equipped with special wooden paths with steps on the slopes.

Wherever you go – to the ocean or to the mountains – you can choose an interesting track. I told you separately where to look for them. By the way, I really like to hike in winter, when it’s not hot outside and the rivers and waterfalls are full of water.

Visit the Algarve

At this year's World Travel Awards, the Algarve was named “Europe's Best Beach Destination.” This region of Portugal is crowded with tourists from summer to autumn – taking photos of the sights without people is unrealistic. And prices literally skyrocket during the hot season.

But, to be honest, it is better to admire the beauty of the local nature in winter. Tall striped cliffs, fragments of rocks floating in the ocean, caves with secret beaches, snow-white houses with terracotta roofs and the freshest seafood – this is what attracts the Algarve. I told more about this region and its attractions here.

By the way, in the winter months in the Algarve it can be much higher than +20°C – some tourists manage to sunbathe and even swim. But as for me, it’s realistic to go into the Atlantic without a wetsuit only in September.

See giant waves 

The big wave season in Nazaré starts in November and lasts until April. But it is important to understand that the strength of the elements depends on many factors, therefore, in order to see how the wave rises to a height of 20 meters, you need to monitor the state of the ocean. For this purpose, special web portals have been created, for example, this one. We recorded a surge in activity – urgently get into the car and go to Nazar.

If you are interested in surfing, the Portuguese coast is ideal for this sport – I provided more information about cool places to conquer waves in a special publication.

See the fairytale palaces of Sintra

Due to the fact that there are fewer tourists in winter, exploring the famous castles of Sintra will be much more comfortable. Pena Palace (Palácio da Pena), Quinta da Regaleira, National Palace of Sintra (Palácio Nacional de Sintra), Monserrate Palace (Palacio da Monserrate), Castle of the Moors (Castelo dos Mouros) – so many mysterious and colorful estates collected in one city! You can read about this incredibly beautiful place in my article.

And it’s more pleasant to walk around Lisbon without the sweltering heat. You know that I have a convenient walking route around the capital of Portugal?