The essentials
Lisbon’s Christmas is switched on on Sunday 29 November 2026 at 6:30 pm, when the mayor lights the big tree in Terreiro do Paço (Praça do Comércio) with a concert by Ana Moura, the Orquestra Tejo, 300 drones and fireworks, according to the programme published by Lisboa Cultura-EGEAC. The Rossio market opens earlier, on 13 November, and Wonderland Lisboa on the 27th; New Year’s Eve is celebrated in the same square with fireworks over the Tagus. 6 January is not a public holiday in Portugal.
It is one of the mildest winters in Europe, but also a rainy one. In December, the average temperature in Lisbon ranges from 9.4 °C to 15.4 °C, it rains (1 mm or more) on about 10 days with 108 mm in total and there are about 150 hours of sunshine in the whole month; in January, 8.6 °C to 15.1 °C, about 10 rainy days and 159 hours of sunshine. These are the IPMA 1991-2020 normals at the Instituto Geofísico in Lisbon.
Official weather warnings and recent earthquakes in Portugal are on Alerts in Portugal.
Getting there and what you need to enter
- Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland: a valid national identity card or passport. Spain recommends carrying both and keeping them apart: if you lose one, you go home with the other.
- Other travellers, for short stays: since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational. When you enter the Schengen area your fingerprints and a photo are taken, and passports are no longer stamped.
- ETIAS, the online travel authorisation, is not yet in operation: the EU will announce the date months in advance. The planned fee is €20.
- From the airport: the red metro line leaves from Aeroporto station and reaches the centre in about 20 minutes. A single Carris/Metro ticket costs €1.90 since 1 January 2026 and is loaded onto a €0.50 navegante occasional card, according to Metro de Lisboa.
Getting around
- Metro, buses and trams: with the navegante occasional card, a single journey costs €1.90 and the 24-hour Carris/Metro ticket €7.25 (€10.35 including the ferries to Cacilhas). The blue and green lines go to the Baixa (Baixa-Chiado, Rossio) and the green line to Cais do Sodré.
- Christmas and New Year: in 2025 the metro ran until 1 am on Christmas Eve, reopened on 25 December at 6:30 am and closed at 1 am on New Year’s Eve with no extension. Metro de Lisboa publishes the 2026 timetable in December.
- Strikes: the United Kingdom warns that in Portugal strikes that disrupt transport, airports included, can be called at short notice. Check your flight and your train the day before.
What to see and do
See the tree lit in Terreiro do Paço
On Sunday 29 November 2026, at 6:30 pm, the mayor lights the city’s main tree surrounded by children; then the Orquestra Tejo performs an original soundtrack by Diogo Clemente synchronised with fireworks, Ana Moura sings, and about 300 drones draw figures in the sky for eight minutes. It is a public event in the square. In 2025 the city lights were on from Sunday to Thursday from 5:30 pm to 11 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays until midnight, one hour longer on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve; the City Council confirms the 2026 hours with the switch-on.
Visit the Christmas markets
The 2026 dates the organisers have already published; the other neighbourhood markets are announced through November.
| Market | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Mercado de Natal do Rossio | Rossio square, Baixa | 13 Nov – 21 Dec 2026, free entry |
| Wonderland Lisboa | Parque Eduardo VII | 27 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027, free entry |
| Mercado de Natal das Avenidas Novas | Campo Pequeno | in 2025: 28 Nov – 1 Dec and 5 – 8 Dec (€2); 2026 dates not published |
Ride the Wonderland Lisboa wheel
The fair in Parque Eduardo VII, next to Marquês de Pombal, is open from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 with free entry; the big wheel, the ice rink and the rides are paid (the wheel cost €6 in 2024). The 2026 opening hours are published at wonderlandlisboa.pt.
Go inside the Jerónimos Monastery
The monastery in Belém is open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, with last entry at 5 pm, and is closed on Mondays, on 1 January and on 25 December (also Easter Sunday, 1 May and 13 June). Admission is paid and free with the Lisboa Card, according to Turismo de Lisboa.
Climb up to Castelo de São Jorge
From November to February it is open from 9 am to 6 pm, with last entry at 5:30 pm; it is closed on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January, according to EGEAC. The standard ticket costs €17; ages 13 to 25, €8.50, and over-65s, €14. The views over the Tagus at sunset are the best time.
See the year out in Terreiro do Paço
The City Council’s New Year’s Eve party is free and takes place in Praça do Comércio. On 31 December 2025 it started at 9:30 pm with DJs and a concert by Plutonio, and at midnight there were ten minutes of fireworks launched from the Tagus and synchronised with 250 drones. The 2026 programme has not been announced yet; we will add it here when it is published.
- 1Terreiro do Paço — Tree lighting 29 Nov 6:30 pm · New Year’s Eve party
- 2Rossio — Christmas market 13 Nov – 21 Dec
- 3Rua Augusta and the Baixa — Lights and shopping · pickpockets, according to Germany
- 4Chiado — Rua Garrett and the Armazéns do Chiado
- 5Avenida da Liberdade — Christmas lights and shops
- 6Parque Eduardo VII — Wonderland Lisboa 27 Nov – 3 Jan, free entry
- 7Castelo de São Jorge — 9 am–6 pm · closed 24, 25 and 31 Dec and 1 Jan
- 8Jerónimos Monastery — 9:30 am–5:30 pm · closed Mondays, 25 Dec and 1 Jan
- 9Campo Pequeno — Avenidas Novas market (2026 dates pending)
- 10Airport — Red metro line to the centre, €1.90
Shopping
Christmas shopping is concentrated in the Baixa (Rua Augusta), Chiado (Rua Garrett and the Armazéns do Chiado) and Avenida da Liberdade, with the lights on from 29 November. In Portugal the sales, the “saldos”, have no official dates: each shop announces its own, and the big chains usually start in the days after Christmas.
Safety
Is Portugal safe to visit right now?
The Telcomia Safety Index for Portugal is 1/4 (Low risk, level 1 of 4) as of Nov 14, 2026. It is a composite of official advisories from Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany, recalculated daily.
64 diplomatic missions from 62 countries, across 3 cities.
Situation now·
Portugal: public sector walkout on 20 November and a Lisbon march on 21 November
The Frente Comum, a group of public sector unions, has called a national walkout in the public administration for 20 November. On 21 November, the CGTP union confederation holds a national demonstration in Lisbon. Since 3 November, housing protest tents are back in squares in Lisbon and Porto, after a court decision allowed a protester to stay until 24 November. The UK government warns that walkouts can affect travel, including at airports, and can be announced at short notice. Demonstrations can disrupt traffic and public transport in city centres. The UK government, the US State Department, Germany and Spain all keep Portugal at their lowest level.
What governments advise
If you are in Lisbon on 21 November, keep away from the demonstration and allow extra time to move around the city.
What to do
- 1On 20 November, call ahead before you rely on a public service, such as a public hospital or a government office.
- 2On 21 November, keep away from the demonstration in Lisbon and allow extra time to cross the city.
- 3Check your flight with the airline before you go to the airport: the UK government warns that walkouts can affect airports and be announced at short notice.
- 4If you travel with family or a group, agree on a meeting point in case you are separated in a crowd.
- 5With a Telcomia eSIM for this trip, your embassy's details, the risk level and the emergency phrases with audio stay saved on your phone and open even without a connection.
Questions travellers are asking this week
Is it safe to travel to Portugal now?
Yes. The UK government, the US State Department, Germany and Spain all rate Portugal at their lowest level. Plan around the walkout on 20 November and the demonstration in Lisbon on 21 November.
Is there a walkout in Portugal in November 2026?
Yes. The Frente Comum unions have called a national walkout in the public administration for 20 November. Public services may be affected.
Is there a demonstration in Lisbon on 21 November?
Yes. The CGTP union confederation holds a national demonstration in Lisbon on 21 November. Expect crowds and traffic disruption in the city centre.
Can walkouts affect flights in Portugal?
The UK government warns that walkouts can affect travel, including at airports, and can be announced at short notice. Check your flight with the airline before you travel.
What are the tents in squares in Lisbon and Porto?
They are housing protest camps. They returned on 3 November after a court decision allowed a protester to stay until 24 November.
How the Telcomia app helps
- Your embassy and its emergency numbers, one tap away.
- An alert if the risk level rises during your trip.
- Everything saved on your phone to read offline.
- Emergency phrases in the local language, with audio.
- Mobile data from the moment you land, so alerts reach you.
Sources: United Kingdom — Foreign Office (FCDO) (Aug 11, 2026) · United States — Department of State (Dec 23, 2025) · Germany — Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) (Oct 13, 2026) · exteriores.gob.es (May 18, 2026) · rtp.pt (Oct 27, 2026) · rtp.pt (Oct 29, 2026) · rtp.pt (Nov 3, 2026)
A dated summary of official and press sources. It does not replace instructions from the local authorities or your embassy.
What governments say
Checked on 12 November 2026.
- The United States asks for “normal precautions” (level 1 of 4): Portugal is generally a safe destination, with petty theft in crowded tourist areas and on public transport.
- The United Kingdom does not advise against travel. It mentions street crime with distraction techniques and thieves working in teams, asks for care on public transport and at crowded bus and tram stops, warns of spiked drinks in nightlife venues and of strikes and demonstrations called at short notice.
- Spain sets no restrictions on travel to Portugal: “conditions similar to Spain’s”. It asks for care with personal belongings in tourist areas (Lisbon, Porto, Estoril, Cascais, Sintra, Algarve), where wallet theft, thefts from cars and thefts at train, metro and bus stations are frequent.
- Germany has no travel warning. It says pickpocketing has risen year after year to a “very high” level, with Praça do Comércio, Rua Augusta, Alfama, Castelo de São Jorge, the historic trams and the stations as hotspots, and asks for special care at night in the nightlife districts.
Documents and theft
- Report it at a PSP police station (also online, through the Portuguese government’s Queixa Eletrónica). Your insurer and consulate will ask for it.
- Stolen passport: your consulate can issue an emergency travel document to get you home. See which one serves you, according to your passport, in the Portugal safety guide.
Health and emergencies
- Phone numbers: 112 is the single emergency number; 808 24 24 24 (SNS 24) handles urgent problems that are not emergencies, 24 hours a day.
- European Health Insurance Card: it covers care that becomes necessary during the trip in Portugal’s public health service; it does not replace travel insurance.
- In bars and clubs, the United Kingdom warns of spiked drinks: buy your own and keep it in sight.
Staying connected
- With a mobile plan from an EU country, in Portugal you use your data at no extra cost (roam like at home).
- With a plan from outside the EU (United Kingdom, United States, Brazil, Latin America…), check the roaming price first. A data eSIM for Portugal connects you as soon as you land and you keep your usual number: see plans for Portugal.
When should I activate my Portugal eSIM?
Each plan shows before you pay when it starts counting. Plans that start on connection start counting the first time they connect to a network in one of the countries they cover: install the eSIM before you leave, keep the line off until you arrive in Portugal, and you'll have data as soon as you land. Some also work in other countries (each plan lists which): if the line connects earlier, at home or on a layover, it starts counting there. Plans that start when you buy them are best bought on the day you'll start using them.
Travellers’ questions about Lisbon at Christmas
When are Lisbon’s Christmas lights switched on in 2026?
On Sunday 29 November 2026 at 6:30 pm, in Terreiro do Paço, with a concert by Ana Moura, the Orquestra Tejo, 300 drones and fireworks.
When does the Rossio Christmas market open?
From 13 November to 21 December 2026, with free entry and the free Christmas train from 3 pm to 10 pm.
When does Wonderland Lisboa 2026 open?
From 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 in Parque Eduardo VII. Entry is free; the wheel, the ice rink and the rides are paid.
Are there fireworks in Lisbon on New Year’s Eve?
Yes, in Praça do Comércio and for free: in 2025 there were concerts from 9:30 pm and ten minutes of fireworks from the Tagus with 250 drones at midnight. The 2026 programme is yet to be announced.
Does the Lisbon metro run on 25 December?
Yes. In 2025 it ran until 1 am on Christmas Eve and reopened on the 25th at 6:30 am; on New Year’s Eve it closed at 1 am. The 2026 timetable is published in December.
What is the weather like in Lisbon in December?
Mild and rainy: between 9.4 °C and 15.4 °C on average, about 10 rainy days and about 150 hours of sunshine in the whole month (IPMA, 1991-2020 normals).
What do I need to enter Portugal?
If you are from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, an identity card or passport. If not, since 10 April 2026 you are registered in the Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and photo) when you enter the Schengen area. ETIAS is not working yet.
Where next
Photos
- Praça do Comércio with the Christmas tree and the Rua Augusta Arch, in December 2019. — TeWeBs, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The stars of Rua Garrett, in Chiado, in December 2017. — RickMorais, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Aeroporto station on the Lisbon metro, at the end of the red line. — IngolfBLN, CC BY-SA 2.0
- The Terreiro do Paço tree at night, in December 2018. — Pedro from Lisboa, Portugal, CC BY 2.0
- The Rossio lights, opposite the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, in December 2017. — RickMorais, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Wonderland Lisboa wheel, in Parque Eduardo VII, in December 2019. — Jules Verne Times Two, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The cloister of the Jerónimos Monastery, in May 2026. — Norbert Nagel, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lisbon and the Tagus from Castelo de São Jorge. — Michael Gaylard from Horsham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- A Carris tram decorated for Christmas, in December 2019. — TeWeBs, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Armazéns do Chiado lit up, in December 2016. — RickMorais, CC BY-SA 4.0
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