Lisbon's red rooftops and hills rolling down to the river in golden evening light, seen from above

Destination

Best Time to Visit Lisbon

Weather, crowds, prices and events for all twelve months — and one clear recommendation.

My recommendation

May–June and September

Warm enough for rooftop drinks and long evenings, without the full summer crowds — the best combination of sunshine, atmosphere and manageable crowds.

Fewer crowds

March–April and October

Comfortable shoulder-season weather with far fewer people.

Best weather

June–September

Warm, reliably sunny and made for long evenings outside.

Best for rooftops

May, June and September

Full rooftop season without peak-summer madness.

Better prices

January–February and November

The quietest, cheapest stretch of the year.

Best atmosphere

June

Santo António turns the whole city into one long street party.

May–June and September scores

Weather9/10

Crowds6/10

Prices6/10

Events6/10

A rooftop bar terrace in Lisbon at sunset, with views over the city's red roofs toward the river

Plan around

What to know before you book

Santo António: Lisbon's famous June celebrations turn the streets into one big party. Amazing atmosphere, but expect much bigger crowds.
NOS Alive: One of Portugal's major music festivals. Accommodation can become more expensive and harder to find around the festival.
Web Summit: One of the world's biggest tech conferences. Hotel demand and prices can jump during the event.

When would I go?

I'd pick June.

Lisbon is one of those cities where the whole point is being outside. Long sunny days, a drink on a rooftop, sunset over the river and then dinner and drinks somewhere in the city.

June gives you that proper summer feeling without going quite as hard as July and August. And if you want the same vibe with a little more breathing room, September is probably my second choice.

Month by month