Portugal is by far one of our favorite countries in Europe. After several trips, we’ve even decided that one day we want to live in this country for a longer period of time. We love the sea, the nature, the people, the beautiful beaches, the cities, and the super relaxed atmosphere in the country. Whether it’s a city trip to Porto, campervan tour, or surfing holiday by the sea – Portugal rocks! Today we’ll inform you about the climate in Portugal, the best time to travel, the weather, and temperatures. We highly recommend a trip to Portugal; the country is incredibly diverse and varied.

• Best time to travel to Portugal
• Optimal travel time for the regions
• Climate in Portugal
  • Climate in Portugal – North
  • Climate in Portugal – West
  • Climate in Portugal – Inland
  • Climate in Portugal – South
• Rain
• Beach vacation
• Rent accommodation
• Book a rental car
• Travel reading

Best time to travel to Portugal

When is the best time to travel to Portugal? There isn’t one single answer to this. It depends on which region of the country you want to travel to. Generally, the best time to travel to Portugal is from June to September. During this time, it is pleasantly warm (to hot) throughout the country with little rainfall. However, you can also visit the island of Madeira, the Azores, and the Algarve in winter. Even in the months of April, May, October, and November, depending on the region, you can expect very pleasant temperatures and spend a wonderful holiday in the country.

Sightseeing in Portugal, hiking, and cycling are most fun in spring and autumn when it’s not quite as hot. These months are also less crowded, a bit cheaper, and quieter. If you fancy a skiing holiday, you should head to the mountains in the northeast of the country in winter. A beach holiday is generally highly recommended, especially in July and August. However, the further south you go in the country, the longer the beach season.

Optimal travel time for the regions

Climate in Portugal

You can generally travel to Portugal year-round. In the north of the country, it is cooler and wetter than in the south of the country on the Algarve. Summers are very warm in the north, and winters are rather mild with relatively high rainfall. Portugal’s climate is strongly influenced by the Atlantic. While the climate in the south is Mediterranean, it has a more continental character towards the east.

The climate in the Azores and Madeira is warm and humid year-round. Temperature fluctuations are minimal. In the following section, we’ll take a closer look at the different regions of the country and tell you what kind of climate you can expect.

Climate of Portugal – North

The climate in the north of the country is Mediterranean. Summers are hot, especially in Porto, and the winter months are very mild. However, thanks to the Atlantic wind, it’s never too hot in summer. The warmest months are July and August, with temperatures up to 25°C. Similar temperatures can also be reached in June and September. A beach holiday is highly recommended at this time, even though the Atlantic never exceeds 20°C (rather cooler). July and August are the months with the least rainfall in the north of Portugal.

In autumn and spring, mild temperatures with maximum temperatures of 18°C can be expected. In winter, it never gets too cold in the north of Portugal, reaching maximum temperatures of around 13°C. However, the winter months are very humid. From November to January, you can expect an average of 18 days of rain. The best time to travel to the north of Portugal is July to September. But you can also expect very pleasant temperatures in May and October.

Climate Portugal – West

In the west of Portugal, the weather is very changeable and significantly cooler than in the south. Summers are pleasantly warm, reaching up to 28°C, with a pleasant Atlantic breeze. However, it cools down considerably at night. Winters in this region are very mild and humid. The warmest months are July, August, and September. The coolest months in the west of Portugal are January, February, and December. The most rain falls in this region between November and February.

We often visited the west of the country around Lisbon, Ericeira, and Peniche in March, April, May, and October. We had the best time in May. It rained significantly less and was sometimes quite warm. In all other months, it was very humid, significantly cooler, and it rained more often. The best time to travel to the west of the country is from June to September. But the months of April, May, and October can also be very pleasant.

Climate Portugal – Inland

The interior of the country is strongly influenced by the Castilian plateau in Spain. Here, the temperature differences between winter and summer are clearly noticeable. Winters in this region of the country are quite cool and often very windy. It is not uncommon for snow to fall in the Sierra da Estrela from December to April. The warm summer, on the other hand, has temperatures of up to 28°C. If you travel in the interior of the Alentejo, you can experience peak temperatures of over 40°C.

Climate Portugal – South

We love the south coast of the country. You can vacation here all year round. The Algarve enjoys a Mediterranean climate. The hill ranges in the northern part of the Algarve protect the coast from strong winds. This means that winters are very short and mild. Temperatures rarely fall below 10°C here. In summer, you can look forward to long, hot, and sunny days.

Thanks to the cool Atlantic breeze, these temperatures are easily bearable. During the day, the thermometer can easily climb above 30°C. At night, it only cools down to around 25°C. The best time to travel to southern Portugal (Algarve) is from May to October. But you can also expect a very pleasant climate in the Algarve during the months of April and November.

Rain

The further north you travel, the wetter it becomes. However, precipitation decreases significantly from north to south. While up to 3,000 mm of precipitation can be recorded in the north, the south usually receives only 400 mm. Most of the rain falls between November and March. Summers, however, are generally very dry, with the exception of the mountains in the northeast.

Beach Holidays

Portugal is located on the Atlantic. This means that you can expect rather cool water temperatures. The Portuguese coast reaches a maximum of 20°C, due to the lack of warming ocean currents (e.g., the Gulf Stream). The best months for a beach holiday are between June and August in the west of the country. In the Algarve, the bathing season is significantly longer. Here you can expect pleasant water temperatures between May and October. The further south you go, the warmer and longer the bathing season.

Renting Accommodation

In Portugal, you’ll find numerous accommodations. You can book affordable hostel rooms, comfortable hotel rooms, or a private vacation rental. We usually book through Booking.com* or Airbnb*. If you don’t have an Airbnb account yet, you can create one using our invitation link*. As a thank you, you’ll receive €25 off your first booking. We’ve had nothing but positive experiences with Airbnb for many years.

Booking a Rental Car

Portugal is the perfect country for a road trip, whether with a small car, a campervan, or a caravan. We’ve already tested all the options and love exploring the country flexibly and freely. At billiger-mietwagen.de*, you can book a car for around €215 for 14 days, including all essential services. Make sure you select “no excess” and the “full/full” fuel policy.

Travel Reading

Are you still looking for suitable travel reading? How about the comprehensive Dumont travel guide*? Here, you’ll learn everything about Portugal in over 430 pages. We love this publisher’s travel guides because they’re well-structured and make you want to visit the destination just by reading them. In our shop*, you’ll also find a selection of great travel novels.